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Coordinates: 57°14′N 2°43′W﻿ / ﻿57.23°N 02.71°W﻿ / 57.23; -02.71

Scots Gaelic: Athfort[1]
Main Street, Alford - geograph.org.uk - 288309.jpg
Alford is located in Aiberdeen

 Alford shown within Aiberdeenshire
Population 1,925 [2] (2001 census)
est. 2,050[3] (2006)
OS grid reference NJ5716
Cooncil aurie Aiberdeenshire
Kintra Scotland
Sovereign state Unitit Kinrick
Post toun Alford
Postcode destrict AB33
Polis Scots
Fire Scots
Ambulance Scots
EU Pairlament Scotland
UK Pairlament West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Scottish Parliament Aberdeenshire West
Leet o places

Aaford (pronooncit Listeni/ˈɑːfərd/  Inglis: Alford, Scots Gaelic: Athfort) is a lairge veelage in Aiberdeenshire, north-east Scotland, leein just sooth o the River Don. It lees athin the Howe o Aaford (cried the Vale o Alford an aw) which occupies the middle reaches of the River Don.

The place-name is thocht tae come frae the Scots "auld ford"; its oreeginal position bein on the banks o the Don. The "L" soond in the wird haes, ower time, been droppit, an is silent. Alternatively, the name coud be a tautologie; a combination o 'Ath' an 'ford', baith meanin 'ford' in Gaelic an Scots respectively. Aaford gave its name tae a battle o the Battle o Alford (1645). It is the hame o the wad popular Aiberdeen Angus cattle breed, which is celebratit bi a life-sizit model o a bull on the edge o the toun. It is believit that the oreeginal breedin grund o the cattle wis Buffal, locatit atween Tough (Tulloch) an Craigievar nearby Alford. Another claim tae fame for the toun is the warld famous Alford Oatmeal, grund at Montgarrie, juist ootside the toun.

Probably due tae Aaford's relative isolation an lairge catchment aurie, thare are a lairge nummer o services in the veelage, includin three banks, a supermercat, three garages, a bakery an a wide range o ither shops. Thare is a dry ski slope an aw, swimmin puil an public librar.

The Alford Valley Railway, Grampian Transport Museum, Alford Heritage Centre an Craigievar Castle are popular visitor attractions, wi a range o ither airchaeological steids, stane circles, an castles (includin Balfluig Castle, Castle Fraser and Drum Castle) bein athin easy reach bi road. Situatit in Aaford, Haughton Country Park is a lairge an popular green space wi a caravan park an firthland walks. The 18 hole Alford Golf Club is a attractive an pleasant course which haes a lairge local membership.

Public transport[eedit | eedit soorce]

Thare is a bus service connectin wi Aiberdeen, approximately 25 miles (40 km) away. Thare is hintle new hoosebiggin goin on in Alford as o 2006 tae cater for a wirkforce who mainly commute in Aiberdeen tae wirk in the ile industry. Bus services are operatit bi Stagecoach wi dialabus services bein operatit bi Aiberdeenshire Cooncil. Bus services connectin Alford to Aberdeen go bi twa different routes:

Notable residents[eedit | eedit soorce]

References[eedit | eedit soorce]

  1. "Rannsaich an Stòr-dàta Briathrachais Gàidhlig" (in Scottish Gaelic). smo.uhi.ac.uk. 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2012-08-13. 
  2. "Comparative Population Profile: Alford Locality". Scotland's Census Results Online. 2001-04-29. Retrieved 2008-08-31. 
  3. [1][deid airtin]

Freemit airtins[eedit | eedit soorce]