We landed in Aberdeen on a gray, rain-soaked Sunday morning – the kind where the clouds never quite decide what they’re doing. Every few minutes, the sun would break through just long enough to remind you it was there. We were tired and jet-lagged, but also a little wired. Two Boyds, coming back to the land where our name began. The air was heavy with rain and salt, that coastal scent that just kind of sticks with you.
Our guide, Kristian with Aberdeen Wild Wings, met us right away. I knew from a year-and-a-half of communication in setting this up that we were in good hands. He got us settled into Bennachie Lodge, a quiet little inn on the edge of town, and then out to sight rifles and shake the fog from our heads.
By dawn the next morning, we were in the field. The light came slow and golden across the barley stubble – that kind of Scottish morning that makes everything feel still. Ashton led the way; this was his moment. It did not take long to start seeing Roe deer, and we were on a small buck soon into our hunt. A perfect stalk, a clean shot, and that proud silence that comes afterward. A first for Ashton. And quite a moment for a father.
Then came the “blooding” – the old Scottish tradition for a hunter’s first deer. Kristian grinned, dipped his fingers, and painted Ashton’s face in red. It was raw, honest, and unforgettable – the kind of moment that connects you straight to the land and everyone who’s ever walked it before.
After the hunt, we headed back to Bennachie Lodge. Ashton walked into breakfast with his face still in full warrior mode. A local in the dining room congratulated him, without asking, on his first deer.
Our first full Scottish breakfast didn’t disappoint: eggs, sausage, tattie scones, black pudding, toast, and coffee strong enough to wake a mountain.
Once we’d cleaned up, we decided to celebrate by heading south to the coast. The drive to Stonehaven wound through rolling fields and light that couldn’t make up its mind – one minute drizzle, the next sunlight bursting through. We were heading to Dunnottar Castle ruins.
