MORA - The Moray Council - The Moray Council throughout Moray in addition to eight larger recycling...

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Email: [email protected]

Bookings: 07747 626280

www.geminiexplorer.co.uk

Cruising from Buckie, past picturesque and historic fishing villages such as Findochty, Portknockie

and Cullen, it is possible to see both grey & common seals basking on rocks. There are also excellent

birdwatching opportunities all along the coast. Gemini Explorer is available for general charter, so if you

want to impress clients, make your loved ones’ dream come true or simply enjoy the coast in total privacy,

contact us. Gemini Explorer can also be chartered for marine life surveys and general commercial charter.

SAILING TIMES

Sailing up to three times daily throughout the season.

Due to the unprecedented popularity of this trip, prior booking is very much advisable.

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Publicity House, 106 Stafford Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 9AYt: 020 8773 3000 • f: 020 8773 8888e: [email protected] • w: www.burrows.co.uk

Our Advertisers:We gratefully acknowledge the support of all the firmswhose advertisements appear in these pages. Withouttheir help we would not be able to produce this Guide. As a reciprocal gesture we have pleasure in drawing theattention of our readers to their announcements, butwish to make it clear that Moray Council can accept noresponsibility for their products or services advertised.

Front cover images – Mountain bike trail, Glenlivet; Engineering atForsyths, Rothes; Creel fisherman, Hopeman; Whisky tasting, Speyside.

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CONTENTS

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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Moray Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Natural History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Historic Moray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Business: Make it Moray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Golf, Other Good Walks and Grand Days Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Towns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Famous Personalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Fifty Things to See and Do in Moray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

The River Spey near Aberlour © Barry Whyte


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The council is responsible for operating a wide range of public sector servicesincluding education, housing, social work,planning, economic development, roads,environmental protection and leisure.

While its headquarters are in Elgin, there are also area offices in Forres, Buckie andKeith.

In delivering services to the public, the counciland its partners are committed to improvingthe quality of life for everyone in Moray.

Moray has 45 primary schools and eightsecondary schools and the council currentlyhas responsibility for educating more than13,000 school pupils. Its community learningand development team is also involved inarranging a wide range of classes andcourses for adult learners.

The council operates a number of publiclibraries, all with free internet and e-mailaccess, and a mobile library which servesusers in more remote areas.

Moray Council is also responsible for the maintenance of 1,000 miles of road, 450 miles of footpath, 468 bridges, 16,000street lights and 10,500 road signs.

As a housing authority, it manages nearly6,000 council properties and operates acouncil house waiting list.

It also provides housing which has beenspecially designed, built or adapted to meetthe requirements of certain groups such asthe elderly and those with special needs.

The council’s development control section deals with thousands of planningapplications every year from individuals and organisations seeking permission toerect buildings or adapt existing ones.

The section is part of the environmentalservices department whose responsibilitiesrange from food safety to flood protectionand trading standards to transport.

Waste management is another importantpart of the department’s remit and eachyear approximately 50,000 tonnes of wasteis collected from homes and commercialproperties in Moray.

The area has one of the best recyclingrecords of any Scottish local authority and the majority of households benefitfrom a kerbside recycling service.

There are more than 60 recycling pointslocated throughout Moray in addition toeight larger recycling centres.

The safety of everyone in the community,whether residents or visitors, is of paramountconsideration to Moray Council and it was

one of the first local authorities in thecountry to insist that all school transportproviders fit their vehicles with seat belts.

Comprehensive details of the servicesprovided by the council are available on its website at www.moray.gov.uk

INTRODUCTIONMoray Council is the local authority that provides servicesthroughout the Moray area.

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Main Street in Tomintoul, the area’s most southerly village and host to the UK’s highest off licence, the Whisky Castle


For residents and visitors alike, it offers allthat is best in Scotland while retaining itsown unique identity and one of which it isjustifiably proud.

With a population of just 93,000, Moraynestles between the rugged and spectacularHighlands and the flat, fertile farmlands of the north-east and although it belongs to neither, it shares the best elements ofboth – from the snow-capped peaks of theCairngorms to the unspoiled coastline ofthe Moray Firth. Local industry is as diverseas the landscape in which it is located andmakes a major contribution to the area’sbuoyant economy. Moray is the heartlandof the Scotch whisky industry and is hometo more than 45 distilleries whose brandsare savoured in just about every corner ofthe world.

In the spirit of celebration, music plays avital role in the Moray community. There are

MORAYPROFILEMoray is one of the smallest regions in Scotland, but what it lacks insize it more than makes up in scenery, facilities and quality of life.

large and the RAF expanded to meet themounting threat and they have played a key role in the defence of the UnitedKingdom ever since.

Sadly, Kinloss fell victim to the most recentdefence review and closed as an air stationin 2012, although it has since been convertedto an Army base and is now home to 39 Engineer Regiment following its relocation from Cambridgeshire.

The area’s biggest town and administrativecapital is Elgin, which is also Moray’sprincipal shopping centre and many leadingnational retailers are represented alongsidelong-established local outlets.

Other main towns include Forres, well-known for its successes in national floralcompetitions; Buckie, with its fishing andcommercial harbour; and Keith, built on aonce-thriving textiles industry.

major music festivals every year, includingthe traditional Speyfest and the Spirit ofSpeyside, the latter linked to the whiskyindustry. Venues for the performing artsthrive in the area, and each town sustains a lively artistic culture. Most recently a newart centre has been completed in Findhorn,capable of hosting important exhibitionsand accommodating music and dramatic art.

Traditional industries - farming, fishing andforestry - play an important part in thearea’s culture whilst underpinning theeconomy. In addition, two internationallyrenowned food producers, Baxters ofSpeyside and Walkers of Aberlour, have put Moray firmly on the international map.

