Moray, pronounced ‘murr-ay’, is in the North East of mainland Scotland. Originally home to an ancient Celtic earldom, there are now excellent infrastructural links via road, rail and air, connecting the region to locations across the UK and Europe, making it an ideal holiday destination.
Alongside enjoying the fantastic selection of distilleries, you can get the adrenaline rush from mountain biking, lap up the peace of unspoiled beaches or strap on your climbing boots to tackle the Cairngorm mountains on your doorstep. What’s more, Moray is a golfing and fishing paradise. And where else in the UK could you be surfing in the morning and snowboarding in the afternoon?
Each location has its own attractions and activities – you’ll never be stuck for something to do!
The River Spey and River Findhorn are ideal for salmon and trout fishing, and keen golfers are spoilt for choice from Moray’s 18 courses. With the choice between high-quality links courses along the Moray Firth, beautiful parkland courses further inland such as Rothes Golf Course or, if you want to experience a slice of golfing history, look out for courses designed by the renowned Scottish golfer ‘Old’ Tom Morris at Moray Golf Club and Cullen Links Golf Course.
Moray is ideally suited to cycling and there are routes for all abilities, whether that’s a family cycle following the River Lossie via historic Elgin town centre or a more challenging route such as the Glenlivet Mountain Bike Trails or the Forestry Commission’s Monster Trails.
The region is also the perfect spot to enjoy other outdoor sports, including climbing, skiing, watersports and hill walking.
North East 250, one of Scotland’s newest driving routes across Moray and to Aberdeen, and the Snow Roads that run for 90 miles through the heart of the Cairngorms National Park have also been recommended.
There are plenty of distilleries to visit too, Moray is considered Whisky Country as it is home to more than half of Scotland’s distilleries, with 60 within a 50-mile radius. The Malt Whisky Trail spans the Moray Speyside region and offers the perfect journey to discover the secrets of malt whisky country. Plus, there is the annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival inviting visitors from across the globe to meet the makers, taste the world’s finest whiskies and discover the passion behind them.
With many of the region’s attractions along the Moray coast, you can find beautiful, sandy beaches in Burghead, Lossiemouth, Roseisle, Cullen and Hopeman. In fact, National Geographic voted Moray’s 35 miles of golden sandy beaches in the top 12 most beautiful and unspoiled in the world.
If you are looking for an area with a unique mix of attractions, look no further than Moray. It is renowned for its traditional harbour towns, stunning sea life with seals and bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth, historic castles and world-famous food and drink, including the traditional Cullen Skink, Baxters, Walkers shortbread and malt whisky.
Dating from the early medieval period, Elgin has been a bustling town for centuries, with stories and history around every corner. Visit the site of Elgin’s long-gone castle, which was destroyed in 1308 shortly after the death of William Wallace, and see majestic Elgin Cathedral which dates from 1224. Head to Castle to Cathedral to Cashmere to find out more about Elgin’s history and places you can visit.
Beginning in Findhorn and ending in Cullen, the Moray Coast Trail is one of Scotland’s beautiful long-distance walking routes. The 50-mile (80-km) route traces the coastline of Moray Speyside and is split into sections, so you can choose between tackling the whole five-day route or picking a section for a day walk.
Along the way you’ll come across cliffs, caves and sandy beaches and will pass stunning natural features, such as Bow Fiddle Rock, which is said to resemble the tip of a bow. You may even see dolphins playing in the waters of the Moray Firth.
