The north-east of Scotland has some of the most beautiful coastline in Scotland. From wide sweeping golden beaches to fishing villages carved out of the coastline. It has a bit of everything. One of my favourite places to visit is Balmedie beach. It’s situated about 5 miles north of Aberdeen and has miles of golden sands to walk along. The kids love it for the dunes which they can spend many a happy hour running up and down on. It’s beautiful no matter when you visit. These pictures were taken in December, the temperature was -3. It actually made it easier to walk through the dunes - the sand was frozen so didn’t give way which meant less of a slog.

The only thing l would say is that there is an incredibly tight entrance to get into the car park so if you are in a larger car, make sure you have someone with you to ‘spot’.

After walking several miles on the beach, you might be tempted with a pub meal. I’d recommend the Cock and Bull Inn. Just a 5 min drive away, it serves pub lunches and a roast on Sunday.

For a bit of shopping, head to independent shop - Indi and Will to pick up gorgeous and contemporary fashion, gifts and home goods.