About Haddo…

Haddo has been the home of the Gordon family, Earls and Marquesses of Aberdeen for over 550 years. In 1732 the second Earl commenced the construction of Haddo House near the site of the former House of Kellie.

Designed by William Adam and extensively re-modelled for the seventh Earl (1st Marquess) in the 1880s, The House, since 1979, has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland. It is situated at the heart of The Estate and is open to the public.

Some of the original park, extending to 240 acres, is now owned by Aberdeenshire Council and known as Haddo Country Park. This historic and stunning parkland is hugely popular, attracting more than 240,000 people each year, who come to walk, exercise, picnic and enjoy the landscape and nature.

The remainder of the estate continues to be owned by the family and extends to approximately 5,000 acres, surrounding Haddo House and The Country Park. It is bordered to the North by the River Ythan and the nearby villages of Tarves and Methlick, the entire estate is within 30 minutes of Aberdeen.

A day out at Haddo House & Country Park has something for everyone. You can take a guided tour of Haddo House, discover the beautiful terraced gardens, walk for miles in the country park, or let the kids burn off some energy in our adventure playground. Wildlife watchers are also in for a treat as Haddo is home to many species.

Haddo is also home to a vibrant local arts scene with charitable organisations such as Haddo Arts, Haddo Choral & Operatic Society and Haddo Children’s Theatre all regularly performing on site.

Haddo is also home to thriving locally owned businesses including an award winning early years kindergarten, Haddo Woodland Kindergarten and two cafes offering different experiences, Mrs Smith’s at Haddo is based inside the Country Park and The Drive at Haddo is on the corner of the main drive into Haddo and is a car enthusiasts dream.

Whatever your interests you’ll find something to do at Haddo, so come and discover this remarkable place for yourself!