castle
Dunnottar Castle
A ruined medieval fortress on a dramatic rocky headland on the northeastern coast of Scotland.
24 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomScotland
Kingswells
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
About Kingswells
Kingswells works well as a base: 10 minutes from Cults, 24km from Dunnottar Castle.
Kingswells is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 4,800 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Cults, about 6 km away.
Kingswells is a village and suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, situated west of the city and to the east of Westhill which lies on the other side of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route bypass (part of the A90 road).
Kingswells has a primary school, a doctor's surgery, a veterinary practice (Ardene), a community centre, aRead more
Co-op convenience store, a garage, a beauty salon, and a church. For food and leisure, the village hosts two take-away outlets, a restaurant/café and a pub at the Four Mile.
Next to the village lies the Prime Four Business Park, which features offices of many major oil and gas companies, a hotel, gym and Starbucks coffee shop, along with a dentist's surgery.
Although Kingswells does not have a secondary school, buses operate regularly, providing transport to nearby secondary schools such as Bucksburn Academy.
The village is served by public transport, including the McGill's service 14, which runs between Kingswells and Aberdeen City Centre on weekdays. From the park and ride facility, Stagecoach Bluebird services 5 and 6 connect Kingswells with Westhill and Aberdeen, along with service 218 to Alford and Aberdeen. The area also benefits from easy access to Bridge of Don and Dyce via the AWPR, offering convenience for those working at Aberdeen Airport and nearby industrial estates.
Where to Stay in Kingswells
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Explore the Area
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Kingswells?
Within an hour or so of Kingswells: Dunnottar Castle (24 km), Dunnottar Castle (inspiration for Brave) (24 km), Grampian Transport Museum (30 km), Craigievar Castle (30 km).
Are there any good drives near Kingswells?
The nearest famous roads are The Lecht (A939 Old Military Road), The Lecht Road (A939) and Cairnwell Pass.
Where is Kingswells?
Kingswells is in Scotland, United Kingdom, about 6 km from Cults.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 4,750
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Scotland
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 57.1580, -2.2243
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Kingswells
7 notable places within an hour's drive.
film location
Dunnottar Castle (inspiration for Brave)
The clifftop ruin near Stonehaven was a visual inspiration for Pixar's Brave and features in Zeffirelli's Hamlet.
24 km · about 25 min drive
museum
Grampian Transport Museum
Acclaimed motoring museum in Alford, Aberdeenshire, with everything from steam locomotives to supercars, plus its own outdoor test track used for summer motoring events.
30 km · about 35 min drive
castle
Craigievar Castle
A pink harled tower house in Aberdeenshire, its top-heavy turrets often cited as an inspiration for fairytale castle design.
30 km · about 35 min drive
ancient ruins
Slains Castle
A gaunt roofless clifftop ruin near Cruden Bay, said to have helped inspire Bram Stoker's Dracula. Unfenced drops — take care.
37 km · about 45 min drive
photogenic
Pennan
A single row of white cottages squeezed between red sandstone cliffs and the sea, reached by a steep hairpin lane off the B9031. Star of the 1983 film Local Hero. Its red phone box is now listed.
58 km · about 65 min drive
film location
Pennan (Local Hero phone box)
The red telephone box on the harbour front of this Aberdeenshire village is Local Hero's most famous prop, now a listed structure.
58 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Kingswells
- 61 kmThe Lecht (A939 Old Military Road)Notorious high crossing of the eastern Cairngorms on the 18th-century military road between Cockbridge and Tomintoul, climbing to 637m with roller-coaster gradients: often the first UK road closed by snow.
- 62 kmThe Lecht Road (A939)The Cockbridge to Tomintoul road, Britain's most reliably snowbound route, a rollercoaster over the Cairngorms' eastern edge.
- 79 kmCairnwell PassThe highest main road in Britain at 670m, where the A93 crosses the Grampians at Glenshee between Braemar and the ski centre. The famously steep Devil's Elbow hairpins lie just below the summit.
- 79 kmCairnwell Pass (A93, Glenshee)The highest public road in Britain at 670m, climbing the Devil's Elbow route through Glenshee to Braemar.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Kingswells.
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