Birse, Aboyne, AB34 5BX

Birse, Aboyne is a village on the edge of the Highlands in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on the River Dee, approximately 30 miles from Aberdeen. The Forest of Birse is a remote upland area in the upper catchment of the Water of Feugh, forming the south‑western portion of the Parish of Birse. It also forms the western part of the community of Finzean, but has a separate, complex history of landownership relating to its status as a commonty, which has involved a large number of disputes since the 16th century. In more recent decades, the forest has been a popular destination for people from Aberdeen taking picnics, as it is the closest area of Highland scenery to the city.