Dufftown, United Kingdom
Dufftown is a town of 1,660 people in Scotland, United Kingdom.
Why visit Dufftown
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 16 places to eat and 6 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Balvenie Castle and Whisky & Heritage Centre.
Weather in Dufftown
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Dufftown
Dufftown (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Bhainidh [ˈpaləˈvanɪ(j)]) is a new town and burgh in Moray, Scotland. While the town is part of the historic Mortlach parish, the town was established and laid out in the early 19th century as part of a planned new town settlement. The town has several listed 19th century buildings and serves as a regional centre for agriculture, tourism and services. The town is well known for its whisky-based economy, as it produces more whisky than any other town in Scotland and is home to several existing and former distilleries.
From the Wikipedia article Dufftown (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Dufftown on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Photos of Dufftown
Museums and landmarks9
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes16
Glenfiddich Distillery
Brewery and winery · 0.7 mi
Dufftown Glassworks
Cafe
16 Conval Street, Dufftown
Mo,Tu 10:00-16:30; Th-Sa 10:00-16:30
The Stillman Pub & Restaurant
Bar and pub
22 Conval Street, Dufftown
Th 17:00-20:00; Fr,Sa 12:00-14:30,17:00-20:00; Su 12:30-15:00
4 more on the map.
Where to stay6
History
Historically part of Banffshire, Dufftown is in the ancient parish of Mortlach (Scottish Gaelic: Mòrthlach). There is evidence of Pictish settlement in the area and in approximately 566 AD, St Moluag established the first Christian church in the area, the site of the present Mortlach Parish Church. In the Middle Ages, Mortlach (in Latin Murthlacum) was an episcopal see. The Diocese of Mortlach was one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The names of four bishops of the see are known: Beóán of Mortlach (fl. 1012), "Donercius", "Cormauch", and Nechtan, who transferred the see to Aberdeen in April 1132, during the reign of King David I of Scotland.
Balvenie Castle dates from the 13th century and is the second oldest building in the area, having been restored by John Comyn, Earl of Buchan and existing in use until 1746 when it was abandoned following the Jacobite Rebellion. Another building of historical significance is the primarily 15th century Castle of Auchindoun, which towers within the earthworks of an earlier prehistoric hill fort.
Read more of the history
While there was an earlier hamlet at Laichie and Mortlach, Dufftown as a Burgh was founded in 1817 by James Duff, 4th Earl Fife and was named after him. The town was established to help develop the Earls estate and provide both housing and employment for soldiers returning home from the Napoleonic War. The new town included the historic Mortlach settlement. The town was planned in the form of a right-angled cross or grid, with the streets running north, south, east and west from a square in the middle. This was in a similar format to other earlier Highland new town settlements such as nearby Grantown-on-Spey and Tomintoul. Properties were allocated on a Feu basis, with farming strips running away from each property, the first feu was number 3 Balvenie St.
By 1841, the town had grown to a population of 770 and the Clock Tower was built for use as a gaol and as the Burgh chambers between 1839 and 1847. A public hall was built in 1879 and this became a picture house (cinema) in the 20th century in the 1930s, before closing in the 1970s (the building survives as a restaurant). In 1890, Stephens cottage hospital was founded with funds from Lord Stephen and in 1902, a new public school was built for the town. The town continued to grow into the 19th century, reaching 1,823 people by 1901. However, by 1952, the population of Dufftown had decreased to 1,460.
From the History section of Dufftown on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Dufftown
Geography
Dufftown lies in the centre of a long glen (valley) amid the surrounding hills, which include the granite mountain of Ben Rinnes (841 metres (2,759 ft)) to the southeast. The River Fiddich (Scottish Gaelic: Fiodhach / Abhainn Fhiodhaich) is a right bank tributary of the River Spey that runs through the glen, giving its name to the whisky Glenfiddich. The Fiddich is joined on the eastern edge of the town by the Dullan Water which drains Glen Rinnes.
The geological composition beneath most of Dufftown is that of metamorphosed Dalradian sedimentary rocks with subsidiary volcanic rocks.
The Isla Way is a 21-kilometre (13 mi) walking path that links Dufftown and the surrounding area with Keith.
Dufftown has an oceanic climate typical of Northern Scotland, characterised by relatively mild, damp winters and cool cloudy summers. The area averages 76 air frosts a year. Like much of Europe, Dufftown's climate is insulated somewhat by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current originating near the Gulf of Mexico. This warm ocean current makes Dufftown's climate significantly milder during the winter than expected for its latitude.
Arts and culture
Dufftown hosts a highland games event every July which attracts many tourists.
The town acts as the epicentre for an annual whisky festival called The Spirit of Speyside.
In April 2021, a new regeneration project for the town entitled Destination Dufftown was launched. In response to recent economic decline in the town, the project aims to encourage new visitors to the town through a plan for new facilities for the town including a leisure centre, new accommodation for visitors, camping facilities and new shops.
The Stephen Hospital is a local community hospital serving the town under the responsibility of NHS Grampian. The hospital has 20 beds, was built in 1890 and extended in 1976 and 1984, including the addition of a local health centre.
Dufftown library is a small community library on Balvenie Street in the town. The library was scheduled for closure in 2013 but the council decided to keep the library open following a legal challenge from the public.
Tininver Park is a local community park in Dufftown with a play area that was upgraded in 2021.
Dufftown Golf Club is an 18 hole course located on the south-western edge of the town.
Education
Mortlach Primary School provides education to primary school age children in the town. The school was built in 1902 and was originally the parish school serving Mortlach.
Dufftown does not have its own secondary school, the nearest is Speyside High School in Aberlour.
From the Wikipedia article Dufftown, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Dufftown
James CantlieBritish doctor and medical administrator (1851-1926)Photo: Harry Herman Salomon, Public domain
Alexander DuncanScottish-Australian police officerPhoto: Victoria Police, Public domain- William StewartBritish cyclist (1883-1950)
- George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount StephenCanadian-born British peer and industrialist (1829-1921)
- William Grant, Lord GrantBritish politician (1909-1972)
- Mary SymonScottish poet (1863–1938)
- Helen Carruthers MackenzieEducationist and public health campaigner (1859-1945)
- Ron Isaacrugby player
Born in Dufftown, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Churches and places of worship5
Shopping2
Schools, colleges and libraries1
Healthcare2
Map of Dufftown
43 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
RAF Lossiemouth (LMO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 20 miles away.
- Rothes 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Fochabers 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Elgin 16 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- Portsoy 23 mi northeast, about 37 min by car
- Nairn 29 mi west, about 47 min by car
- Inverurie 30 mi east, about 48 min by car
- Westhill 38 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Ellon 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Inverness 41 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Aberdeen 44 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Dufftown
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Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Dufftown clock tower, Karora, Public domain
- Dufftown - panoramio, Dg-505, CC BY 3.0
- Dufftown, CousinGayal, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Glendullan Distillery, Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Glenfiddich Distillery, my friend, Y. Kohno, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dufftown distillery, Andrew Wood, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Glenfiddich Distillery View, Coldupnorth, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Balvenie Castle - panoramio, AwOiSoAk KaOsIoWa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- British Rail Class 108 "Spirit of Banffshire" of the Keith and Dufftown Railway at Dufftown Station - May 2023, Alan King, Public domain
- Street-level photo, ccbb7766, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ccbb7766, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ccbb7766, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ccbb7766, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ccbb7766, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ccbb7766, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ccbb7766, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ccbb7766, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, caz440, CC BY-SA 4.0
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