Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is approximately 16 miles (26 kilometres) 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 area of Formartine. Its name is thought to come from the Gaelic phrase Eilean, an island, on account of the presence of an island in the River Ythan, which provided a handy fording point. In accordance with population estimates 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 main dormitory towns for Aberdeen. Routine and regular 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 belongs to the proposed Energetica corridor of development. The population is increasing as young families seek to get away from Aberdeen and relocate to neighboring towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. During 2006, Ellon placed as the town with the 4th most quickly increasing average house prices in Scotland. Places of interest within the town consist of the ruins of Ellon Castle, surrounded by walls called the Deer Dyke, and the Auld Brig, a category A listed bridge across the Ythan, built in 1793 and still in use as a pedestrian bridge. The Riverside Park offers pathways beside the Ythan, from which herons, salmon, trout and otters may be observed. The Meadows sports centre has several sporting facilities and clubs, including football and rugby pitches, an astroturf pitch for hockey, a gym, and a multi-use sports hall. For all your home enhancements, make sure to find reliable contractors in Ellon to make certain of quality.