Moray’s recent history has been inextricablylinked with the Royal Air Force and its twinbases at Lossiemouth and nearby Kinloss.Both bases were founded in 1938 as theprospect of war with Germany loomed

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Moray borders the Cairngorm Mountain range, a popular skiing destination.


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Sitting midway between Aberdeen andInverness, Moray prides itself in anenvironment which is welcoming, friendlyand safe and where a true sense ofcommunity thrives.

And while no promises can be made aboutthe weather, it boasts one of the mostequitable climates to be found anywhere in Scotland.

Moray is a paradise for lovers of theoutdoors, with many designated footpaths,cycleways and bridleways and with afascinating array of wildlife for thoseinterested in natural history.

The area has some of the best salmon andtrout rivers in Scotland while several coastalmarinas have been developed in recentyears to cater for the increasing number of yachts and pleasure craft using thesheltered inshore waters of the Moray Firth.Moray can be whatever the resident orvisitor wants it to be – a place of peace and tranquility or somewhere to exercisethe spirit of adventure.

Whichever it is, this guide can only scratchthe surface in exploring what the area hasto offer and the huge range of attributeswhich gives it a place of its own inScotland’s rich culture and heritage.

Stretching from the high mountain summitsof the Cairngorms to the shores of the firthto which it lends its name, Moray is a placeof outstanding natural beauty and splendour.

The rugged, awe-inspiring scenery of theuplands gradually gives way to the Laich of

Moray, a broad tract of land which is amongthe most fertile in Scotland and whichrepresents some of the most productivefarmland in the country.

Because of the topography, the Laich iswhere the main centres of population haveevolved, among them Elgin and Forres alongwith many smaller satellite communities.

Further inland, the more mountainous andhilly terrain are dotted with small farmswhere the soil does not lend itself togrowing crops and where cattle and sheepgraze on what sustenance they can find.

Streams of crystal clear water tumble downthe hillside and into the picturesque glens,many of them destined to feed into theRiver Spey, Scotland’s fastest-flowingwatercourse and one of the country’spremier salmon rivers.

The only settlement of any size in theupland area is Tomintoul which, at morethan 1,100ft above sea level, is Scotland’ssecond highest village. It welcomes visitorsfrom all over the world during the summerand its micro-economy relies heavily on thetourist industry during peak season althoughthe proximity of the Lecht ski centre, which straddles the frequently snowboundCockbridge-Tomintoul road, helps to keepthe wolf from the door in winter.

As the Spey, the UK’s seventh-longest river,continues on its way to meet the MorayFirth, it passes through malt whisky country – the spiritual home of Scotland’snational drink.

The saying goes that while Rome was builton seven hills, Dufftown was built on sevenstills – a testament to its status as theworld’s whisky capital.

Dufftown is at the hub of Moray’s MaltWhisky Trail which brings together distillerieswhere visitors are welcome to take a tourand sample the end product of the time-honoured distillation and maturationprocess. Many thousands do so every yearand the popularity of the distillery toursamong people from all over the world isexemplified by the fact that GlenfiddichDistillery at Dufftown, which blazed a trailfor the rest of the industry by launching avisitor centre in the late 1960s, has itselfwelcomed more than three million visitors.

As the Spey makes its way towards the seaand encounters more low-lying land, itspace slows.

It flows serenely past Aberlour and Rothes,both also long-established whisky towns, andonwards to Fochabers, a village that is hometo the world-famous Baxters food factorystill family-owned after more than 100 years.

MORAY PRIDES ITSELF IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHICHIS WELCOMING, FRIENDLY AND SAFE AND WHERE ATRUE SENSE OF COMMUNITY THRIVES.


Along its lower reaches the River Speytraverses a low-lying and fertile plain whichruns across virtually the entire breadth ofMoray, from Forres in the west to Buckieand beyond in the east. At the end of its100-mile journey from its source in theMonadhliath Mountains, the Spey emptiesinto the Moray Firth at Spey Bay.

Forres, the second biggest town in Moray,has gained fame in recent years for itsconsistently successful performances inmajor floral competitions, not least amongthem the prestigious ‘Britain In Bloom’. Inthe 12th and 13th centuries it was home to the kings of Scotland and featuresprominently in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”.

Close by is the village of Findhorn, with itsshallow bay which provides a natural refugefor small yachts, and, at the other end of a long, sweeping, sandy beach, the fishingport of Burghead, which started life as aPictish settlement.

Some of Burghead’s Pictish past is still inevidence and each year, on January 11,townspeople celebrate the Burning of theClavie, an ancient ritual which dates back tothe town’s very earliest days.

Along the coast to the east lies the largertown of Lossiemouth, which originated as a port to serve the fast-growing Elgin, sixmiles inland.

But Lossiemouth – or Lossie, as it generallyknown – quickly established its ownidentity as a thriving fishing port, although

nowadays its two harbour basins have beenconverted into a yachting marina.

One of the town’s claims to fame is as thebirthplace of Britain’s first Labour PrimeMinister, Ramsay MacDonald, in 1866.

Continuing east along the coast and beyondthe River Spey come the communities ofPortgordon, Buckie, Findochty, Portknockieand Cullen, all of which owe their existenceto the fishing industry. All were bustlingports when the industry was in its heyday in the first half of the 20th century but asfishing declined only Buckie survived.

Increasingly tight quotas and thedecommissioning of vessels have decimatedthe industry in Moray and Buckie harbournow handles mainly commercial traffic,although the port still has a lifeboat station.

Keith is another town which has had to look to diversify its labour base following a gradual downturn in the industry whichhelped sustain it for generations – textiles.

The town and the surrounding area havea long-standing farming tradition and formany years the annual Keith Show has beenMoray’s only major agricultural event.

For more than a thousand years Elgin has been Moray’s largest and most influential community while retaining its character as a market town, with extensive green space andamenity areas.

