Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is almost 16 miles (26 kilometres) north of Aberdeen, lying on the River Ythan, which has some of the handful of undeveloped river estuaries on the eastern coast of Scotland. It is in the ancient region of Formartine. Its name is thought to originate from the Gaelic word Eilean, an island, on account of the presence of an island in the River Ythan, which supplied a handy fording point. In accordance with population estimates from 2006, the town has a permanent resident population of around 9860 people. Ellon has profited from the North Sea oil demand, and is one of the major dormitory towns for Aberdeen. Regular and regular bus services link Ellon with Aberdeen, Inverurie, Peterhead, Fraserburgh and surrounding towns and villages, serving both the town centre and the large Park and Ride facility at the eastern edge of the town. Ellon belongs to the proposed Energetica corridor of development. The population is broadening as young families seek to escape Aberdeen and relocate to surrounding towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. During the course of 2006, Ellon placed as the town with the 4th most quickly increasing average house prices in Scotland. Places of interest within the town include the ruins of Ellon Castle, surrounded by walls known as the Deer Dyke, and the Auld Brig, a category A listed bridge spanning the Ythan, built in 1793 and still in use as a pedestrian bridge. The Riverside Park offers pathways next to the Ythan, from which herons, salmon, trout and otters may be observed. The Meadows sports centre has various sporting facilities and clubs, including football and rugby pitches, an astroturf pitch for hockey, a fitness center, and a multi-use sports hall. For all of your home improvements, be sure to find dependable professionals in Ellon to make certain of quality.