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Alford b&b, guesthouse and hotel accommodation

Visit Alford and the surrounding villages and stay in bed & breakfast accommodation:

Alford, Aberdeenshire. This farming mart centre and pleasant modern village on the South bank of the Don, in the centre of a rich arable vale sheltered by the hills, is chiefly famous for a battle and a poet. The battle took place on the 2nd of July 1645, at the height of the Marquess of Montrose's wonderful summer campaign in aid of the otherwise failing cause of Charles I. Having defeated the covenanting General Urry at Auldearn near Nairn, Montrose moved South via Corgarff to try conclusions with General Baillie, and took his stand on a hill to the West of the present village. Baillie was outnumbered and did not intend to give battle, but was drawn across the Don and into the fray by skilful manoeuvring. Cavalry and infantry became confused, and the rear of the covenanting force was enveloped and the army routed. It was a victory that cost Montrose dear, for he lost in it his devoted friend and ally, Lord George Gordon, the eldest son of the Marquess of Huntly.

The poet of Alford was Charles Murray, born at Eastgate in 1864, who achieved a world-wide vogue with his nostalgic and patriotic poems in Hamewith, but is more justly renowned for having raised North-East dialect verse to a level of technical perfection that has never been surpassed. Afford is still justly proud of Hamewith.

Alford played a notable part in the farming revolution at the end of the 18^th century, and, by the time the railway had come in 1859, the hill of Callievar was cultivated up to 950 of its 1,480 ft. The railway has gone, but the village it created continues to expand in the sunlight of agricultural prosperity. South of the village is the now restored tower of Balfluig, and there are interesting monuments in the kirkyard of the old parish church, the centre of the original Kirkton, 11/2 miles West of the village. At Bridge of Alford (2 miles West) lies another hamlet, with a famous anglers' inn; at Montgarrie, just North of Afford on the North bank of the Don, is another thriving village with an old meal mill.

Nearby towns: Ballater, Banchory, Huntly, Insch, Inverurie

Nearby villages: Aberdeen, Auchinhove, Auchleven, Bankhead, Bridge of Alford, Chapel of Garioch, Clatt, Clova, Coldstone, Comers, Corsindae, Coull, Craigearn, Cults, Cults, Hirn, Keig, Kemnay, Kennethmont, Kildrummy, Kinnernie, Leochel-Cushnie, Leslie, Lumphanan, Lumsden, Meikle Wartle, Migvie, Monymusk, Old Rayne, Ordie, Oyne, Pitcaple, Pitfichie, Pittodrie, Rhynie, Tarland, Tillyfour, Tillyfourie, Torphins, Tough, Towie, Tullynessle, Whitehouse

Have you decided to visit Alford or the surrounding villages? Please look above for somewhere to stay in:

• a Alford bed and breakfast (a Alford B&B or Alford b and b)
• a Alford guesthouse
• a Alford hotel (or motel)
• a Alford self-catering establishment, or
• other Alford accommodation