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Peterhead
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PETERHEAD
, the easternmost mainland town in Scotland, stands in sharp contrast to the picturesque fishing villages on this stretch of coast. As notable for its high-security prison and ugly power station as its busy harbour, it's an unashamedly functional place. Although in recent years the oil industry has created a surge in wealth and population, Peterhead's
raison d'etre
is
fishing
, and it was for many years the busiest white-fish port in Europe. The oldest building in town is the 400-year-old
Ugie Salmon Fish House
on Golf Road at the mouth of the River Ugie, at the north end of town (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-noon; free), where you can watch the traditional methods of oak-smoking salmon and trout in Scotland's oldest smoke-house; the finished product is for sale at reasonable prices. One of the town's newest buildings houses the
Peterhead Maritime Heritage Museum
(April-Oct daily 10.30am-5pm; call 01779/473000 for winter opening; ?2.60), on the beach just off the main road. It's an airy, pleasant place with a cafe, and the helpful staff are happy to help with tourist
information
. The museum tells the story of the town's fishing industry from the old herring fleet to the modern day, with a live relay of the harbourmaster's radio channel. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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United Kingdom,
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