Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is approximately 16 miles (26 km) 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 considered to come from the Gaelic word Eilean, an island, on account of the presence of an island in the River Ythan, which offered a hassle-free fording point. In accordance with population estimations from 2006, the town has a permanent resident population of around 9860 people. Ellon has gained from the North Sea oil demand, and is one of the principal 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 is part of the proposed Energetica corridor of development. The population is expanding as young families seek to get away from Aberdeen and move to surrounding towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. During the course of 2006, Ellon ranked as the town with the 4th most rapidly increasing average house prices in Scotland. Places of interest within the town feature the ruins of Ellon Castle, surrounded by walls called the Deer Dyke, and the Auld Brig, a category A listed bridge across the Ythan, developed 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 numerous 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 makeovers, make sure to identify trustworthy specialists in Ellon to make certain of quality.