Its past is well documented and there hasscarcely been a period in its history whensome landmark event or other has notadded another chapter to the Elgin story.

The built heritage of the central area inparticular is testament to the town’s status over the centuries and more recent developments have been designed in sympathy with the surroundingconservation area.

Elgin is Moray’s principal retail centre and has taken strides in recent years incompeting against its main rivals, Invernessand Aberdeen.

The town, straddling the main A96 trunkroad and with a rail link to the east and west,has seen a steady growth in population inrecent years and the local constructionindustry has been kept busy keeping pacewith the demand for new housing.

LOCAL ATHLETE HEATHER STANNING PUTLOSSIEMOUTH ON THE MAP BY WINNING THE UK’SFIRST GOLD MEDAL IN THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS.

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Much of the uplands of Moray lie within the recently designated Cairngorms NationalPark, while on the coast there are naturereserves of national and local status.

The area’s largest mammal, the impressiveantlered red deer, is generally found in thehigher and more remote parts of Moray, and is frequently encountered in herdsseveral dozen strong.

Its smaller cousin, the roe deer, inhabitsmore low-lying areas where it is associatedwith open land for grazing and adjoiningwoodland for refuge.

Foxes are relatively abundant as too arebadgers, while wildcat and pine marten,which tend to have their stronghold in more isolated parts of Scotland, have atoehold in Moray. The crystal clear watersof our rivers and streams also provide theideal environment for otters.

Moray is fortunate that, so far at least, it has escaped colonisation by the alien grey

squirrel and that the indigenous and muchmore endearing red squirrel still survives inreasonable numbers, although its futureremains a cause for concern.

But perhaps the area’s most celebratedmammal - and with good cause - is thebottle-nose dolphin, a colony of around 130 of which lives in the Moray Firth.

It is one of only two sizeable colonies ofthe species in British coastal waters, theother being in Cardigan Bay in Wales.

There are several vantage points along theMoray coast where the dolphins are mostlikely to be seen from shore, one of thembeing Tugnet at Spey Bay, where the Whaleand Dolphin Conservation Society has avisitor centre and café.

Grey and common seals are relativelycommon offshore and can also be seen at closer quarters as they haul themselvesout of the water to bask on the shoreline.

The area’s birdlife is even more diverse andmakes Moray one of the most popular andmanageable destinations in Scotland forbirdwatchers.

Within an hour’s drive and a distance ofunder 50 miles, enthusiasts can watchgolden eagles soar over the foothills of theCairngorms and sea ducks gather in hugeflocks in the sheltered inshore waters of theMoray Firth. Two of Scotland’s most sought after species - capercaillie and crested tit -can be found in Moray. Both have extremelyrestricted ranges and can be difficult toconnect with anywhere else.

Findhorn Bay is a staging post for manythousands of migrating wildfowl and wadersin winter, and during the summer is one ofthe most reliable spots to observe osprey as they plunge into the shallow waters tocatch fish.

NATURALHISTORYWith its diverse range of habitats, from mountain peaks, hillsides,moorland, farmland, river estuaries and shoreline, Moray provides ahaven for a vast array of wildlife.

© Charlie Phillips WDCThe Moray Firth’s resident colony of dolphins are frequently seen close to shore


In Elgin Cathedral, it has one of the bestpreserved ruins in the country and one canonly wonder at what a magnificent sight it must have been in its original state.

Dating from the 1200s, it was burned down -along with much of Elgin - by the Wolf of Badenoch in 1390 in revenge for hisexcommunication by the Bishop of Elgin.

The sacking of the cathedral was followedby two centuries of reconstruction, but it began to suffer decay after beingabandoned in the wake of the Reformationand in the early 1700s, a large part of thebuilding collapsed.

However, enough remains to this day tomake a visit to the cathedral, which is in the safe keeping of Historic Scotland, amemorable experience.

Also open to the public is another HistoricScotland property, the nearby Spynie Palacewhich for five centuries was the residenceof the Bishops of Moray.

As with Elgin Cathedral, it began to fall intoa state of disrepair in the 17th century andmuch of the structure has gone, althoughthe impressive David’s Tower and other parts of the building are still standing.

Pluscarden Abbey stands in a secludedwooded valley inland from Elgin and ishome to a small community of Benedictinemonks who recolonised and restored thebuilding in 1948.

It was founded in 1230 but was graduallyabandoned after the Reformation and bythe end of the 19th century even the roofhad gone. A handful of monks fromPrinknash Abbey in Gloucestershire arrivedto reclaim the building after the SecondWorld War and in 1975, after 750 years as a priory, Pluscarden was given abbey status.

Visitors are welcome but large sections ofthe abbey are out of bounds to the public.

Brodie Castle, near Forres, is the ancestralhome of the Brodie clan although it has

IN ELGIN CATHEDRAL, IT HAS ONE OF THE BESTPRESERVED RUINS IN THE COUNTRY AND ONE CANONLY WONDER AT WHAT A MAGNIFICENT SIGHT ITMUST HAVE BEEN IN ITS ORIGINAL STATE.

HISTORICMORAYMoray is fortunate in the quality of its built heritage and has severalhistoric buildings to rival Scotland’s best.

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been in the ownership of the National Trustfor Scotland for the past 35 years. Datingfrom the 16th century, it houses a finecollection of furniture, porcelain and artand its library contains around 6,000 books.

Visitors are also free to wander in theextensive grounds of the castle which, in spring, are carpeted with daffodils.

Well inland, at the remote Braes ofGlenlivet (picture below), can be found abuilding which during the 18th century wasthe only place in Scotland where youngCatholic priests were trained.

Despite constant persecution, over 100young men trained as priests during thatperiod. The seminary at Scalan played a key role in keeping the Catholic faith alive in the north and the Braes remains one ofits strongholds.

