Moray Coast Trail

The Moray Coastal Trail at Covesea

Bow Fiddle Rock at Portknockie

The Moray Coastal Trail is a waymarked long distance path, 45 miles long, that runs along the coasts of Morayshire and Banffshire, facing the Moray Firth and the wild North Sea waters.

The route runs between Forres in Morayshire and Cullen. It is designated as one of 'Scotland's Great Trails' by NatureScot, and connects with two further Great Trails: the Speyside Way at Spey Bay, and the Dava Way at Forres. The Moray Coast Trail can be combined with sections of these two routes to form a 95-mile circular route known as the Moray Way, and also forms part of the North Sea Trail.

Route

Trailheads

• Forres, Morayshire; /zoom=11 57°36’36"N, 3°36’43"W
• Cullen, Banffshire: 57°41’28"N, 2°49’8"W

The trail is primarily intended for walkers, but many sections are also suitable for cycling and horseriding. An alternative route for cycling, the Moray Coast Ride, shares some sections of path with the Moray Coast Trail, and forms part of the National Cycle Network's Route 1.

The Scotland's Great Trails website recommends that the trail be walked west to east (from Forres to Cullen), due to the direction of the prevailing winds. In this direction the following settlements are passed: Forres, Kinloss, Findhorn, Burghead, Hopeman, Lossiemouth, Spey Bay, Portgordon, Buckie, Findochty, Portknockie, Cullen.

Places of note along the route include the Covesea Skerries Lighthouse and Bow Fiddle Rock.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Moray Coast Trail)

• Moray Coast Trail: Moray Ways
• Moray Coast Trail route and maps on Walkhighlands

References

• Bardwell, Sandra (2021). Moray Coast Trail guidebook (2nd ed.). ISBN 978-1-898481-98-0. https://www.rucsacs.com/book/moray-coast-trail/.