The Moray Coast Trail in a day!

[Sprollie Dollies]

I've spent this year so far preparing for a charity walk of 100km between Glasgow and Edinburgh in aid of The British Heart Foundation and have felt very lucky to live in Moray with the all the incredible walking options open to me.

As a final push 12 days before the big event I decided to take on the entire Moray Coast Trail (with my best mate- collie dog Pip) we had walked various sections of it during our training but this would be the final challenge. So on the hottest day of the year, we boarded a bus to Cullen at 6am.

Arrived at Cullen approx 7:20am, already so warm my fleece was off by the time we set foot on the beach.

Cullen

Plenty of beautiful scenery around to Findochty and by the time we got to Port Gordon it was really getting hot! Quick pit stop for more water and we pushed on towards Spey Bay looking forward to the wooded, inland section for some shade.

Findochty

Seals at Port Gordon

Stopped for lunch at Spey Bay and Pip had a cool off in the water, was not looking forward to the next section of the walk so wasn't in any hurry!

Pippy at Spey Bay

Spey Bay

Crossed the bridge and through Garmouth and Kingston onto the beach (my most dreaded section of the Moray Coast Trail!) Super hot by this point in the afternoon and completely exposed, we took plenty of water breaks and eventually headed off to take the woods route beside the estuary to Lossiemouth, the half way point!

Kingston towards Lossiemouth, scorching!

Lossie woods

Pippy cooling off in the Estuary

Quick nap in the shade while mum tends to her feet!

With the dreaded section behind us I discovered we'd managed to lose the lead somewhere on route, met a very kind lady who let us borrow one and stocked up on yet more water before heading off towards Hopeman where I had a stop planned for some food and a change of shoes

Lossiemouth West beach

View from the top of Covesea towards Hopeman and Burghead

After a pit stop in Hopeman, some decent food, a change of shoes and socks we headed off on the last stretch towards Forres. We made the 23:52 bus back from Forres so we took 16.5hrs in total with plenty of water stops for poor Pippy who was struggling at times in the heat. Over all really pleased, no aches and pains following the walk, only one blister and feel really prepared now for the charity walk at the weekend

Cheeky selfie!

Selfie

Last pic of Roseisle at sunset, just a beautiful spot!

Roseisle