Park & glasshouses · by the River Dee
Duthie Park & David Welch Winter Gardens
A Victorian riverside park with one of Britain's best-loved collections of indoor gardens at its heart.
- Location
- Riverside Drive and Polmuir Road, on the north bank of the River Dee south of the centre
- Area
- Ferryhill, south of the city centre
- Event style
- Open parkland, play areas, boating pond, summer outdoor events and year-round indoor gardens
- Where to base yourself
- Ferryhill or the city centre (around a half-hour walk or a short bus ride)
What kind of place is it?
Duthie Park is Aberdeen's best-known public park: lawns, rose gardens, a boating pond, play areas, monuments and long paths beside the River Dee. At its centre sit the David Welch Winter Gardens, a series of glasshouses that include tropical and temperate houses, a fern house, a Japanese garden and a celebrated collection of cacti and succulents. On a cold or wet day the glasshouses are a warm, green refuge; on a fine one the park is a place to picnic and wander.
A short history
The park was given to the city by Elizabeth Crombie Duthie and opened in 1883. Victorian features such as the bandstand area, the statue of Hygeia and the McGrigor Obelisk survive among later additions. The glasshouses were rebuilt and expanded in the twentieth century and take their name from David Welch, a former director of the city's parks department, under whom Aberdeen's parks gained a strong reputation for their displays.
Visitor information
- Getting there: it is roughly a half-hour walk south from Union Street, or a short bus ride. The start of the Deeside Way walking and cycling route is beside the park.
- Time to allow: an hour for the Winter Gardens; longer with a walk through the park and along the river.
- Before you go: the glasshouses keep their own opening hours, which can differ from the park; check the city council's information for the current times.
- Families: the play areas and pond make it an easy morning with children.
How it fits your trip
Duthie Park is a good half-day for anyone staying in Ferryhill or the southern side of the centre. Combine it with a stroll along the Dee, or start out along the Deeside Way for an hour before turning back.