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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to tell everyone how wonderful Aberdeen is

129 replies

Tr1skel1on · 31/08/2023 23:43

Long story but ended up on our family holiday in Aberdeen for a week. Had no idea what to expect.

I wasn't expecting Aberdeen to steal my heart! My grumpy teenager wants to live in Aberdeen.

I have one more day in this amazing city, we've done all the obvious things, any locals have any suggestions what I should do tomorrow?

Thank you

OP posts:
Sparklybanana · 01/09/2023 12:45

AberdeenSHIRE is bloody lovely except for the wind and the fog. Many times I've jumped into the car to go to the beach as its a glorious sunny day only to hit the haar.
Aberdeen itself has its nice points but its been decimated by the oil price. Loads of lovely places closed. Shopping centre is OK- or at least it was a few years back when we last were there. We moved away as there wasn't a future for us there anymore. I'll say yanbu though as it does have its nice points and it's not as bad as people think - especially on a sunny day. Once a year ;)

ArabeIIaScott · 01/09/2023 12:54

AlanGrantsNeckerchief · 01/09/2023 11:25

Lots of happy memories of my uni days - Cafe Continental on the beach, Amadeus nightclub, many, man, MANY nights out in the Union, Lemon Tree, Mud Club, days out to Stonehaven, ceilidhs/balls, shopping down Union Street, the cobbles of Old Aberdeen!

OMG the Mud Club.

Clear the floor for Temple of Love, everyone.

standys · 01/09/2023 13:13

It's lovely when the sun shines as it is doing today. Enjoy.

JaninaDuszejko · 01/09/2023 13:20

My Mum is from Aberdeen so we spent many holidays there visiting family. Always loved going to the Duthie Park Winter Gardens and on the incredibly long slides. Surprised at the hate TBH although I'd agree that e.g. Inverness is much prettier and touristy (and I like the granite).

Good places:
Art Gallery
St Machar's Cathedral and a walk round Old Aberdeen
Seaton Park has a big playground which is excellent for little kids
Maritime Museum
All the castles in the shire
The Ashvale for fish and chips

Union Street is very sad now in comparison to its heyday, I have many happy memories of shopping there in the 80s and 90s. Such a shame but I guess Aberdeen was always so dependent on the oil, the economy needs diversification and that can take time.

Heartbreaktuna · 01/09/2023 13:29

Aberdeenshire? yes. Aberdeen no.

Buttercupsdaisiesdandelions · 01/09/2023 14:19

Union Terrace Gardens are coming into their own, but you're bound to have been there already.

Ditto the Art Gallery - it is just wonderful.

Ditto the Maritime museum - lots to see.

Wee surprising things - if you head for the Castlegate, in the street near the Tolbooth there is a patch of road which is untarmaced and has a square of cobbles - it's the site of the gallows.

You don't have that much time left, but we spent a happy day walking from the Brig o' Balgownie, through Seaton Park (wonderful flower beds), visiting St Machar Cathedral, the University Botanic Gardens, down the High Street, the Duncan Rice Library for the wee exhibition, plus, if you sign in you can go to the top floor and have an amazing 360 degree view of Aberdeen, then the Quad and Kings College Chapel, with several options for coffee / food in the High Street. There's the Zoology museum in Old Aberdeen, too, not sure of opening times. Also the Snow churchyard - actually not much to see there, mostly mud, but it always comes as a surprise, down a wee lane, turn a corner and surprise! a wee hidden cemetery.

AlanGrantsNeckerchief · 01/09/2023 14:47

@OwlBeGone yes i was there 1996 for 4 years! it was such a good city to be a student in i thought

PrunellaAndPat · 01/09/2023 20:09

@AlanGrantsNeckerchief and @ArabeIIaScott you’ve both mentioned the Mud Club - I was a regular there for a time in the 90s, I wonder if we’d know/recognise each other irl!

