Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is approximately 16 miles (26 km) 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 region 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 provided a hassle-free fording point. In accordance with population estimates from 2006, the town has a permanent resident population of around 9860 people. Ellon has actually gained from the North Sea oil demand, and is one of the primary dormitory towns for Aberdeen. Routine and frequent bus services connect Ellon with Aberdeen, Inverurie, Peterhead, Fraserburgh and surrounding towns and towns, 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 increasing as young families seek to leave Aberdeen and move to surrounding towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. During the course of 2006, Ellon ranked as the town with the fourth most quickly increasing average house prices in Scotland. Places of interest within the town feature the ruins of Ellon Castle, surrounded by walls referred to as the Deer Dyke, and the Auld Brig, a category A listed bridge spanning the Ythan, constructed 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 can be observed. The Meadows sports centre has various sporting facilities and clubs, featuring football and rugby pitches, an astroturf pitch for hockey, a fitness center, and a multi-use sports hall. For all your home developments, make certain to identify trusted contractors in Ellon to make certain of quality.