Moray

Scotland > East of Scotland > Moray

When you are writing about all of Scotland's counties it is difficult not to use the same descriptions - beautiful scenic, historic, captivating etc. So, what can you say about Moray? It is all these things and more.

It has, for me, one of my favourite views of all; the view north and north west up the coast of Easter Ross and Sutherland in the evening and night. Be it winter (sometimes clearer) or summer, the lights of the coastal towns and villages can see seen miles away over the Moray Firth. If have a map handy you can work out which is which all the way up the west coast of this beautiful country of ours.

A similar view can be had from Tarbat Ness or Portmahomack in Easter Ross where you can see just that bit further!

So back to the county of Moray sandwiched between Banffshire and Nairn. In 'tourism' parlance, Moray is synonymous with 'Speyside' and 'Whisky Country' but these two descriptions do not do it justice. To me this a rich and colourful part of Scotland and the populace do their utmost to emphasise the 'colourful'.

Moray's past, economically, is associated with agriculture and fishing. Today, the fishing has lost its prominence to that of tourism and whisky but the agricultural background is as strong as ever.

To the north, there is a rich coastal 'triangle' of land at which Elgin is central. People have lived in this part of the country for thousands of years. The dunes of the Culbin Sands have given up some of their secrets including evidence of Bronze and Iron Age remains. The sands also managed to overwhelm dwellings during a storm in 1694 including the mansion of Culbin.

The 'county' town of Elgin (Morayshire is now part of the Aberdeen and Grampians local authority area) is famous for two main reasons; firstly its cathedral which was desecrated and destroyed by the 'Wolf of Badenoch' in 1390. Secondly for the town's annual floral presentations which have brought it numerous awards over the years.

To the south the Grampian Mountains give rise to the River Spey, one of the finest salmon rivers in the world and also supplier of the precious water that makes the finest whiskies in the world , the Speyside Malts. Famous names such as Glenlivet, Glen Grant, Glenfarclas, Cardhu and Glenfiddich are based here and many of them are open to the public.

Other places of interest include Benromach Distillery, Dallas Dhu Distillery, Falconer Museum, Findhorn Foundation, Logie Steading Visitor Centre, Nelson Tower (Forres); Brodie Castle, Brodie Countryfare (Brodie near Forres); Elgin Museum, Pluscarden Abbey, Spynie Palace, Glen Moray Distillery, Johnstons Cashmere Centre (Elgin); Speyside Cooperage Visitor Centre (Aberlour); Moray Firth Wildlife Centre, Baxters Highland Village (Fochabers).