The Localities of Buckie and Cullen

 

Your Accommodation	Local area information
Booking & Hire Charges	Activities & information
Travel Directions	Up to date local events

 

 

Just 3 miles away from Maryhill farm lies the Port of Buckie still to this day an active fishing port. Buckie caters for most shopping needs - example a new Tesco opened in November 2010. Buckie also has a 25 meter swimming pool, two golf courses, play parks, garages and organised boat trips for dolphin watching and fishing.

Only 7 miles away lies the extremely attractive seaside town of Cullen built around the mouth of the burn of Deskford has a population of approx 1500 people. Noticeably busier in summer than winter due to the number of holiday homes owned, the village is renowed for it's excellent ice cream and speciality locally caught seafood. There are 2 pubs and a Hotel in the centre of the village and well stocked spar shop and a fantastic sandy beach which encircles the whole bay area. The organs of the wife of Robert the Bruce are said to have been buried in its old kirk (church) after her death in the area. Robert the Bruce made an annual payment to the village in gratitude for the treatment of his wife's body and its return south for burial. 

A recent non-payment of this sum by the government was challenged and settled to the village's favour. The village is noted for Cullen Skink, a traditional soup made from smoked haddock, milk, potato and onion and its spectacular former railway viaducts, two of which are now part of the national cycle network. These bridges were necessary at considerable cost due to resistance against the railway line being routed any closer to Cullen House. The most westerly, and by far the longest, viaduct is highly photogenic, and appears often in tourist guides and in Scottish calendars. Near Cullen is the peak Bin Hill, which is visible from some distance such as from Longman Hill.

The village also has an impressive golf course, and the Crannoch wood which offers good views of the area. The 1086 ft Bin Hill, Morayshire or Bin of Cullen is a nearby hill with an associated footpath

 

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"Panorama of nearby Cullen"

 

 

Aberdeenshire, Moray and their fantastic coastlines

 

Aberdeenshire has some of the most wonderful rural scenery to offer for you, along with the pretty local village of Gardenstown, there are also the coastal villages of Cullen, Findochty, Portsoy and Banff. So If you are looking for a relaxing holiday, somewhere to wind down and relax, then look no further, this accommodation offers you that and so much more.

The Moray Firth coast is also haven for wildlife, and you can often see dolphins, seals, otters, whales and falcons throughout the year. Roughly one half of its border consists of amazing coastline ranging from the awesomely rugged to the most wonderfully beautiful. The sunsets on the Moray coastline in themselves are renowned for their beauty as many a visitor will testify, its Northerley latitude and position making it a good place to even see the mysterious "Aurora Borealis" Northern lights

 

"Picturesque is simply an under statement"

To the East Gardenstown it's harbour, coastline and Pennan Harbour

 

Photos Copyright © Doug Houghton

 

The land border runs through tremendous countryside, craggy mountains and desolate moors all indicating the feast of wonder and enjoyment held within an area of outstanding natural beauty. Aberdeenshire is awash with history and historic buildings, Neolithic stone age circles, iron age pictish carved standing stones, vitrified forts and medieval castles and keeps. Spend time touring the Moray cost, 16 miles away, with its picturesque fishing villages. fishing heritage centres, sea aquarium and historic harbours.

Just a short distance away the Cairngorm National Park has an excellent selection of Skiing walking and cycling trails including hill, forest and river walks.

 

 Views of the Moray Firth coastline, its harbours and golden sands

 

 

Turriff

Further afield the local market town of Turriff gained burgh status in 1512. Over the years, Turriff has developed as an important market town and service centre for the agriculture sector. Modern day Turriff is still the main centre for its rural farming hinterland, with a range of local shops, swimming pool, golf course, caravan park and sports centre. The cottages are close to nearby Turriff and give easy access to golf, shooting, fishing, shopping, pony trekking, historic buildings, castles, whisky distilleries (The Whisky Trail) and some of the most wonderful scenery that rural Aberdeenshire has to offer for you and your family. Turriff Show is perhaps best known for the 'Turra Show'. Dating from 1864, this annual two-day agricultural show in August is one of the largest in Scotland, regularly attracting around 40,000 visitors per annum, and serving to highlight the importance of agriculture to the local area. Turriff Golf Course is a well-established parkland course with wonderful views. Founded in 1896 and extended to 18 holes in 1976, its lush, green fairways have been sympathetically laid out on the southern banks of the River Deveron.

