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Moray

The old county of Moray (murr-ay), centred on the county town of Elgin, lies at the heart of an ancient Celtic earldom and is famed for its mild climate and rich farmland – the barley fields of the 19th century once provided the raw material for the Speyside whisky distilleries, one of the region's main attractions for present-day visitors.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Moray.

  • See

    Scottish Dolphin Centre

    Based in a historic icehouse that used to store ice for preserving local salmon catches, this wildlife centre is one of the best land-based dolphin-spotting places in the country. The indoor attractions include feeds from nearby wildlife cameras, a 'dry dive' audiovisual experience that takes you beneath the waves of the Moray Firth, and a pleasant cafe. Outdoors, you can watch for dolphins, seals and other marine creatures at the mouth of the River Spey, or join a guided wildlife walk.

  • See

    Duff House

    One of Scotland's underappreciated treasures, Duff House is home to an art gallery with a superb collection of Scottish and European art, including important works by Raeburn and Gainsborough. The house is an impressive baroque mansion on the southern edge of Banff, built between 1735 and 1740 as the seat of the Earls of Fife. It was designed by William Adam and bears similarities to that other Adam masterpiece, Hopetoun House near Edinburgh.

  • See

    Elgin Museum

    Scotland's oldest independent museum is an old-fashioned cabinet of curiosities, a captivating collection artfully displayed in a beautiful, purpose-built Victorian building. Exhibits range from Ecuadorian shrunken heads to Peruvian mummies, and include mysterious Pictish carved stones and internationally important fish and reptile fossils discovered in local rocks.

  • See

    Findhorn Foundation

    The Findhorn Foundation is an international spiritual community founded in 1962. There’s a small permanent population of around 200, but the community receives thousands of visitors each year. With no formal creed, the community is dedicated to cooperation with nature, dealing with work, relationships and the environment in more fulfilling ways, in order to foster a deeper sense of the sacred in everyday life.

  • See

    Culbin Forest

    On the western side of Findhorn Bay is Culbin Forest, a vast swath of Scots and Corsican pine that was planted in the 1940s to stabilise the shifting sand dunes that buried the Culbin Estate in the 17th century. The forest is a unique wildlife habitat, supporting plants, birds and animals (such as the pine marten) that are normally found only in ancient natural pine woods.

  • See

    Fordyce

    This impossibly picturesque village lies about 3 miles southwest of Portsoy. The main attractions are the 13th-century St Tarquin's Church, with its extraordinary canopied Gothic tombs, and the impressive 16th-century tower house of Fordyce Castle (not open to the public). The nearby Joiner's Workshop has a collection of traditional woodworking tools and machinery, and stages woodwork demonstrations by a master joiner.

  • See

    Elgin Cathedral

    Many people think that the ruins of Elgin Cathedral, known as the 'lantern of the north', are the most beautiful and evocative in Scotland; its octagonal chapter house is the finest in the country. Consecrated in 1224, the cathedral was burned down in 1390 by the infamous Wolf of Badenoch, the illegitimate son of Robert II, following his excommunication by the Bishop of Moray. Guided tours are available on weekdays.

  • See

    Macduff Marine Aquarium

    The centrepiece of Macduff's aquarium is a 400,000L open-air tank, complete with kelp-coated reef and wave machine. Marine oddities on view include the brightly coloured cuckoo wrasse, the warty-skinned lumpsucker and the vicious-looking wolf fish. There's also a live CCTV feed from the seabird nesting colonies at the RSPB's Troup Head nature reserve.

  • See

    Knockando Woolmill

    Hidden in a fold of the hills 5 miles west of Aberlour, Knockando is a rare survival of an 18th-century woollen mill that has been lovingly restored to full working order. The ancient looms clank away Tuesday to Friday, turning out plaid and tweed textiles that can be purchased in the neighbouring shop. Guided tours cost £5; book in advance.