Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is around 16 miles (26 km) north of Aberdeen, lying on the River Ythan, which has some of the couple of undeveloped river estuaries on the eastern coast of Scotland. It is in the ancient area of Formartine. Its name is believed to originate from the Gaelic word Eilean, an island, on account of the existence of an island in the River Ythan, which offered 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 benefited from the North Sea oil demand, and is among the primary dormitory towns for Aberdeen. Regular 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 move to neighboring towns like Ellon, Inverurie and Banchory. During the course of 2006, Ellon placed as the town with the fourth most quickly increasing average house prices in Scotland. Places of interest within the town feature the ruins of Ellon Castle, surrounded by walls known as the Deer Dyke, and the Auld Brig, a category A listed bridge over the Ythan, constructed in 1793 and still in use as a pedestrian bridge. The Riverside Park offers paths beside the Ythan, from which herons, salmon, trout and otters may be observed. The Meadows sports centre has various sporting facilities and clubs, featuring football and rugby pitches, an astroturf pitch for hockey, a gym, and a multi-use sports hall. For all of your home improvements, make sure to find reputable professionals in Ellon to make certain of quality.