Alford is a big village in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland, existing simply southern of the River Don. It exists within the Howe of Alford (also called the Vale of Alford) which occupies the center reaches of the River Don. The place-name is thought to originate from the Scots auld ford; its initial position being on the financial institutions of the Don. The "L" sound in words has, in time, been dropped, and also is silent. Additionally, the name could be a tautology; a mix of ath and ford, both suggesting 'ford' in Gaelic as well as Scots respectively. Alford gave its name to a battle of the Battle of Alford (1645 ). It is likewise the home of the Aberdeen Angus cattle breed, which is commemorated by a life-sized model of a bull on the edge of the village, which the Queen Mother inaugurated in 2001. It is believed that the original breeding place of the cattle was Buffal, situated in between Challenging (Tulloch) and Craigievar nearby Alford. Another specialty for the community is Alford Oatmeal, ground at Montgarrie, simply outside the community. Alford also sporting activities the Alford Neighborhood Campus, with a library and swimming pool. The Alford Valley Railway, Grampian Transport Museum, Alford Heritage Museum as well as Craigievar Castle are prominent site visitor destinations, with a variety of various other historical sites, rock circles, and castles (consisting of Balfluig Castle, Castle Fraser and Drum Castle) being within very easy reach by road. One stone circle, originally believed to be prehistoric, ended up being a 20-year-old reproduction. Located in Alford, Haughton Country Park is a large and popular environment-friendly area with a caravan park and forest walks. The 18 hole Alford Golf Club is an appealing as well as pleasant program which has a huge local subscription.