Friday 23rd June 2023
After a warm night the weather forecast suggests a cloudy day with temperatures in the high teens. That sounded reassuring, there was even a 50% chance of rain at 11am.
We drove to Cowhythe and left the Subaru there and drove back to Buckie and started walking at about 9.30. We were starting from the harbour area of Buckie which is not its finest aspect. Indeed I don’t think we took a single photo of Buckie. Initially we were following the A942 which runs along the coast but at Strathlene Sands we departed from the A road and followed the coast past Strathlene Golf Course. There is a good path and the coast is quite pretty.
Approaching Findochty there is an unexpected steep-sided geo which is crossed by a substantial footbridge.
Findochty itself was very quiet.
Just a couple of miles more brought us to the prettier village of PortKnockie, well known for the Bow Fiddle Rock. This an impressive rock stack with an arch which is reminiscent of a fiddle. The path here has been improved considerably from when we were last here almost 30 years ago.
The path continued to be easy to follow with Moray Coast Trail markers. At Cullen we got onto the beach and enjoyed a good, easy stride into Cullen where the MCT ends. There are a couple of places just off the beach where you can get coffee but beyond the sand there is nowhere. It is not worth the effort of walking into the village for its limited offerings. We sat on a bench overlooking the harbour for our coffee.
Although the MCT ends at Cullen, there is a good path that continues along the coast to Sandend. The path winds around the coast and is generally well maintained. We came across one sign warning us to proceed at our own risk because weather had caused significant damage to the path. So it may have done but we didn’t spot it. The path is pretty easy to follow and is an interesting path with a lot of variation and ups and downs.
As we descended the cliff at Dicky Hare, we passed another couple who had found a perch in the shade to stop for a break. I stopped to chat fora few minutes as they asked about our walk.
We were tempted to stop a while at Sunnyside bay because it was so peaceful but we pressed on to the view point for Findlater Castle where there was a bench and so we stopped there for lunch. The morning that started by being slightly cloudy was now brilliantly sunny and hot with it. We were grateful for the cooling sea breeze.
The path onward from Findlater had a closure notice due to erosion and the authorities are trying to decide how to repair it. We seriously considered pressing on because usually path closures are made by overcautious councils fearing litigation. We have gone under many taped-off paths especially on the SW Coast Path. The deal breaker for us was that the path has become so overgrown with nettles and thistles it has been rendered unwalkable and so we took the inland diversion via Barnyards.
At Sandend I was delighted to find a horse box conversion selling drinks, cakes and ice creams. Jill felt that an ice cream was a medical necessity due to her advanced heat stroke and dehydration and so we each had one.
We walked across the beach eating our ice creams. At the far end of the beach, some steps led up to a path around Redhythe Point and onto Portsoy.
Portsoy is a pretty fishing village well worth a visit. We were a little unsure of the wisdom of a rather overweight mother taking her toddler with her in an inflatable canoe albeit within the confines of the harbour.
We pressed on along the coast path which apparently goes to the old Coast Guards’ lookout. There is nothing left of it but it seems to be a local landmark and part of a circular walk enjoyed by local dog walkers. We met an old lady with her dog who did the walk regularly but in the absence of her friend she was only doing the track section today (for fear she might have a fall ).
We continued and the path was much less walked beyond the former Coast Guard lookout. The path wound around the base of the cliffs until Strathmarchin Bay where it climbs abruptly up the grassy cliff aided by some intermittent stone steps. It is really was quite overgrown at this time of the year. Once at the top there was an easy farm track to Cowhythe where we had parked the car.
Just Coasting 