Aberdeen is built of granite, and on a bright day after rain the whole city glitters, because the mica in the stone catches the light. On a grey day it is simply grey, which is what the rest of Scotland likes to say about it. Nearly two hundred thousand people live here, between the mouths of the rivers Dee and Don, on a cold North Sea coast that has made its living from fish, then ships, then oil. The harbour is still busy with supply vessels, and the title of oil capital of Europe has stuck for half a century.
Underneath the working-city surface, there is real age. Old Aberdeen, to the north, keeps cobbled streets and King's College, founded in 1495, with its crown tower. Marischal College on Broad Street is one of the largest granite buildings in the world, a tangle of pinnacles that looks more like a fantasy cathedral than a university. Down at the harbour mouth, the old fishing district of Footdee, known as Fittie, preserves little rows of cottages arranged around squares, facing the sea.
For a rider, the city is the starting line for two very different roads. West along the Dee, the Deeside Tourist Route follows the A93 through Banchory and Ballater toward Braemar, and the valley slowly closes in, with pine and birch, stone bridges, and the royal estate at Balmoral. The road is wide, fast in places and full of caravans in summer, and then in the upper glen the road narrows and the Cairngorms rise in the distance. South, the coast road runs toward Stonehaven, where Dunnottar Castle stands on a cliff above the water, one of the most dramatic ruins in the country. Weather is the main variable. Sea fog called haar can roll in on summer mornings, and in winter ice on the upland roads is common.
Practically, Aberdeen has everything. Fuel stations ring the city, and there are supermarkets, motorcycle dealers and plenty of places to eat, from fish suppers to a decent bowl of cullen skink. Rush hour on the Dee bridges and on the ring road can be slow, so time your departure. Cove and Cults, the nearer suburbs, are quieter, and if you are heading west for the glens, it is wise to fill up in Banchory or Ballater before the long empty stretches.