Sealife: Visit Friends of the Moray Firth Dolphins website for more information on the dolphins that can be found in the Moray Firth. Whilst staying in Buckie you may want to visit Spey Bay to explore the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society Wildlife Centre, where you can find out about the local wildlife and the Moray Firth Dolphins. The centre is open 7 days a week from Easter to October.

 Local Walks: Excellent local walks are to be found nearby, some more difficult and physically demanding than others but they can of course be taken at your own pace.

The Speyside Way is one of several long distance routes in Scotland. It was first opened in 1981. A northern route from Spey Bay to Buckie was opened in 1999. The route links the Moray coast with the edge of the Grampian Mountains, following the valley of the River Spey. Visit www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk for further details. 

Forestry Commission Winding Walks 1 mile from Fochabers on the A98, well sign-posted. A very attractive and easily acessible facility with several parking bays under a canopy of mature conifer and beech trees.  This is the starting point for all the waymarked walks. Visit: www.forestry.gov.uk (search for Winding Walks - whiteash.

Coastal Walks at Portknockie:  Several gentle, scenic and exhilarating walks are to be found at nearby Portknockie (approx 5miles to the East of Buckie). Portknockie itself being a picturesque and historic, traditional fishing village.  Portknockie is a local practice area for the air/sea rescue helicopters which are frequently seen hovering above the cliff top.

Air/Sea rescue practising above Portknockie

There are several fine walks available in and around Portknockie. They are all easy to follow and not physically demanding.

1. The Portknockie Experience - This walk starts and ends at the library, and takes you through Portknockie Village where you will see the proud fishing heritage. Pick up a leaflet from the library.

 2. A walk round the Brae - Start overlooking the harbour and walk east along Patrol Road past the end of Admiralty Street to the edge of the village. Here a grassy track leads parallel with the coast to a natural arch formation, known locally as the Whale’s Moo. Here there are steps leading down to the shoreline (see walk 3) but stay on the path and turn right. Follow the path round the edge of the cliffs until you come to a viewing area with two seats overlooking Cullen Golf Course. Enjoy the view and then follow the path on to a stone bridge, which leads across to Cruarts farm. Turn right here and walk along the edge of the playing fields, past the caravan site and the bowls green until you come to the main A942 road. Cross the road and walk along the old railway track to the junction with Hill Street. At the end turn right and walk downhill across Church Street, past the Kirk of Scotland and back to the Harbour.

3. A shore walk to Cullen - Follow walk 2 to James Bruce’s joinery yard bearing left to Bow Fiddle Rock. Walk along the cliff top past Bow Fiddle Rock enjoying fine views of the Moray Firth and follow the path round to the steps by the Whale’s Moo. Descend the steps to the shore. Follow the track to the concrete steps after which you will see Jennie’s Well on your right. The cliff face vegetation is interesting and includes primroses in the spring and you may be able to spot the rare oyster plant. You will pass several caves one, known as the Preacher’s Cave, was used by the Free Church following its break with the Church of Scotland in the 1840s. Round the headland you come to the fine sweep of Cullen Bay sands with the golf course to your right. Where the sand runs out by the golf clubhouse climb the steps and you will be approaching Cullen Seatown with its traditional fishermen’s houses huddled by the shore. After crossing the burn you come to the harbour where you can turn up into Cullen itself. For a longer walk carry on past the famous pets’ cemetery and an old salmon bothy, where the path begins to climb, hug the cliff face and leads to the Giant’s Steps. Here there is a vertical cliff pitch used by climbers to practice their rope work. The path continues to a very quiet sandy bay and eventually reaches Findlater Castle, a dramatically sited, cliff top ruin dating back to the fifteenth century. It is possible to approach Findlater Castle by car from the A98, park at the farm and take this walk in reverse. The full walk is about 7km each way and you need to be well shod and able to climb some steep slopes and steps, particularly on the section beyond the salmon bothy.

4. A gentle stroll to Cullen - This walk follows the line of the old railway line, which was closed in 1968. It is now a part of the Sustrans Cycle Way between Inverness and Aberdeen. The gradient is gentle and you pass dramatic vistas of the golf course and the Moray Firth. As you approach Cullen the route takes you over the famous Cullen Viaducts past Castle Hill to North Deskford Street from which you can easily make your way into the centre of Cullen perhaps to return to Portknockie by the first part of walk. At the top of North Deskford Street is the entrance to Cullen House and on Tuesday and Friday afternoons the public can stroll through its grounds. Well worth a visit is the Old Kirk, a rare pre-Reformation Scottish kirk that is still in regular use.

5. By the cliffs to Findochty - This path to the west of Portknockie harbour is also part of the Sustrans Cycle Way. From it you may see right across the Moray Firth to Morven (706m) in Sutherland. This is a distance of over 80km! The path climbs gently to the village cemetery and then drops down to the neighbouring village of Findochty, pronounced locally as "Finechty". The distance is about 3km. Findochty has a large yacht marina in its harbour. As you walk you may see dolphins tumbling in the sea below you, fishing boats heading to and from Buckie, the nearest fish landing port and, in the distance, giant oil and gas rigs being towed to and from the construction yards in Nigg Bay, Cromarty. Overhead, this normally peaceful scene might be shattered, momentarily, by low flying Tornado and Jaguar fighters from nearby RAF Lossiemouth. Sometimes you will see the air/sea rescue helicopters at practice hovering over the cliff tops.

