The fishing village of Burghead is at the northeast end of a vast sandy bay that curves all the way to Findhorn. This walk heads out across the fine sands before returning via a track through Roseisle Forest, planted on the old dunes.
Summary
Sandy beach, then grassy path and track through forest. The beach section may be impossible at very high tides.
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1. The walk begins from the car park by the entrance to Burghead Sands holiday park. Begin by continuing down the lane that slopes out onto the beach. Burghead, a traditional fishing village, is at the north end of a fantastic, huge sandy bay that sweeps round to Findhorn; the beach is deservedly popular with families in the summer. Turn left across the fine sand; on the left the dunes have been planted with pines, whilst across round the bay the wind turbines at Findhorn are prominent.
2. As you continue along the beach there are fine views back to Burghead, with Morven in Caithness visible on clear days just to its left. The walk continues across the sand for two kilometres, to where a small stream flows out across the sand (but it may disappear before it reaches the sea at low tide, so make sure you are close to the inland side). On the near side of this a path heads inland, passing the concrete coastal defence blocks and heading through a wide gap in the high dunes. (The walk can be extended if desired by continuing along the beach at low tide as far as the wooden ramp leading up to Roseisle car park; a marked trail heads back from here.)
3. The path leads towards a roofless stone ruin, marked as Millie Bothy on OS maps (and bizarrely marked on some as a public convenience - which it is not!). The path forks beside the bothy; take the left branch (unless you are intending to head to Roseisle Forestry car park or even through to Findhorn, in which case go straight on until you reach the Moray Coast Trail). The path soon heads into and through the forest, eventually emerging on a wider track at a signposted junction. Bear slightly left here - marked for Burghead.
4. Continue until the track reaches another junction. Turn left here, again signed for Burghead - the right hand branch leads to Roseisle Village (marked on maps as Roseisle College). At yet another junction continue straight ahead. The track soon becomes a good path, part of an old 'Burma Road' built by prisoners of war. It winds between a strange landscape of hummocky forest, evidence of the fact that the trees are all planted on old sand dunes.
5. Eventually the path reaches a childrens' climbing frame, and a gate just beyond leads into the campsite. Continue through the caravans, bearing left at the junction, to return to the start.
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