Loch of Skene lies about one kilometre west of Kirkton of Skene. The large, shallow loch is fringed by reed beds and birch and willow woodland, and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Protection Area. It has significant concentrations of wild birds in autumn and winter. For travel planning, the seasonal aspect is particularly clear: the wild bird concentrations occur in autumn and winter, while the reeds and woodland describe the loch’s physical character. If you are interested in the landscape when choosing where to stay, you can consider Loch of Skene as a specific natural attraction.

Church and Memorial Sites

Skene Parish Church was built in 1801 in the Gothic style and is a Category B listed building. The church has a bell dating from 1735, making it older than the church building itself. The church also has a large graveyard with high boundary walls and a gate at the entrance. The Skene War Memorial stands at the entrance to Skene Parish Church. In the churchyard, a red granite chest tomb dated 1890 commemorates the McCombies of Easter Skene and Lynturk.

Architecture and Biographies

Proctor's Orphanage tells a different story: it is a two-storey villa built in 1891. The building retains its original location and form. As an orphanage, it could accommodate between 10 and 12 boys and girls who attended Skene School. The novelist and playwright Jessie Kesson also lived there as a resident. The combination of its capacity for 10 to 12 schoolchildren and Kesson’s biography as a resident gives the house both a social and a personal dimension. Kirkton House has a neoclassical design. Together with the church’s Gothic design, this creates a clear contrast between two named architectural styles; if you are interested in architectural history, you can consider these distinct forms as separate topics.

Getting Your Bearings and Special Services

A useful landmark is the entrance to Kirkhill Forest: it is opposite the junction signposted for Kirkton of Skene. Special services are also held at Skene Kirk, including harvest and memorial services. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these events, check the current service details in advance, as arrangements may change.

Planning Your Trip

Autumn and winter are the seasonal highlights at the loch; for a special service, the date is what matters. Historical interests offer other points of focus: the church brings together its construction date, bell and memorial sites, while Proctor's Orphanage connects the history of schooling with Jessie Kesson’s biography. You can therefore plan your stay around nature, architecture, remembrance or a church service, and then look for accommodation in Kirkton of Skene.

Discover more destinations: New Deer, St Cyrus, Portlethen, Aberchirder, Banff, Chapel Of Garioch, Portsoy, Johnshaven.

Return to the broader travel overview: Aberdeenshire.