One of Moray’s best-known and mostdistinctive structures spans the fast-flowing River Spey at Craigellachie. Thesingle-span bridge was built by thecelebrated Scottish engineer, ThomasTelford, and opened in 1814 and carriedvehicular traffic until the 1970s.

Moray is also fortunate in having a number of natural features which are wortha visit, although some are more accessiblethan others.

The views from 2,775ft Ben Rinnes, nearDufftown, are well worth the hike to thetop and in recent years the Friends of BenRinnes have put in an immense amount ofwork upgrading the path to the summit.

Randolph’s Leap, within easy walkingdistance of the B9007 Carrbridge-Forresroad, is a deep gorge where the fast-flowingwaters of the River Findhorn have erodedthe sandstone rock.

It takes its name from Randolph, a 14thcentury Earl of Moray who was forced to give up the chase after an enemy whenhe leapt from one side of the chasm to the other.

Another impressive natural feature are theeroded red sandstone pillars which towerabove the Spey at Aultdearg, just upriverfrom Fochabers.

Bowfiddle Rock at Portknockie is a strikingexample of what the action of the sea cando. In this case it has eroded the rock intothe shape of the bow of a fiddle, hence its name.

© Peter Harvey

Moray has strong historic links to the armed forces that remain to this day.

THE SEMINARY AT SCALAN PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN KEEPING THE CATHOLIC FAITHALIVE IN THE NORTH AND THE BRAES REMAINS ONE OF ITS STRONGHOLDS.


Top 10 reasons to invest in Moray

From educational excellence to pioneeringinnovation, there are many reasons to investin Moray. Here are our top ten.

High returnsMoray is a part of the best performingeconomy in the UK, recording the fastestgrowth in economic output in the country in the decade to 2008. It is also one of themost cost effective regions, with competitivelabour costs, ensuring best value and enabling your company to achieve a highreturn on investment.

Proven track recordMoray has the expertise to support thegrowth of world class businesses. The regionis home to renowned food and drink brands,from Walkers Shortbread to Baxters Foodsand numerous Speyside whiskies providinghigh end products to international markets, as well as small, high quality, niche producers.Thirty years of operational experience inenergy-related engineering and fabrication as well as the increase in engineering skillsmake its coastal location perfect to supportScotland’s ambition, to be a world leadingrenewable energy powerhouse.

Pioneering innovatorsA key partner within the UK’s newestuniversity, the University of the Highlands and Islands, the Moray education system isresponsible for delivering the skilledworkforce we need. The collaborativepioneering work of digital and medicalprofessionals in the region is putting Moray on the map in the development of Scotland’s digital healthcare sector. TheAlexander Graham Bell Centre is a centre of excellence for digital health, research and education based at the Moray Collegecampus. This facility will contribute tosuccess in creating important and strong links between the private sector, medicalpractitioners and academia.

Live. Work. Relax. Moray Moray is a beautiful area to live in and visit.National Geographic placed the Moraycoastline in the top ten for nature tourism.

business units, each flexibly designed foroffice, lab, manufacturing and light industrialpurposes. Horizon Scotland, the business andinnovation centre at EPF, offers high qualityconferencing and meeting facilities plus fullyserviced office space on flexible terms.Horizon Scotland is a great location to growor base your business.

With over 60 acres to develop, the park has the potential for a number of proposedfuture units and sites. Indicative unit sizesrange from 3,000 to 100,000 sq ft, the sizeand fit-out of the future units are flexible and can be built to meet specific businessrequirements. The park is already home to a number of specialist companies who areleaders in their field of work, including thelife science, IT and oil and gas sectors.

Buckie harbour, owned by Moray Council, islocated on the south side of the Moray Firthcoastline. The harbour is home to successfulfabrication, cargo handling, fishing andrenewables businesses. Buckie is consideredto be ideally placed as an onshore supportbase for the proposed Moray Firth offshorewind projects. A number of existing buildingsare available at the quayside for use andvacant land is also available. The harbour isidentified in the Moray Local Plan 2008 forindustrial purposes, which favours the site for industrial uses, including offices.

Elgin Business Park, adjacent to the A96, is a 125 acre site to the east of Elgin. Thebusiness park is proposed to have a mix ofindustries such as retail, hospitality, businessand industrial use. Phase 1 of developmentstarted autumn 2013.

The Spey Valley, the Cairngorms National Parkand the surrounding Highlands provide a firmfoundation for Moray tourism. Moray hasbeen named as one of the top five ruralregions in Scotland favoured for its quality of life. With affordable housing, great schoolsand a dry climate, Moray is a great place tolive, work and relax.

Access to marketsMoray is located between Scotland’s oilcapital, Aberdeen, and the Highlands’ capitalcity, Inverness, with easy access to rail, roadand international airport links. InvernessAirport is only 35 minutes from Elgin, thecommercial and administrative capital ofMoray, while Aberdeen Airport is no morethan 90 minutes’ drive from anywhere inMoray. Moray has better air connections thanmost UK locations with 138 flights per week,including 35 flights to London airports and a daily connection into the international hubat Amsterdam. Every UK city can be reachedwithin a single day of legal commercialdriving hours.

Space to grow We have space for your business to growwith high quality infrastructure across theregion, with locations such as the EnterprisePark Forres (EPF), Elgin Business Park andBuckie harbour. The Moray Council also has a range of property across the region. Morayoffers high levels of broadband connectivity,meeting your worldwide online requirements.