 

"Pennan (the scene of local hero) and it's famous red telephone box"

 

 

 

Please click  here for another Coast Cottage in this area

 

 

Skiing holidays in Scotland

Skiing in the Cairngorms are within easy reach and on a clear, sunny day and with good snow, you can enjoy some decent skiing. However, at weekends, in conditions like these, expect the slopes to be very busy. Glenlivet ideally placed in the Cairngorms, offers easy access to both alpine (downhill) and nordic (cross-country) skiing, as well as the increasingly popular snowboarding.

The high season is from January to April but it is possible to ski from as early as November to as late as May. (3 and 7 day Special prices available...please ask for details of availability)

 

 

 

 

The Lecht ski resort

 

Within and easy 60 minute drive you can reach the Lecht ski resort www.lecht.co.uk Tel (01975) 651440. This fantastic activity centre is best suited to beginners and intermediates, featuring an exellent Dry Ski slope. The longest natural run being 900m, there is also a network of short lifts on both sides of the A939 Cockbridge–Tomintoul road. Straddling the A939 on the famous Cockbridge to Tomintoul road, the Lecht 2090 sits feet above sea level amid the beauty of the Eastern Cairngorms. This natural playground offers exciting outdoor activities throughout the year from Deval Karts / ride (incl. Uplift), Quad Bikes / session, Fun Karts / session, Kiddie Karts / session, Chairlift / return ride, Summer Ski or Board.

Resort altitude: Top: 793m - bottom: 643m. Lifts in area 14

Up to date snow reports also the www.lecht.co.uk/wap

 

Please click here for up to date snow forecasts Please note by clicking this link will open up another browser

 

 

 

 

Wildlife and Nature

 

The sandy coastlines of Morayshire and Aberdeenshire stretch from Stonehaven on the East coast to Nairn in the west. Short stretches of cliff run from Hopeman to Covesea and from Portknockie to Findochty and populations consist of Fulmars and Kittiwakes with a smaller number of Shags and Black Guillemots. The best rocky shores are between Burghead and Hopeman, at Lossiemouth and between Portgordon and Findochty.

Inland the areas then extend southwards to the Cairngorm mountains. Nearly half of the land exceeds 250m altitude and is therefore upland in nature. With the higher hills exceeding 600m including the arctic-alpine Cairngorm plateau, home to Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting and Dotterel. The extensive lower moorlands hold a good variety of scarcer species such as Merlin, Twite, Ring Ouzel and Whinchat. Golden Plovers are locally numerous, joined by a few Dunlin in wetter bogs.

The extensive woodlands are largely composed of conifer plantations and in many areas these are sufficiently mature to have been colonized by Crested Tits, Siskins and crossbills. Capercaillies survive in small numbers. The younger moorland plantations hold breeding Black Grouse and Short-eared Owl and the birchwoods of the upland glens ring with the song of Willow warblers, Tree Pipits, Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers in spring.

 

Winter waders include Purple Sandpipers in the muddy estuaries and the wide expanse of Findhorn Bay. In the Lossie and Spey rivers a wide variety of wildfowl, gulls and terns feed and roost on the estuaries and fishing ospreys are a regular feature in summer.

Offshore, Burghead Bay and Spey Bay are well known for their flocks of wintering sea ducks with impressive rafts of scoters, Long-tailed Ducks and Eider. You will find some great viewpoints along the way, in particular looking over the broad sweep of Cullen Bay with its lovely golden sand and the Fiddle Rock - a curiously shaped rock formation - and past the opening known as the Whale's Mouth.

 

Fishing the Rivers Deveron, Spey & Findhorn

 

Two wonderful rivers, the Spey and the Findhorn, lend much to the character of the area and many smaller rivers and streams drain the interior into the Moray Firth. Typical breeding species are Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Common Sandpiper. Goosanders inhabit the smaller upland tributaries with a few Red-breasted Mergansers breeding on the lower reaches. There is relatively little standing water in Moray & Nairn but Lochs Oire, na Bo, Loy and Spynie provide winter wildfowl interest; Loch Spynie in particular holds a spectacular winter goose roost, and a rich wetland breeding bird community in summer. The Deveron River, situated at Turriff  is mid way between the river mouth at Banff and the headwaters above Huntly and offers the angler some of the finest salmon and trout fishing in Scotland. Bookings can be arranged via Frank and Carol Henderson, Turriff Tackle & Trophies Tel 01888 562428. Aberdeenshire also supports two other fine rivers the Dee and the Don and sea fishing can be obtained on the Moray Coast.

Aden Park (left) and the historic listed Cullen viaduct(right)"

 

 

 

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