Aranas · 01/09/2023 20:12

I never thought I'd hear of anyone willingly going to Aberdeen, let alone recommending it. 😁

AlanGrantsNeckerchief · 01/09/2023 20:15

@PrunellaAndPat @ArabeIIaScott i used to also be a regular at Bounce on a Thursday night in the Union! this thread is bringing back good memories!

Leftinlimbo · 01/09/2023 21:11

I am guessing you didn't visit Union Street on a Friday night! Awful place.

I went to uni in Aberdeen for a few years but never managed to drive around the city without getting lost.

Butchyrestingface · 01/09/2023 21:16

Anyone speak Doric?

<leafs through tattered copy of Sunset Song>

Meikle, muckle, quine...

TooOldForThisNonsense · 01/09/2023 21:19

stonkytonk11 · 01/09/2023 11:49

@TooOldForThisNonsense a trek from Glasgow?? Just over a couple of hours on the train and under 3 in the car 🤔

I know lol but it seems a lot for a day or two! Plus I’m sure when I got the train it was over 3 hours from Glasgow, and I live west of there.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 01/09/2023 21:20

I say Aberdeen is the cursed city. Me, my brother and my cousin all went off the rails there.
It's a strange mix of students and offshore workers so drinking culture is high.
But there are good things to do there too I guess.
I prefer Dundee now.

Original poster
Tr1skel1on · 01/09/2023 21:20

Thank you all for your suggestions, we had a lovely last day and the whole family were genuinely sad to leave. It's a wonderful city and more people should visit.

Now in city centre of Stirling and had 2 probably Y6 kids circling me on pushbikes trying to nick my ancient phone while I was trying to get a pint of milk!

Had none of that in Aberdeen, maybe I was lucky

OP posts:
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 01/09/2023 21:21

But talking about bars and clubs I was a regular at Henry j beans and moshulu

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 01/09/2023 21:22

Nah I do think Aberdeen is actually pretty safe to be fair.

Sterling I thought was meant to be too though..

ArabeIIaScott · 01/09/2023 21:23

PrunellaAndPat · 01/09/2023 20:09

@AlanGrantsNeckerchief and @ArabeIIaScott you’ve both mentioned the Mud Club - I was a regular there for a time in the 90s, I wonder if we’d know/recognise each other irl!

Early 90s! Crimped hair, army surplus jacket and black cherries lipstick. Its all a very dim memory now though ....

Alaimo · 01/09/2023 21:27

I went to university there and really enjoyed my time there, but was also happy to leave by the end of it. Moved down to edit and actually paid less rent there than I had in Aberdeen during the oil boom. Nowadays I think rent in Aberdeen would be about half of what it is in Edinburgh.

okcrochet · 01/09/2023 21:35

Butchyrestingface · 01/09/2023 21:16

Anyone speak Doric?

<leafs through tattered copy of Sunset Song>

Meikle, muckle, quine...

Aye! Me.. Fit like?

ArabeIIaScott · 01/09/2023 22:03

nae bad, quine. Chavvin awa.

BathshebaKnickerStickers · 01/09/2023 22:16

Ehm - when I met my DH I lived in Dundee and he was in Aberdeen, I used to stay every Monday night for the Mud Club and somehow be in Dundee on the train to get to work for 08:30.

lived in Aberdeen for 25 years, brought my 3 children up here. None of them speak Doric (my husband is local and normally has turned his off but can switch it on). I absolutely love Aberdeen

Original poster
Tr1skel1on · 01/09/2023 22:43

Reflecting on the comments about Aberdeen being quite anti English, my family and I aren't English, maybe that made a difference?

OP posts:
DonnaBanana · 01/09/2023 22:56

my nearest big city to home is Liverpool and it feels safer than parts of there

😏

Frabbits · 02/09/2023 00:12

Tr1skel1on · 01/09/2023 22:43

Reflecting on the comments about Aberdeen being quite anti English, my family and I aren't English, maybe that made a difference?

It's not, at all.