Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is almost 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 region of Formartine. Its name is thought to originate from the Gaelic phrase Eilean, an island, on account of the existence of an island in the River Ythan, which supplied a helpful fording point. In accordance with population estimations 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 among the primary dormitory towns for Aberdeen. Routine and frequent bus services link 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 growing as young families seek to escape Aberdeen and relocate to close-by towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. During 2006, Ellon ranked as the town with the 4th most rapidly 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 across the Ythan, developed in 1793 and still in use as a pedestrian bridge. The Riverside Park offers walkways beside the Ythan, from which herons, salmon, trout and otters may be observed. The Meadows sports centre has many 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 developments, be sure to identify credible contractors in Ellon to make certain of quality.