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N.B. NO TOURS AVAILABLE 16-21 August due to staff holidays

IF YOU WANT A TOUR ON A DIFFERENT DATE - EMAIL US TO BOOK PRIVATELY OR PHONE 07572 582198 OR MESSAGE VIA FACEBOOK (Click Here)

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WEDNESDAY 25 AUGUST 2021: TREES, WOODS & FORESTS - A STORYTELLING SESSION

30 tickets remaining

MEET: Outside Ranger's Hut/ Old Tennis Court, Duthie Park
START TIME: 7pm
DURATION: approx 2hr
OUTDOOR, SEATED EVENT (bring your own chairs)
TICKETS: All tickets £10 - Click HERE to book 

With guest storyteller, P.D. Brown (Formartine Countryside Ranger/ Grampian Association of Storytellers), our director, Dr Fiona-Jane Brown will be hosting an outdoor storytelling session with tales on the theme of all things arboreal! Talking trees, spooky woods, forest-dwellers, all that and some local, on-site history thrown in.  David specialises in ancient tales from Viking and Celtic epics to local Scottish stories, interwoven with poetic performances in the style of the old bards. Dr Brown is a local historian and folklorist which informs her tales and legends.  

Bring your own chairs, blankets, stools, and hot drinks! The public toilets in the park should be open.  The nearest toilets are at the Inn at the Park Hotel otherwise. Social distancing is no longer mandatory, but seat yourself where you are comfortable.  Any children should be under the guidance of their parents.  Dogs are welcome if they can remain quiet, or if you are able to nip off with them for a walk if they get bored. We will be situated in front of the old green tennis pavilion, which is now the park rangers' hut. 

N.B. this is NOT a walking tour, but a seated static event, though still outdoors.  It may get cold later on, so please, please come prepared.  Car parking available at either side of Duthie Park, on Riverside Drive and Polmuir Road.  No.17 bus stops outside Inn at the Park, and the 18 also stops at one of the park entrances.

P.D. Brown's profile can be found on TRACS.

Social Distancing is no longer mandatory after Monday 9 August.  We will be increasing tour numbers thereafter. 

Catch our new podcast running on Anchor.fm; Click HERE to access the episodes so far. 

Any queries - email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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News

June 2021

Hidden Aberdeen Tours has been rebranded as "Hidden Aberdeen City & Shire" to reflect our new business model - we are primarily a historical research consultancy now, but will still offer walking tours by appointment. A few public tours will be offered, but anyone who wishes to join those MUST book in advance, we cannot have walk-ups due to the restrictions still being in place.  It's far more simple to choose a tour, contact us and we can arrange a mutually acceptable date and time to take your group on one of our many themed routes. 

Events like storytelling and outdoor theatre are still on the back burner just now until all the restrictions are off.  But if venues are willing to take us, then we'll do it! Keep your fingers crossed! Keep an eye on our events page AND on Facebook if you are on there - our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/HiddenAbdnTours.  

New Podcast!

The coronavirus pandemic has shocked everybody, not least of all us! Unable to tour for the foreseeable future, we decided to get local history out to you via a different medium, AUDIO! Our director, Dr Fiona-Jane Brown has started a podcast on Anchor.fm which can also be accessed on Spotify, iTunes, GooglePodcasts, RealRadio and a number of other platforms.  The episodes are usually posted at the weekend, The first series of 10 is available.  The History Quine covers some of the material from Dr Brown's former column in the Evening Express and her books, so expect to range about Aberdeenshire as well as hear about stories from the city.  You can listen to them directly from Anchor.fm or use any of the platforms to store them.  

If you have any suggestions for topics, or want to share your stories of city and shire, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as we can record interviews via Zoom or Skype.  The link for The History Quine is HERE.

Research Projects

In 2018, our director, Dr Fiona-Jane Brown had been commissioned to research Rubislaw Den House for its owners, Opitimus Ltd.

This lead to many fascinating discoveries including that the original Georgian mansion was most likely built by William Dauney, master mason, and maternal uncle of Aberdeen's most famous architect, Archibald Simpson.  William built it for his own brother, Alexander, who was Under-Sheriff of Abereenshire and a local advocate. 

The current house, designed for granite merchant, William Keith, was home to Alexander Anderson, Provost of Aberdeen, but best known for being the founder of CALA (City of Aberdeen Land Association) now CALA Homes.  Anderson shaped most of Victorian Rubislaw and Torry due to his shrewd development of those areas.   Rubislaw Den House was also the last residence of Lady Aberdeen before her death.  She spent her last years writing her memoirs; renaming the property Gordon House, which it remained thereafter as a university hostel, then returned to its original name when it was converted to a nursing home.

Dr Brown hopes that other organisations in significant listed buildings will come forward and invest in similiar research.  Any such enquiries should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  

Our listing with VISIT ABERDEENSHIRE is now live.  Our friends at this local tourism promotion agency have been snowed under with updates to their business pages, so if you've recently visited it and found obsolete information, it's now been fixed! Click HERE to view and let us know if you spot any errors in future! 

Hidden Aberdeen Tours (founded 2011) is wholly owned by Dr Fiona-Jane Brown as a sole-trading operation which occasionally works with contractors.

Contact details

Phone: 07572 582198
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.