Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is roughly 16 miles (26 km) 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 believed to derive from the Gaelic word Eilean, an island, on account of the presence of an island in the River Ythan, which provided a practical fording point. According to population estimations from 2006, the town has a permanent resident population of around 9860 people. Ellon has benefited from the North Sea oil demand, and is one of the major dormitory towns for Aberdeen. Routine and frequent bus services connect 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 is part of the proposed Energetica corridor of development. The population is expanding as young families seek to get out of Aberdeen and move to surrounding towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. During 2006, Ellon ranked as the town with the fourth most quickly 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 spanning the Ythan, constructed in 1793 and still in use as a pedestrian bridge. The Riverside Park offers paths next to the Ythan, from which herons, salmon, trout and otters can be observed. The Meadows sports centre has several 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 find trusted professionals in Ellon to make certain of quality.