On a sunny day, the Buckie to Cullen walk along the Moray Coastal Path is simply gorgeous! The coastal path goes past Buckie harbour, and runs along the undulating coastline towards the charming fishing village of Findochty where you can stop for a pint at Admiral’s Inn. From Findochty harbour, the path climbs the cliffs again and continues to Portknockie where you can see the famous Bow Fiddle Rock before walking onwards to Cullen.
Moray Coast Path
The Buckie to Cullen walk goes through the charming villages of Findochty and Portknockie and it is one of the most scenic sections of the Moray Coastal Path. We walked the Buckie to Cullen section of the Moray Coastal Path over two days because we were staying at a campsite in Findochty (pronounced: Fin-ech-ty), roughly halfway between Buckie and Cullen. Buses run along the route, so you can start and finish wherever you want. Yay for car-free walks!
Part I: Findochty to Buckie
It is a spectacular afternoon in June. The sun is shining, the North Sea is an immaculate shade of blue. We set off from the Findochty Caravan and Camping Site, along the rocky coast peppered with clumps of pale pink thrift flowers. Birds everywhere: gulls and shags, little birds tittering in overgrown gorse bushes whose bright yellow flowers perfume the path with their unique coconut-vanilla scent. We walk below the golf course, then climb uphill, the path skirting the edge of the well-kept turf, then downhill again and uphill again. In a tiny cove, the sand sparkles gold in the shimmering light. We pass a family with two young children playing in tidal pools. The North Sea is bluer than blue.
There are more people on the beach as we near Portessie, one of the wee towns that dot this stretch of the Buckie to Cullen walk on the Moray coast. More dogs enjoying the water and the sunshine! We continue eastward, past pretty white-washed cottages with colourful borders around the windows and doors that are typical in this part of the country, towards Ianstown.
The houses, though charming, seem empty. We barely see anyone as we veer inland and walk through the streets of these small villages, past windows with decorated sills, past bus stops and empty gardens. The sun is blazing, as we walk towards Buckie Harbour– the only somewhat busy area on our walk– and the sea is blindingly bright. We feel kind of lost and tired, the heat isn’t doing us any favours, and find the road that leads to the town centre. Buckie is full of beautiful Victorian stone cottages with bay windows but hardly a soul on this afternoon. The town seemed to have seen better days. Later we hear that Covid seemed like the last nail in the coffin killing a lot of businesses in a town that was already in decline. A lot of the houses are seasonal holiday homes.
From Buckie, we take a bus back to the campsite. From the bus stop, we climb up the hill above the campsite for some absolutely gorgeous views of the fishing village of Findochty. The light, especially in the golden hour, turns the village into a magical, mystical place.
Also read: We spent a beautiful weekend at St. Monans in the East Neuk of Fife. To plan a trip to this pretty fishing village, read Things to Do in St. Monans.
Part II: Findochty to Cullen
Findochty is roughly midway on the Buckie to Cullen walk. We start early but not early enough to see the deer that frequents these headlands. The wind was crazy the night before and we were afraid that our cheap little tent may not win that windy battle but it did alright and we moved it to a more sheltered spot before heading out. The harbour is quiet, the boats trembling in the breeze. The watery light cloaks the white-washed houses in a sleepy sort of way. Kind of languid. Unsure. Shy. We climb uphill, walk past quiet houses, and then take the coast path above the cliffs. We can see Findochty Beach, a small sandy shape adorned with rocks and coastal flowers, below. A dog walker who has lived all their life in this beautiful corner of the world greets us and tells us about the deer and the dolphins.
Also read: See Top Things to do in Cullen to plan your Cullen trip.
We walk towards Portknockie, the sea a dull blue-grey today, unlike the blinding blue of the previous afternoon. More gorse, more birds. The Merlin Bird App’s sound ID feature identifies yellowhammers, goldfinches, Eurasian skylarks, and chiffchaffs. It is like walking through a live concert! From the path, we can see the bright turquoise waters of the swimming pool and the harbour. We walk past the houses, and soon we are on the cliffs. And there’s the Bow Fiddle Rock. Part of the Cullen Quartzite formation, the 50-foot-tall Bow Fiddle Rock was formed over the course of millions of years of natural erosion. It was named for its resemblance to the tip of a bow used to play a fiddle or a violin. But it all depends on who you are asking: one of our fellow campers said it resembled an elephant’s trunk. I thought it looked like an animal’s hoof! We spend some time, taking photographs and admiring the wildflowers that carpet the cliffs and the colonies of shags on the rock formations. We look out for dolphins that often feed in these waters; unfortunately, there are none that day. Though it isn’t sunny, it is a beautiful day. The clouds seem to glow with a mellow light.
From Portknockie, we walk along the footpath which is built along the railway line that was closed in 1968. The path also forms part of the SUSTRANS national cycle path and the North Sea Cycle Route. This part of the route is very scenic! We continue along the cliffs towards Cullen and soon we can see the iconic Cullen viaduct and the broad sandy swath of Cullen’s main beach. Perched atop the golf course is the Cullen Hotel. Its white walls shine brilliantly in the light! A narrow staircase built in the cliffside takes you down to the beach but we decide to continue along the cycle path and over the viaduct. Soon we move away from the beach and enter the old rail track. It is the end of spring but there are some blossoms still in bloom. Their confetti-like petals float in the breeze. From the viaduct, we can see the red-tiled roofs of the cottages of Seatown. Cullen is a very pretty town! We walk over the viaduct; the last section of it is closed and the route diverted through town and it is a short walk past pretty cottages into Cullen. We are at our destination, ready for lunch!
Have you done the Buckie to Cullen walk?
Leave a Reply