6. A climb to the Bin - The Bin of Cullen reaches 320m and is the high ground to the south of Portknockie. From its summit, on a clear day, there are commanding views of the Moray Firth coastline. It can be climbed from Portknockie but the easier route is to drive to the south side of the Bin where you will find a woodland walk. Go via Cullen and the B9081 Keith Road turning right after about 3km by the Nether Blairock steading and continuing to a patch of woodland. Just where the road comes out of the wood there is some parking space and a gateway on the right. Leave the car here and walk to the stream where the track branches left. Follow this upwards through beech, silver birch and Scots Pine to the next fork where you turn left. From here the path is stony and across open heather and takes you to the summit of Bin of Cullen and its spectacular views.

Fishing: Scotland is renowned for its superb Salmon & Trout fishing, with Moray offering excellent fishing on either river, lake, or beach-casting along the Moray coastline together with fishing from many of the harbour walls, as well as boat trips for the more adventurous.          

           River Spey                                  

       Portknockie Harbour

Cullen Bay Angling 01542 840293 or Turriff Tackle on 01888 562428 can provide details on permits and the supply of bait etc. Visit their website: Fishingthedeveron.co.uk  for further details. Lochans Trout Fishery is another useful source of information: Tel 01261 821244/mobile 07801 698787. Sea Fishing Trips (Rods/bait & food provided) - Tel: Chris 07772-431557

Local Golf:   Where to begin with Golf facilities in Scotland? It would seem almost every town or even village has its own superb course. Moray has a superb choice of championship courses, many with spectacular sea views or scenic countryside. Dufftown has the highest course in Scotland, whilst Lossiemouth offers a superb links course with many others close by. Strathlene:  strathlenegolfclub.co.uk (01542-831789) at nearby Portessie/Findochty providing a full 18 hole course and floodlit driving range/practice area.  Cullen cullengolfclub.co.uk (01542-840685). Buckpool Golf club at Buckie buckpoolgolf.com  (01542-832236) and many, many more. A very temperate climate and long days along the Moray coastline means golf can be played virtually all year. Details on all the regional golf courses can be found at  visitscotland.com

.

Buckpool Golf Course, Buckie

Skiing:                     

 An hour's scenic drive away are the ski and snowboarding resorts of The Lecht and the Cairngorms.  All levels of skiiers are catered for with nursery slopes and more challenging runs for intermediate and advanced skiiers/boarders. Visit ski-scotland.com for up-to-date snow conditions and maps of the pistes.

 Other Links to Local Attractions

MAY 2009 - IS WHISKY MONTH.....

Whisky comes from the Gaelic 'uisage beatha' meaning 'water of life' with the art and practice of distilling in the UK and Ireland dating back to the 6th Century.  Though originally believed to have been brought to Scotland by Irish missionaries hundreds of years ago, today there is very little more synonomous with Scotland than Whisky.

The month of May is Scotland's Whisky Month and sees the two biggest festivals come alive as several of Speyside's beautiful towns welcome 'The Spirit of Speyside Festival' and Inverary Castle opens its doors for 'The Spirit of the West' Festival.  (See www.homecomingscotland.com) for further details:

Please find below links to other local attractions and places of interest in the area.

 maltwhiskytrail.com  The only Malt Whisky Trail in the world where you can visit distilleries both large and small, take guided tours (many with no admission charge) and at the end of the tour sample an excellent dram or two!.

Glenfiddich Distillery

Highlandwildlifepark.org  The Highland Wildlife Park Sample Scottish wildlife in the beautifully stunning setting of the Highland Wildlife Park.

Wildlife Watching in the Cairngorms National Park  Cairngorms.co.uk

Braemar Highland Safaris  Experience the open spaces of the Scottish Highlands by 4x4. A Safari by Land Rover, or Join one of the guided walks in the Cairngorms National Park.

Puffin Cruises Discover the amazing wildlife of the beautiful Moray Firth coast.

Gemini Explorer  Wildlife Marine Tours Discover the beauty of the Moray Coastline. Contact the skipper - Davey 07747-626280 for availability.

The Castle Trail  Scotlands only castle trail offering the visitor a unique opportunity to step back in time through Scotlands colourful and exciting heritage.

Strathspey Steam Railway Based at Aviemore this beautiful Steam Train travels through to, and stops at Boat of Garten and then on to Broomhill. A 20 mile round trip along part of the original Highland Railway.

Scottish Tartans Museum  Scottish Tartans Museum Over 700 Tartans on Display. April - end of September. Mon-Sat, 11am-4pm.

Cairngorm Mountain  Take a trip up the mountains on the Cairngorm Funicular Railway. Tel 01479-861261.

Special Events & Festivals:

For a full calendar of events and festivals visit www.homecomingscotland2009.com or Undiscovered Scotland Website or visitscotland Website where full details can be found on Museums/Childrens Events, Theatre, Arts, Wildlife Tours/Castles/The Whisky Trail, Horse Riding/Golf/ etc, etc.

 For a full list of events for 2009/10 please visit: www.Homecomingscotland2009.com

HIGHLAND GAMES: For a comprehensive list of all venues and dates please visit: www.highlandgames-sga.com  

Cornhill Highland Games: Saturday 6.6.09

The Deveron Festival at Banff: second weekend in June, contact Elgin Tourist Information: 01343 542666 or Visit Scotland Website

World Ocean Day: Macduff 08.06.08

Keith Festival: second weekend in June, contact Elgin Tourist Info 01343 542666 or Visit Scotland Website

Portsoy Boat Festival: 02.07.09 - 05.07.09 : Visit Scotland Website for further details.

Grantown Highland Games: Sunday 23.08.09

Speyfest at Fochabers: first weekend in August - Speyfest Website

Buckie Flower Show: August Bank holiday, contact as above.