The Moray Firth Coast in Scotland

Moray is my home county so writing about it was at the top of my list to write an article on this website! This article is specifically about Scotland's Moray coast, which spans the three council areas of Highland, Moray and Aberdeenshire - more than 500 miles of coastline - lined with quaint fishing villages, beautiful sandy beaches and a surplus of wildlife. The Moray Firth Coast also takes in parts of the North Coast 500 and North East 250. Here are some places to visit on your journey along the coast.
Fishing Villages on Moray Coast
Starting from the east side of the Moray Firth, the major coastal village settlements are Fraserburgh, Macduff, Banff, Portsoy, Cullen, Findochty, Buckie, Portgordon, Lossiemouth, Hopeman, Burghead, Findhorn Nairn and Inverness.

Pennan
A small and charming village, Pennan consists of only a row of homes, a hotel and a small harbour. The village became famous in 1983 as a filming location for the film "Local Hero". The red telephone box featured in the film still exists and attracts visitors from around the world. Monica Focht on Facebook posts up great photos from Pennan and the Moray Coast on a regular basis.

Tarlair at Macduff
Tarlair is an Art Deco-style swimming complex just outside Macduff. Commissioned in 1929 and completed in 1931, it is only one of three surviving outdoor swimming pools in Scotland. It has fallen into disrepair over the years, but it's still an interesting place to stop off on your trip along the Moray coast.


Macduff Aquarium
A visit to the Moray coast wouldn't be complete without learning about offshore marine life. Macduff Marine Aquarium is a fantastic resource contained within its unique 16-sided building which also looks like a volcano. There is a large cylindrical tank of seawater containing many different species of fish native to the Moray Firth. My favourite area was the Jellyfish zone; I got a photo of 3 Moray Firth Jellyfish (see picture).
There is an auditorium with presentations about the fish in the tank, and a question and answer session afterwards, fantastic for kids.
Boyne Castle
1.5 miles east of Portsoy lies Boyne Castle, a 16th-century castle surrounded on three sides by the Burn of Boyne. The site is very overgrown and has not been maintained for a very long time; the trail to it is not well-trodden or visible. The castle is in an advanced state of decay, and care should be taken while exploring it. Hard to get to but a true hidden gem off the beaten path near the Moray Coast.

Portsoy
Another charming fishing village with one of the oldest harbours on the Moray Firth dating from the 17th century. Filmmakers have used Portsoy as a location for the Whisky Galore film and, more recently, Peaky Blinders TV show. The town is host to the Portsoy Boat Festival each June, which attracts 16000 people over two days. The event includes food & drink, music, crafts and, of course, boats! Try the waffle cone at Portsoy Ice cream shop.

Findlater Castle
One of the forgotten Scottish Castles, Findlater Castle is a windswept ruin on the Moray Coast between Cullen in Portsoy. I always feel it is a shame this castle has never been maintained; it looks so weak and old that it could crumble into the ocean at any time.
For those brave enough, you can make your way into the castle, and there are a few rooms you can explore. If you follow the coastal path down to the beach, there is a fantastic photo opportunity. Follow the trail west to the stunning Sunnyside beach, it would be an ideal wild camping spot. More on Findlater Castle.

Cullen
Maybe the most picturesque of all the coastal villages on the Moray Firth and perhaps the whole of Scotland, Cullen is a true gem amongst gems and one of the most attractive coastal villages. The main features of the town are its large disused railway viaduct that runs through the centre, the picture-perfect sea town village and its epic beach that wraps around the bay.
The town is known for its unique dish - Cullen Skink - made from smoked haddock, it's well worth a try if you are a seafood lover.
Cullen Sea School near the harbour offers paddle sports, coastal rowing, sailing and boat building. They also offer courses on first aid, radio and knot tying.
Locals have recently relandscaped the Castle Hill area of Cullen, there are now lovely paths up to the prominence of the hill with outstanding views. You can continue walking westwards to the Temple of Pomona. The Crannoch Circular Walk is also fantastic.
Cullen Golf course runs parallel to the coast.

Portknockie / Bow Fiddle Rock
Founded in 1677, Portknockie was a herring fishing port in the 19th century.
Bow Fiddle Rock is a natural geological rock formation just on the Moray Firth coast at Portknockie down a small path; please read my dedicated article on it here. It is a fantastic spot to stop while making your way through the Moray firth and a must for photographers.
Findochty
A stunning little coastal village filled with traditional fishing cottages painted in different colours. It is a lovely town to walk through, and the harbour has some great photo opportunities with the moored boats and church on the hill in the background.
There is a small ruined 16th-century castle at the southwest end of the village.
Buckie
Buckie is one of the largest of the coastal communities. It still has a busy harbour and boat-building business, along with other industries that make use of the harbour facilities. The Jacqueline Anne, a 25-meter FR243 fishing trawler, was recently launched at the harbour, built by Macduff Shipyards.
There is a fantastic fishing heritage centre if you want to learn about the local fishing history of the Moray Firth.
There are two golf courses, Strathlene and Buckpool. There is also an impressive twin-spired church - St Peter's Roman Catholic Church.
A nice spot for a picnic is Strathlene beach on the east side of its Portessie region. You can see seals here at the Craigenroan Rock... also great food at the restaurant "Bijou by the Sea".

