Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is roughly 16 miles (26 kilometres) north of Aberdeen, lying on the River Ythan, which has one of the handful of undeveloped river estuaries on the eastern coast of Scotland. It is in the ancient area of Formartine. Its name is considered to originate from the Gaelic word Eilean, an island, on account of the presence of an island in the River Ythan, which supplied a convenient fording point. According to population estimates from 2006, the town has a permanent resident population of around 9860 people. Ellon has taken advantage of the North Sea oil demand, and is one of the primary dormitory towns for Aberdeen. Routine and frequent 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 becomes part of the proposed Energetica corridor of development. The population is developing as young families seek to escape Aberdeen and relocate to neighboring towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. Through 2006, Ellon ranked as the town with the fourth most rapidly increasing average house prices in Scotland. Places of interest within the town consist of the ruins of Ellon Castle, surrounded by walls known as the Deer Dyke, and the Auld Brig, a category A listed bridge across the Ythan, constructed in 1793 and still in use as a pedestrian bridge. The Riverside Park provides pathways along the side of the Ythan, from which herons, salmon, trout and otters may be observed. The Meadows sports centre has many 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 renovations, make sure to find trusted contractors in Ellon to make certain of quality.