Explore The North East Coast of Scotland

The Moray Coast is the ideal extension to the North Coast 500, or even a road trip in itself as part of the Crerar450. The stretch of coast to Inverness is packed full of watersports, golf, shopping, whisky tours, history and arts, there really is a plethora of activities during a trip to Nairn and Golf View Hotel & Spa.

 

Towns & Villages in North East of Scotland

Nairn

Nairn, known as the ‘Highland’s Playground’ is an idyllic seaside town on the Moray Firth with white sandy beaches, championship golf courses, award-winning restaurants and a charming town to explore. Discover the Nairn Museum for an insight into the life and times of Nairn, or visit the High Street to explore independent shops and cafes. There are also a number of street markets throughout the year which feature homemade crafts and local food and drink. Nairn is also home to an abundance of wildlife from dolphins, seals, red squirrels and birds, many of which you can discover on our recommended walks in and around Nairn. You will also be glad to hear that due to the Nairn’s relatively dry climate, midges that plaque other parts of Scotland are not a problem in summer.

 

Inverness

While in Nairn, take a trip to the Capital of the Highlands, Inverness, home to the world-famous Loch Ness Monster, ‘Nessie’. The city itself is filled with history and culture, we

recommend a walking tour to see all the sites, including Inverness Castle where you can

enjoy great views over the city. View our Inverness blog to discover Unusual Things To Do In Inverness.

 

Culloden

You may recognise the name Culloden from the TV show Outlander, the real-life Culloden is a short drive from Golf View Hotel & Spa. The atmospheric site is where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to a very tragic end. The National Trust for Scotland site tells the story of the Rising from both sides and in the Culloden Museum, you can also see weapons and artefacts from the battle. You can even learn about your family ancestry and any links you may have with the site.

 

Findhorn

Findhorn is located east of Nairn, approximately a 30 minutes drive from Golf View Hotel & Spa. A historic village on the Moray Firth, the village is centred around the bay making it the perfect home to one of the major watersports centres. The coloured beach huts make for perfect pictures. The harbour features a heritage centre where you can learn more about the village's past links to Scandinavia and salmon fishing history. Look out for dates of the award-winning Findhorn Bay Arts Festival which features local and international artists.

 

Castles and Ruins in North East of Scotland

Cawdor Castle

Cawdor Castle, the 14th century home of the Thanes of Cawdor, a title made famous by Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. It is said that the location of this fairy tale castle was chosen when the early Thane of Cawdor bestowed his donkey the right to claim the land where the castle would be built and so loaded him up with gold for good luck and they set off. The donkey eventually lay down under a holly tree and so it was that exact spot that the castle was built, around the tree. To this day, you can see the remains of the tree in the vault of the castle and it must have brought good fortune as the castle remains standing after hundreds of years.

 

Duffus Castle

Situated on a mound rising out of the flat Laich of Moray, the ruins of Duffus Castle remains an impressive sight for history lovers. A Flemish man, named Freskin, who moved to Scotland in the 12th century was given the estate of Duffus, after he was sent by the king to go North as a representative of royal authority. Here, Frenskin built the earthwork-and-timber castle, and by the 13th century, the Flemish man’s family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland. The Duffus Castles was a fortress-residence for more than 500 years. The stone castle we see today was built in the 1300s and was once one of the strongest castles in Scotland, however it was reduced to a decaying ruin by the time of its abandonment in 1705. 

 

Boyne Castle

Once a spectacular castle with luxurious rooms, vaulted basements and large open windows, Boyne Castle ruin still remains above the steep gorge of the Burn of Boyne. The ruin to this day is classed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and enthuses the rich history of Aberdeenshire, where it lies. It is said the structure was built by Alexander Ogilvy of Boyne before 1575 as a present for his bride, May Beaton. 

 

Whisky Lovers Dream

The Malt Whisky Trail

For whisky lovers, the malt whisky trail is a fantastic interactive journey across some of the best distilleries in Scotland. The immersive trail will take you to 9 distilleries;

Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, The Glenlivet, Glen Moray, Speyside Cooperage, Strathisla (the home of Chivas), Cardhu, Dallas Dhu and Benromach. During your stay at Golf View Hotel & Spa you can see as much or as little of the trail as you want. The sites are all short drives from each other meaning you can see multiple in the same day with each distillery tour taking approximately 2 hours.