Portgordon
Yet another small fishing village, once nicknamed "Paraffin City " due to it being one of the last towns to get electricity in 1937. A community of seals can be found at the east beach. There is a superb annual fireworks display every November for Guy Fawkes night.

Spey Bay
Spey bay is an area of outstanding natural beauty, wildlife and even architecture with the Spey Viaduct. The river Spey flows into the Moray Firth here and has created a variety of habitats for local fauna and flora, such as wildfowl, wildflowers, butterflies, seals and dolphins.
This is a lovely area to stop on your trip down the coast. There is a very picturesque and relaxing walk from the car park to the Spey Viaduct.

Lossiemouth
Another spectacular seaside village, more tailored to tourism with its busy marina/harbour and Golf course. It also has a lovely caravan park at Silversands. There are two beaches in Lossie, West and East, ideal for surfers. Covesea lighthouse lies in the west.
The river Lossie is also a good spot to photograph Osprey hunting. In 2022, a beautiful new footbridge was built, once again giving access to Lossiemouth East Beach.
Duffus Castle and Spynie Palace lies 3 miles to the south and are well worth a visit. Duffus Castle is free, but Spynie Palace will charge for visitors, £6 for adults, £3.60 for children, under 5's free. Find out more about castles in Moray.

Sculptors' Cave
Situated halfway between Lossiemouth and Hopeman, The Sculptor's Cave is named after symbols carved by the Picts at the entrance dating from 500AD. The cave was excavated in 1970's and discoveries of human bone and late Bronze age metalwork were found.
Be careful if you decide to visit the cave as it becomes inaccessible at high tide. There is an impressive sea stack near the cave.

Elgin
If you want to leave the coast for a while, Elgin to the south of Lossiemouth is worth visiting for its famous Cathedral, destroyed by the Wolf of Badenoch in 1390. There is a brilliant museum, library and park with a duck pond nearby, otters have been seen here frequently.
Burghead
Yet another fantastic Moray Firth beach can be found at Burghead, colourful beach huts and world war 2 defences add interest to this already beautiful coastline. Burghead is also known for its history being built on the site of a Pictish fort.

Findhorn
Findhorn is a small settlement build next to the river Findhorn / Bay of Findhorn, which feeds into the Moray Firth. A popular area for its beaches, Culbin Forest and water sports. It is also a haven for wildlife.
The Findhorn Foundation is also based here, a thriving community with an alternate lifestyle geared towards the environment. The ecovillage consists of 90 homes powered by wind and a specialised sewage treat system called The Living Machine.
It has an award-winning shop replete with gifts, books and organic foods. Concerts are often held here at the Universal Hall, a 350 seat theatre. A great place to visit if you are interested in how to live with the environment in Scotland.
Forres
A bit more inland for an article about Moray Firth, but it's a lovely town to stop on your travels. Forres contains many excellent shops and amenities. One fantastic walk is from Grant Park up to Nelsons Tower, a memorial built to Admiral Lord Nelson built-in 1806. Red squirrels can be seen jumping between trees on this route.

Inverness
Inverness is the capital of the highlands and Scotland's most populated northern city. A great base to explore other nearby Scottish tourist attractions such as Loch Ness, The Caledonian Canal (cruises), Culloden battlefield, Culloden Viaduct or other areas in the highlands of Scotland.
Inverness Aquadome is a fun place to take the kids, there is a wave machine, river rapids, and water slides. Adults: £7.00, Kids: £3.90.
Moray Firth Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphins have made their home in the Moray Firth but have also been seen east of Aberdeenshire and as far north as the Pentland Firth.
I have personally seen these Dolphins off the coast of Lossiemouth when I chartered a catamaran from Lossie harbour. It was an amazing experience with the Dolphins coming right up to the side of the boat! I could see their eyes looking me up and down, they were definitely a more intelligent and inquisitive animal than other wildlife on the Moray coast.
There is a dedicated wildlife hub at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) at Spey Bay, located at the mouth of the River Spey where it flows into the Moray firth / North Sea. It is a lovely spot and well worth a visit.

Where is the best place to see Moray Firth Dolphins?
Although I have seen Scotland's Dolphins from Lossiemouth and Spey Bay before, by far the best place to see them is at Chanonry Point in Cromarty north east of Inverness. The geography of the strip of land jutting out into the Moray firth makes it a perfect spot to see the Dolphins who often feed here. Fort George across the water from Chanonry Point is also a great viewing spot.
Conclusion
I hope this article has been useful to give you ideas for things to see on your visit to the Moray Firth coastline. Please read this article on the best things to do in Moray or beaches in Moray next!
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