Things you didn't know about... Aberdeenshire

The North Sea's oil and gas industry employs over 40,000 people, hence the heavy heli-traffic.

Aberdeenshire has more castles per acre than any other part of the UK

Among the 70 castles is Balmoral Castle—a royal residence since 1852.

More hoards of medieval coins have been found here than anywhere else in the UK

It is thought that this is because rich medieval Aberdonians buried their stashes for safekeeping.

Elvis is from Aberdeenshire

Well, his ancestors were—the Presleys came from the village of Lonmay.

An American president nearly met his maker in Aberdeenshire

American president Gerald Ford once nearly drowned when he fell into the River Dee while salmon fishing.

Aberdeenshire's favourite delicacy could soon be toast

The Scottish TV health guru Gillian McKeith has said she wants to banish the Rowie—Aberdeenshire's favourite breakfast roll made from bread dough and fat. It's also known as "the buttery"—because of its high fat and salt content. The rolls were originally made to keep sailors full while away at sea.

Aberdeenshire has the world's largest single-span granite arch

Engineering fanatics come here on pilgrimage—the Union Bridge is in the centre of Aberdeen.

Come to Aberdeenshire to see the "Northern lights"

Aberdeenshire is one of the best places in the world to view the "Northern lights" or aurora borealis. The natural coloured light display typical of the polar zone can be seen between September and October, and between March and April.

Macbeth was killed in Aberdeenshire

Scottish history has it that the warrior Macbeth was slain in battle at Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire.

Aberdeenshire gave the world water polo

The game was first played in the River Dee in 1863—using a pig's bladder as a ball.

Aberdeenshire is home to the self-seal envelope

Aberdeen was the centre of envelope production in the late nineteenth Century.

6.2 million people in Britain wake up to an Aberdeenshire accent

James Naughtie, the popular presenter of Radio 4's Today show, was brought up in Aberdeen, where he was educated at Keith Grammar School and Aberdeen University.

Treasure Island began in Aberdeenshire

Author Robert Louis Stevenson was on holiday in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, in 1881, when he painted a picture of an imaginary island to entertain his stepson. Suddenly, he recounted later, the island became alive in his imagination, and he started writing the famous story.