The Enterprise Park, Forres is proving to be a thriving location, for a diverse mix ofbusinesses. Developed by Highlands andIslands Enterprise, EPF extends over 100 acres of land offering an excellent workingenvironment, with a range of high quality

“The Moray area is constantly up there as one of the best places in Scotland to live. It's a brilliant place to be, both professionally and personally. Moray offers a great lifestyle, it's close to the coast and somebeautiful countryside, with two cities an easy commute away. The two most important things to attractbusinesses looking to expand or relocate are buildings and people, both of which we are in the fortunateposition of being able to offer. We have excellent skills and a strong work ethic in the area.”David Oxley, Moray Area Manager, Highlands and Islands Enterprise

BUSINESS:MAKEITMORAY

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Mansefield House is set in the town centreof Keith, a thriving Highland town in Moray. Itis just off the A96, giving easy access to bothAberdeen and Inverness. Mansefield Houseprovides office accommodation extending to800 square metres over two floors, with onefloor being currently occupied.

Working togetherMoray has developed a mature partnershipmodel of working which brings together all aspects of its community. Eighteenpartner groups including Moray Council,development agency Highlands and IslandsEnterprise, Skills Development Scotland, andbusiness, health, community and academicrepresentatives are working together tosupport your investment in the area.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise, MorayCouncil and Scottish DevelopmentInternational (SDI) all work together topromote Moray’s strong portfolio of assetsand advantages to inward investors fromaround the globe. These organisations cansupport you with almost every aspect of the decision making process, whether it’sfinance or IT, finding suitable premises orstaff recruitment, product development or marketing.

Any business interested in exploring theopportunities available in Moray will have a dedicated team to work with every step of the way, both before and after you’vemade the move to Moray, helping to get your business up and running quickly, andbuilding strong foundations for growth and development.

Business supportHighlands and Islands Enterprise can supportevery aspect of your investment project. Theteam has a dedicated office in Moray whichcan help to get your business up and runningquickly, and build strong foundations forgrowth and development. We can help youidentify and access funding and provide acomprehensive investor support programme.Our team can talk through your business planand the financial needs of the business aspart of our wider discussions about whatMoray has to offer for you.

Strong work ethicMoray offers a well educated, skilledworkforce with a great reputation forcustomer service. Moray companies have

low turnover of staff and high retentionrates. Moray has a growing population. The 2011 census shows an increase to 93,300 people resident in Moray. However,the area has access to an even wider labourpool. There are 236,000 people within a one-hour drive of Elgin. Moray has 85% of its working age population in employmentwhich is higher than the Scottish average(80%).

SkillsWorkers in Moray are more likely to have askill than across Scotland as a whole. MorayCollege is part of the new University of theHighlands and Islands (UHI) and has over8,000 enrolled students. It offers a range of degree and postgraduate courses. Morayhas a strong educational base. There are eight secondary schools, which in 2011produced 1,021 school leavers. Some 89%went on to further/higher education or to gain employment – above the Scottishaverage of 82%.

Moray has developed concentrated activityin particular areas including tourism, foodand drink, life sciences and manufacturing.Food and drink manufacturers employ 10% of Moray’s workforce. Employment inprofessional, scientific and technicalactivities now number over 8,300 individualsand over 8,000 people are employed inengineering disciplines.

Key sector profiles

Life sciences There are a number of strands of lifesciences activity emerging in Moray. The area has a growing reputation in developingdigital and online technologies to improveservice delivery and efficiency. Althoughthese strands have emerged independently,they are complementary and have arisenbecause of the unique health ecosystemfound in Moray.

Collaboration between the cutting edgework of experts from Dr Gray’s Hospital inElgin and care and health services in thecommunity means it is in a strong position to develop, pilot and test comprehensivedigital healthcare models. The AlexanderGraham Bell Centre will complement theexisting digital healthcare activity beingcarried out in Moray.

Engineering, production and manufacturing Moray is a natural location to establish anengineering business to support the oil and gasand renewable energy sectors. With its longhistory as an engineering and fabrication basefor the oil and gas and distillation industries, itis perfectly placed for diversification into therenewable energy supply chains.

Electrical and mechanical engineering skillsare highly developed in the local workforce,including those making the transition fromarmed forces to civilian life. The strengths of engineering, combined with the strategyto diversify the benefits of the oil and gasindustry around Scotland, put Moray in aprime position as a great place to invest.

Business servicesMoray offers an available workforce with a great reputation for business processoutsourcing, with leading process andoutsourcing company Capita being locatedon EPF. The region’s location represents costefficiencies with lower average rents andsalaries, while providing an experienced andloyal workforce which is highly skilled indelivering excellent customer service.

Food and drinkMoray has some of the strongest food anddrink export businesses in Scotland, includingsome of the world’s leading brands, rangingfrom indigenous Baxters Food Group andWalkers Shortbread to the world’s leadingpremium drinks business, Diageo. There isalso a strong presence of independentinternational seafood companies. The Scotchwhisky industry is centred in Speyside. Thestrength of Speyside’s heritage has attractedsignificant investment.

TourismMoray provides a firm foundation for a highvalue tourism sector and represents a hiddenopportunity. The location is highly accessibleand has a tremendously varied tourism offerthat is yet to be fully exploited. Mountains,coast, forestry, National Park and markettowns offer outdoor and indoor pursuits. The area is also a base for international andnational tourism businesses with arequirement for hotel accommodation.

To find out more call 01309 696000 or visit www.enterpriseparkforres.co.uk www.hie.com


Few areas of similar size in Scotland – thehome of golf – can have as many courses of such a high standard.

Thousands of people visit Moray every yearsimply to sample its golfing facilities, andthey do not go away disappointed.

There are courses to suit all abilities, fromhigh handicappers to those who play thegame at the very top level, all of whom have a choice of lush parkland courses orchallenging links courses. Not only that,Moray also boasts some of the cheapest golf anywhere in the country. Where else can you enjoy a day’s golf for as little as £20?

Moray Golf Club in Lossiemouth, with itstwo 18 hole links courses, was founded in 1889 and its 6,687 yard Old Course isgenerally regarded as one of the best in the north of Scotland. The 18th, with acavernous bunker guarding the green, is

When it comes to choice and quality of golf courses, Moray canjustifiably claim to be well above par.

