Turriff is a small market town in Aberdeenshire, sitting in gently rolling farmland about 35 miles north of Aberdeen. It's not a destination in itself, but it makes a decent base for exploring the castles and coastal towns of the northeast.
The town is best known among Scots for its agricultural show — one of the oldest and largest in Scotland, running since 1864. If you're passing through in late July or early August, it's worth timing a visit around it.
The surrounding area is rich in castles. Delgatie Castle, just a couple of miles east of Turriff, is a fine example — the seat of the Hay family for six centuries, with remarkable 16th-century painted ceilings that survive in unusually good condition. To the south, Fyvie Castle is one of the grandest in Scotland; Craigston and Towie Barclay round out a serious local castle trail.
The coast is only 20 minutes away. Banff and Macduff sit across the Deveron estuary from each other, with Duff House in Banff — a William Adam baroque palace now run by the National Galleries of Scotland — worth the detour on its own. Gardenstown and Portsoy are small fishing villages with real character.