Tarves is a small
village situated between
Oldmeldrum and
Methlick in the
North East of
Scotland, close to
Aberdeen, the main city of the
region.
Tarves lies a few miles from the
seat of the
Marquis of Aberdeen, at the
National Trust estate
Haddo House. This is a delightfully pleasant area of
Scotland, with gently rolling hills, elegant pastures and many historic monuments, such as the
House itself.
Towering above the
village is the
Prop of Ythsie, a tower erected in the 1800's to thank
Lord Aberdeen for his good service to his tenants.
The village itself is very small, fewer than a thousand people live there. The main focal points along it's main street,
Duthie Road, are the two
public houses, the
Aberdeen Arms Hotel and
The Globe. Both are typical
country pubs, which have remained in private ownership to this day.
The town has a lively social scene, with the
parish church forming the center of it for many
villagers. The town hall hosts occasions for the village most weekends, and there is an excellent local
Ceilidh band, headed by a very talented young
fiddler.
Most buildings in the center of the
village are centuries old, with only the new housing estate (added around 1980-1990) to change this. It has a wonderfully old feel to it, and has been relatively unspoiled by the modern world. An active
amentities group strive to keep flowers blooming around the village all year, and as such it is a very beautiful place to visit.
If you happen to be in the
Aberdeen area, you could get no better view of the community spirit of the
North East than by visiting
Tarves, and if you can, please stay for a drink.