Macduff is a small fishing and boatbuilding town on the north coast of Aberdeenshire, facing its larger twin Banff across the Deveron estuary. The town was renamed in 1783 by James Duff, 2nd Earl of Fife — the name means "son of Dubh", the black-haired one — and it has been tied to the sea ever since, with yards still turning out wooden, steel and aluminium hulls alongside the working harbour.
The main draw for visitors is the Macduff Marine Aquarium, showcasing the creatures of the Moray Firth in a big central tank with regular diver feeds. From the harbour, the Puffin runs coastal cruises east to Troup Head — home to a vast gannet colony with puffins and guillemots — and west to Portsoy, with a good chance of spotting dolphins or minke whales. The parish church dominates the skyline, and the ruined open-air pool at Tarlair, a short walk east, makes a bleakly atmospheric stop on the rugged coast.
The Royal Tarlair Golf Club follows the clifftops above the sea, and the nearby villages of Gardenstown, Crovie and Pennan are worth a detour for anyone drawn to the quiet drama of Scotland's north-east coast.