Columnist: The season of weddings is upon us...

It’s not an area I’ve visited often and in fact I’ve probably not been to that part of Scotland since I was a child.

But it certainly was an enjoyable few days.

The wedding on Friday was a fantastic day and one we were all pleased to be a part of.

Thankfully the weather stayed dry, even if it was a little more chilly up there than it was here.

However on the Saturday morning we took some time out to explore the local area, travelling to Stonehaven to visit the stunning Dunnottar Castle.

The castle is beautiful – even through grey and rain filled skies.

It’s an incredible backdrop, set high on the cliffs above the north sea.

And the castle has many a story from the past to tell.

It’s worth a visit if you’re in the area, although be prepared for many steps to get to and from the car park.

Standing on the castle’s walls and looking at the cliffs surrounding it and the crashing waves below it really made you think how it would have felt back in the day when under attack from an army.

We also enjoyed a stroll around the harbour at Stonehaven, ensuring the cobwebs were well and truly blown away.

After spending some more time socialising with family members that we don’t see often enough it was time to return south once again.

It may only have been a fleeting visit to Aberdeenshire this time, but having seen parts of it, it’s definitely somewhere that I’d like to return to in the future.

There’s still plenty more to explore.