The ninth tee stands 1,294ft above sea level, making it one of the highest in Britain. The drop from tee to fairway is200ft, with a further drop of 130ft to thegreen.

Dufftown also has one of the shortest holes in Scotland – just 67 yards off thevisitors’ tee but with a deep ravine betweentee and green.

One of the first things that strikes the visitor to Cullen Golf Club is how it waspossible to squeeze an 18-hole course intosuch a narrow strip of land adjacent to thesandy beach.

widely regarded as one of the mostdemanding finishing holes in Scottish golf.

The New Course, at just over 6,000 yards,was designed by Sir Henry Cotton and hasalso gained a reputation as a tough test ofgolf since it opened for play in the late 1970s.

At the opposite end of the golfing spectrumis Dufftown Golf Club, perched high on aheather-clad hillside amid some of Moray’smost beautiful scenery.

While Moray is at sea level and, as far as golfcourses go, as flat as a pancake, to caddy atDufftown requires the stamina of a Sherpa.

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GOLF, OTHERGOODWALKS & GRANDDAYSOUT

THERE ARE COURSES TO SUIT ALL ABILITIES, FROMHIGH HANDICAPPERS TO THOSE WHO PLAY THEGAME AT THE VERY TOP LEVEL...


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The original nine holes were laid out by Old Tom Morris, often regarded as thefather of golf, in 1870 and the course nowhas an outward nine which go up, over anddown 80ft cliffs, and a home nine which hug the shoreline.

Garmouth and Kingston, on the banks of theRiver Spey, and Hopeman share thedistinction of being part links, part parklandcourses, while both of Buckie’s courses,Buckpool and Strathlene are long-established links courses, as is Spey Bay.

Elgin and Forres are two of Moray’s mostpopular parkland courses, with tree-linedfairways and immaculately manicuredgreens, and both have hosted majortournaments.

There are also golf courses at Keith andRothes – the latter is nine holes and wasopened only in 1990 – while there are twonine-hole pay-as-you play courses at theKinloss Country Golf Club.

Golf is also a recent innovation atBallindalloch Castle where the course, set in magnificent surroundings on the banks of the fast-flowing River Avon, has nineholes and 18 tees. The configuration enables golfers to play two distinctive sets of nine holes.

Moray has two of the finest salmon rivers inScotland in the Spey and the Findhorn andwhile the cost of pitting one’s wits againstthe king of fish is beyond the pocket ofmost people, limited day tickets can beobtained through local angling associations.

Fishing is also available on several well-stocked lochs in the area and in recent years a number of man-made fisheries have also been created to cater for anglingenthusiasts.

The Speyside Way is one of four officiallong-distance routes in Scotland andstretches 65 miles from Aviemore to Buckie.

It follows the course of the River Spey for much of the way and since it opened in 1981, many thousands of walkers haveenjoyed the beautiful scenery through which it passes.

There are many other way-marked walksthroughout Moray, including the sprawlingCulbin Forest and the Glenlivet Estate, andthere is also a trail which links the townsand villages situated along Moray’s 50 milesof coastline.

The increase in the popularity of mountain biking has not bypassed Morayand, largely due to the efforts of theForestry Commission, the area now has a number of woodland trails with courses for both novices and experiencedmountain bikers. The Glenlivet Estate – part of the UK Crown Estate – has very

recently opened one of the area’s mostchallenging mountain bike trail throughwoods, hills and moorland across thesouthern part of the area.

The growth in popularity of weekend sailing has seen several former fishing portsalong the Moray coast converted toyachting marinas in recent times, mostnotably Lossiemouth, Hopeman, Findochtyand Portknockie.

Royal Findhorn Yacht Club overlooks scenic Findhorn Bay and the Moray Forthand enjoys some of the safest and mostsheltered moorings anywhere in the area.

Lovers of the great outdoors are wellcatered for in Moray, and with endless miles of forest, moorland and coastline, it is a paradise for walkers and cyclists.

Moray has added another string to its bow, with Forres being chosen to host theEuropean pipe band championships in 2013,2014 and 2015. The inaugural event was ahuge success and attracted 120 bands andsaw 17,000 spectators crowd into Grant Parkin a single day.

LOVERS OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS ARE WELLCATERED FOR IN MORAY, AND WITH ENDLESS MILESOF FOREST, MOORLAND AND COASTLINE, IT IS APARADISE FOR WALKERS AND CYCLISTS.


Elgin

With the imposing ruins of its medievalcathedral standing witness to its oftenturbulent history, Elgin is, and has been for centuries, Moray’s principal settlement. It is the main administrative centre and isthe economic, commercial, industrial andsocial hub of Moray.

Its population of 22,000 is more than twicethat of the next largest centre of populationand it is the main work destination fromwithin Moray and beyond.

Elgin has been the traditional seat of localgovernment for generations and is whereMoray Council, the unitary authoritycharged with delivering services to thepublic, has its headquarters.

A city and royal burgh, Elgin was granted its charter by David I in 1136 and became a cathedral city in the early 13th century.

Although the cathedral was razed to theground in 1390 by the marauding Wolf ofBadenoch, the shell of the building remainsElgin’s most impressive landmark.

It is in the ownership of Historic Scotlandand every year attracts thousands of visitorsfrom all over the world.

The Elgin skyline is dominated by the 80ftmonument to the 5th Duke of Gordonwhich stands on Ladyhill, a prominentmound which was once the location of Elgin Castle, little of which has survived the ravages of time.

Although Elgin continued to flourish downthrough the centuries and established itscredentials as the area’s main commercialcentre, not everyone was impressed.

In 1773 the celebrated essayist andlexicographer Dr Johnson and his travellingcompanion and biographer, James Boswell,stopped off during their journey to theHebrides and found it a “place of little trade, and thinly inhabited.”

