Moray Coast way walk

[kavi]

Moray coast way

Forres to Cullen (11th April – 14th April 2024)

Day 1 – Forres to Burghead
Day 2 – Burghead to Kingston
Day 3 – Kingston to Cullen

My 10-year-old son, my friend, and I completed the walk in two and a half days.
The Moray Coast Trail is my favourite walk, ranking just behind the West Highland Way. It features breathtaking coastal views, abundant wildlife, beautiful villages and a rich history highlighted by World War II remnants. Concrete defences such as pillboxes and anti-tank placements still dot the shoreline, serving as historical markers from the era.

Day 1

We began our journey on April 11th, by the time we set off our walk it was 14:00. The stretch from Forres to Findhorn was rather uneventful, but the journey from Findhorn to Burghead was beautiful, especially on a sunny day with pristine beaches. We stopped at The Captain’s Table for a cuppa—a charming café with delicious vegan cake. We arrived in Burghead around 7:00 pm and witnessed a stunning sunset at Roseisle Country Park.


Day 2

This was our longest walk. The morning in Burghead was lively with numerous dog walkers, birds, and even a man parasailing early on. The beach mixed pebbles with sand, making the walk slightly challenging. Although it was a windy day, the silver lining was the magical appearance of the beach, with sand swirling in the wind. Highlights included the elegant Covesea Lighthouse, the vibrant yellow Gorse contrasting beautifully against the blue sea and clear sky, beautiful double rainbow, and the stunning cliffs and caves. We retired at Kingston.

Day 3

We set off from Kingston early in the morning, crossed a beautiful metal bridge, and arrived at Speyside Bay. This is my favourite part of the beach, where the river Spey flows into the sea. Speyside Bay is renowned for its dolphins and is part of a wildlife sanctuary that also shelters ospreys, grey and harbour seals, otters, wildfowl, and waders. We were fortunate to spot a herd of seals basking on the beach and beautiful bird which migrated from Africa. The walk became even more picturesque after passing Buckie and with its charming villages and stunning cliffs. We arrived in Cullen around 17:00, a breathtaking village noted for its beautiful viaduct.

Other notes

Every 2-3 miles, there's a village that's handy for food supplies and there are plenty of public toilets. The walk is quite flat, and walking on the sand isn't too difficult. The route was a bit misleading in Lossiemouth, where we lost our way and accidentally added 4 miles to our journey. Otherwise, just keep the sea to your left 😊. We stayed at a B&B near Elgin and commuted to and from the trail each day.