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 few undeveloped river estuaries on the eastern coast of Scotland. It is in the ancient area of Formartine. Its name is believed to originate from the Gaelic term Eilean, an island, on account of the presence of an island in the River Ythan, which offered a convenient fording point. In accordance with 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 among 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 becomes part of the proposed Energetica corridor of development. The population is increasing as young families seek to escape Aberdeen and move to nearby towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. Throughout 2006, Ellon placed as the town with the fourth 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 over the Ythan, developed 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 various sporting facilities and clubs, featuring football and rugby pitches, an astroturf pitch for hockey, a gym, and a multi-use sports hall. For all your home makeovers, be sure to find reliable specialists in Ellon to make certain of quality.