They also bemoaned the fact that thedinner served up to them at the best inn intown was inedible.

“Such disappointments,” they said, “must beexpected in every country where there is nogreat frequency of travellers.”

Elgin’s bustling town centre, with St Giles’Church at its heart, was pedestrianised inthe mid 1990s and is Moray’s busiestshopping centre.

The central area is characterised by a series of historic pends - or closes - whichrun at right angles off the High Street andwhich were once teeming with families living cheek-by-jowl. Visitors to the townhave a choice of hotels and guesthouses in which to stay and Elgin boasts a variety of pubs and good quality restaurants to suitall tastes.

Within only a few minutes’ walk of the town centre is Elgin’s jewel in the crown, the Cooper Park which, with its boatingpond and acres of parkland, has beenpopular with generations of local peopleand visitors.

Close to the cathedral, where thoseenergetic enough to climb to the top of the tower can enjoy panoramic views of the town, is the Biblical Garden, a haven ofpeace and tranquility planted with flowersand shrubs which feature in the Bible.

More than two centuries on, Elgin is wellserved in terms of transport links, located as it is on the A96 trunk road and theAberdeen-Inverness railway line, with thearea’s main bus terminus sited close to thetown centre.

Inverness airport, with routes to destinationsaround Britain, is only 45 minutes away whilethe larger regional airport at Aberdeen islittle more than an hour’s drive.

Elgin also stands on the River Lossie. Although normally benign, it has been the source of severe flooding on severaloccasions over recent years and as aconsequence of which work is well under way on an £86 million flood alleviation scheme.

Funded by the Scottish Government andMoray Council, it represents the biggestproject of its kind undertaken in Scotland.

As the capital of Moray, Elgin supports a thriving commercial and industrial sector with many national companies having a presence.

TOWNS

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ELGIN’S POPULATION OF 22,000 IS MORE THAN TWICE THAT OF THE NEXT LARGEST CENTRE OFPOPULATION AND IT IS THE MAIN WORKDESTINATION FROM WITHIN MORAY AND BEYOND.


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Elgin’s award-winning local museum, which can be found at the east end of High Street, houses an internationally renownedcollection of fossils and Pictish artefacts in addition to Roman coins found at animportant archaeological site at Birnie, near Elgin.

In Dr Gray’s, Elgin boasts one of the mostmodern and best-equipped hospitals outsidethe major Scottish cities, while Moray College- part of the University of the Highlands andIslands - provides further education forthousands of students from a wide area.

Elgin has two secondary schools and sevenprimary schools and is also well-served interms of sports and recreational facilities.

The Moray Leisure Centre has a swimmingpool, ice rink and gymnasium while thereare also a number of privately-run gyms and martial arts studios in the town.

Bowlers are well catered for with an indoor stadium and three outdoor greens, while Elgin Golf Club, on theoutskirts of the town, welcomes visitors to pit their skills against the challenging and well-maintained Hardhillock course.

Elgin City play in the Third Division of theScottish Football League, although theirfinest hour came when, as a HighlandLeague club, they progressed to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup in season1967-68.

Something that the visitor to Elgin will notfind are the Elgin Marbles whose connectionwith the town are, to say the least, tenuous.

As most school children know, the Marblesare a collection of priceless sculpturesremoved from Athens in the early 19thcentury by the 7th Earl of Elgin during his timeas British Ambassador to Constantinople. TheMarbles are in the British Museum in Londonand have been the subject of a long-runningand often bitter campaign by the Greekgovernment to have them returned.

The title of Earl of Elgin was created in 1633but, other than in name, the family has nolink with Elgin. The ancestral seat is, in fact,in Fife.


Forres

Forres has gained well-earned fame for its run of successes in national floral andenvironmental competitions stretching back more than 20 years.

The town has won a string of accolades inmajor events such as ‘Britain In Bloom’ and‘Beautiful Scotland In Bloom’ which are acredit to the pride residents take in theirlocal community.

Grant Park provides a magnificent easterngateway to the town with its floralsculptures, sunken garden and parkland with an imposing woodland backdrop.

Forres has long been considered one of Moray’s greener and more pleasantcommunities with an identity all of its own.

A historic town, it features in Shakespeare’s“Macbeth” where the three witches ofhubble, bubble, toil and trouble fame meeton “a blasted heath near Forres.”

Sueno’s Stone, a 20ft high monolith, standsat the edge of the town close to the A96trunk road and dates from Pictish times.Now encased in glass to protect it from the elements, the stone carries intricatecarvings believed to depict an ancient battle.

Standing on Clunyhill and overlooking Forres is Nelson’s Tower, built by publicsubscription to commemorate Nelson’svictory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.Commissioned by the Forres Trafalgar Club,it was the first monument erected inNelson’s honour following his death.

The 65ft octagonal tower, with its 96 stepsto the top, is open to the public during the

The museum houses a wide-rangingcollection which includes many of thefossils which Falconer collected during hisillustrious career, along with some of hispersonal papers.

It also has a section on the late RoyWilliamson, who lived in Forres and wrote“Flower of Scotland”.

Only a few miles to the west of Forres isBrodie Castle, the ancestral home of the

summer and commands spectacular viewsover Forres and beyond.

High on the list of the town’s many assets is the Falconer Museum, founded in 1871 and recently the subject of a £650,000refurbishment.

It was founded with a bequest from one ofForres’s most famous sons, Dr Hugh Falconer,an eminent Victorian geologist, botanist andpalaeontologist.

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Brodie clan and a National Trust forScotland property since the late 1970s.

The castle is open to the public and, in thespring, its grounds are swathed in yellowwith magnificent displays of daffodils.

Buckie

Buckie is Moray’s largest coastalsettlement and owes its existence to the fishing industry which continues tomake a valuable contribution to thetown’s economy.

