Ellon, Aberdeenshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ellon
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 Ellon Town Centre and the River Ythan |
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 Ellon
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| Population | 10,070 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NJ948306 |
| • Edinburgh | 106 mi (171 km) |
| • London | 412 mi (663 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ELLON |
| Postcode district | AB41 |
| Dialling code | 01358 |
| Police | Grampian |
| Fire | Grampian |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament | |
Ellon (which is Eilean in Gaelic) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It's about 16 kilometres (10 miles) north of Aberdeen. The town sits on the River Ythan. This river has one of the few natural river mouths on Scotland's east coast.
Ellon is in an old area called Formartine. Its name probably comes from the Gaelic word Eilean, meaning "island". This is because there was an island in the River Ythan that made it easy to cross. In 1707, Ellon became a special type of town called a burgh of barony. The town is also famous for its very old yew trees.
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What to See and Do in Ellon
Discover Ellon's Historic Gardens
Ellon has some interesting places to visit. One is the Ellon Castle Gardens. Volunteers have worked hard to bring these gardens back to life. They are now open to the public at certain times. The gardens include a special walled garden with a long history. You can also see yew trees that are 500 to 800 years old! There are also the old ruins of Ellon Castle and its surrounding walls, known as the Deer Dyke.
Walk Across the Auld Brig
Another cool spot is the Auld Brig. This is a very old bridge built in 1793. It crosses the River Ythan and is still used today by people walking. It's a historic landmark.
Explore Riverside Park
The Riverside Park is a great place for walks along the River Ythan. Here, you might spot herons, salmon, trout, and even otters playing in the water!
Visit a Modern Brewery
In 2013, a company called BrewDog built a large brewery just outside Ellon. It cost about £7.8 million and covers 5.5 acres (2.2 hectares). This brewery is designed to be very eco-friendly. It uses special plants to treat waste and technology that turns waste into biogas. Since 2021, it has an anaerobic digestion plant to help reduce its carbon emissions. In 2016, the brewery got even bigger with new equipment.
See Kinmuck Castle Ruins
About 4 miles (6.4 km) north-east of Ellon, you can find the ruins of Kinmuck Castle. This old castle was taken apart in 1413 to help build the old Ellon Castle.
Learning in Ellon
Ellon has three primary schools for younger students:
- Ellon Primary School
- Auchterellon Primary School
- Meiklemill Primary School
Each of these schools has outdoor green spaces and playgrounds. After primary school, students go to Ellon Academy. This is the local secondary school. It has about 1200 students, and this number is expected to grow as more families move to the area. A brand new Ellon Academy opened in July 2015 on the edge of town.
Fun and Sports in Ellon
Ellon has a community centre with a swimming pool and a café. It's a great place to hang out.
The Meadows sports centre is located just outside Ellon. It has many facilities for different sports and clubs. You can find pitches for football and rugby, an astroturf pitch for hockey, a gym, and a sports hall for many activities. The Meadows is home to the local football team, Ellon United, as well as the Ellon Rugby Club and Ellon Hockey Club.
News in Ellon
The town has its own weekly newspaper called the Ellon Times. It keeps everyone up to date on local news.
Homes in Ellon
Ellon has grown a lot because of the North Sea oil industry. Many people who work in Aberdeen choose to live in Ellon. It's a popular town for young families moving out of Aberdeen. In 2006, Ellon was one of the towns in Scotland where house prices were increasing the fastest.
Getting Around Ellon
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Methlick Tarves |
Fraserburgh Mintlaw New Deer |
Peterhead Cruden Bay |
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| Pitmedden Oldmeldrum |
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Collieston | ||
 Ellon  |
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| Udny Green Udny Station |
Balmedie Aberdeen |
Newburgh |
Ellon is located near the A90 road. This road makes it easy to travel south to Aberdeen or north to Peterhead and Fraserburgh. Other important roads include the A920 going west to Oldmeldrum and Huntly, and the A948 going north to New Deer.
There are regular bus services that connect Ellon with Aberdeen, Inverurie, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, and other nearby towns and villages. Buses serve both the town centre and the Ellon Park and Ride on the eastern side of Ellon.
Ellon used to have a train station on the Great North of Scotland Railway line. This line ran from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh and Peterhead. However, passenger trains stopped running in 1965. Freight trains continued until 1979, when the entire line closed.
The old railway line was bought by the local council in 1981. Now, it's part of a national network of cycling routes, which is great for bikes!
Famous People from Ellon
Many interesting people have come from Ellon, including:
- Patrick Gordon (1635–1699), a general and admiral in Russia, who was a main advisor to Tsar Peter the Great.
- Alexander Mitchell (1817–1887), who became a U.S. Representative in Wisconsin.
- Sir James Reid, 1st Baronet (1849–1923), who was the personal doctor to Queen Victoria.
- Teddy Scott (1929–2012), a famous footballer and coach for Aberdeen F.C..
- Tom Patey (1932–1970), a well-known mountaineer and doctor.
- Evelyn Glennie (born 1965), a world-famous percussionist.
- Paul Sturrock (born 1956), a footballer.
- Natalie Ross (born 1989), a footballer.
See also
In Spanish: Ellon (Aberdeenshire) para niños
