Wedged between the hard grey granite of Aberdeen city centre and the steely-blue harshness of the North sea, Footdee is like a hippy haven dropped from space.
This little hidden square of mini-dwellings is more colourful, flowery and creative than you’ll find in any sunny, arty, seasidey town in the south of England. Each random – and sometimes ramshackle – building is charmingly unique and decorated with a riot of idiosyncratic objects from ships-in-bottles to old clocks to giant ladybirds.
Known affectionately by the locals as “Fittie”, Footdee was originally built for the Aberdeen fishing community in 1809. Think fishwives sitting outside mending tangled nets over a good gossip…
Today, however, it’s incredibly quiet and calm (I didn’t see a soul inside the houses) – which leaves you wondering if perhaps a tiny race of hobbit-like fisherfolk secretly live here…
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