Many of those who have been steeped in the fishing industry have made gooduse of their skills learned at sea bytransferring to standby vessels and supply ships associated with the NorthSea oil industry.

Although the number of fish landingsmade at Buckie has reduced in recenttimes, the harbour is busy withcommercial traffic and also has Moray’sonly RNLI lifeboat station.

Unsurprisingly, the area is also home tocompanies whose business is harbour-related, such as fish processors and ships’chandlers. The importance of the fishingindustry and ancillary industries to Buckiepast and present is in evidence at the Buckie Fishing Heritage Centre near thetown centre.

The centre houses a vast range of items andphotographs dating back generations andhas recently been renovated and extendedto show off the collection to better effect.

In characteristic fisherfolk fashion, many ofthe houses in the older parts of Buckie suchas the Yardie and Portessie are built side-onto the sea to present as small a profile aspossible to stormy weather coming in offthe Moray Firth.

Buckie’s most prominent landmark, whichcan be seen from miles around and was awelcome sight for fishermen as theyapproached the safety of their home portafter days at sea, is St Peter’s Church, whichstands sentinel over the town and is Britain’sonly twin-spired Roman Catholic church.

Cluny Square marks the centre of Buckie,with most shops and offices located on East Church Street, West Church Street and High Street.

Buckie, whose leisure facilities include aswimming pool and fitness centre, has aholiday caravan park at Strathlene, on theeastern edge of the town and only yardsfrom a small sandy stretch of beach.

Lossiemouth

Lossiemouth’s founding fathers were themerchants and civic leaders of Elgin whowere in desperate need of a port throughwhich to import and export goods if theroyal burgh was to continue to prosper.

And so Lossiemouth was born around themiddle of the 18th century and graduallyexpanded to develop its own identity as afishing port.

The twin basins of its present harbour werehome to a flourishing fishing fleet forgenerations but like so many other smallerports, it experienced a slow and terminaldecline in the fishing industry. In recent yearsthe harbour was converted to a yachtingmarina and the town has become a magnetfor weekend sailors from a wide area.

With long sandy beaches stretching east and west and an esplanade overlooking themouth of the River Lossie, the town hasalways been a popular destination withpeople from far and near and attracts manyholidaymakers in summer.

A fisheries’ museum now occupies a buildingon the harbour quayside which was onceused to store and mend fishing nets. Themuseum includes a re-creation of the studyof Lossiemouth’s most famous son andBritain’s first Labour Prime Minister, RamsayMacDonald. The cottage where MacDonaldwas born into poverty still stands, as doesthe house where he later lived and which is still in the ownership of the family.


Keith

For many years Keith was synonymous with the Scottish textiles industry whichformed the backbone of the town’seconomy.

But the industry became unravelled due to competition from overseas where costswere lower and within a relatively shortperiod, Keith and textiles had partedcompany, although the town is still home to Scotland’s first and only kilt-makingschool.

Much of the area surrounding Keith isfarmland and each year in August the town’s Seafield Park hosts the Great KeithShow where farmers bring their livestock for judging.It is the only agricultural event of its kind in Moray and attractsthousands of visitors to enjoy a packedprogramme of activities and entertainment.

The other big event in the Keith calendaris the town’s weekend of traditional musicand song which attracts performers from all over Scotland.

Keith is rare among settlements in havingtwo squares – Regent Square in Fife-Keith,the older part of the town, and ReidhavenSquare in the newer part.

Distilling has been a cornerstone of theKeith economy for as long as anyone canremember and the town’s Strathisla Distilleryis one of the most popular stop-offs onMoray’s Malt Whisky Trail.

Keith has a recently upgraded railway stationand also stands at one end of the 11-mileDufftown-Keith line where pleasure trips are operated throughout the summer byvolunteers of the Keith and DufftownRailway Association.

The town’s main shopping area, Mid Street,carries only one-way traffic and has free car parking only yards from the shops.

Keith now has its own dedicated website -www.imkeith.com

Dufftown

If the world has a whisky capital, it isDufftown, with its concentration ofdistilleries producing fine malts which areenjoyed by people all over the globe.

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Although the town was not founded until 1817, the area was already infamous for illegal whisky making and it was perhapsfitting that the first approved distillery toopen was built on the site of an illicit still.

It was joined later in the 19th century by sixmore, resulting in a well-known local sayingthat if Rome was built on seven hills, thenDufftown was built on seven stills. Todaythousands of visitors flock to the town fordistillery tours and to sample Scotland’snational drink at source.

The square in Dufftown is dominated by the Clocktower which originally served asthe local jail and later the burgh chambers,before being converted into a touristinformation centre.

The remains of Balvenie Castle, built in the 13th century, are in the ownership ofHistoric Scotland and are open to thepublic, as is the historic and picturesqueMortlach Church, whose origins can betraced back nearly 1,500 years.

Dufftown’s Highland Games are among thelongest-established in Scotland and havebeen held annually since 1892 and possiblylong before that.


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Other Communitites

Many of the smaller communities have acharacter all of their own and each plays its part in making Moray such a pleasant and rewarding area to live and to visit.

The neighbouring coastal towns of Cullen,Portknockie and Findochty, each with itsneat little harbour, have a close-knit feel to them and where traditional values remain strong.

Cullen, with its imposing but long-disusedviaduct, is best known as the home of‘Cullen skink’, a delicious soup-like dish of fish and potatoes.

Further west, the villages of Spey Bay,Garmouth and Kingston are clustered round the estuary of the River Spey.

Garmouth was the scene of the signing ofthe Solemn League and Covenant by KingCharles II on his return from exile in 1650and villagers continue to observe the annualMaggie Fair, one of the oldest-establishedstreet markets of its kind in Scotland.

Only a few miles upriver is Fochabers,founded in 1776 by the Duke of Gordon. The original settlement was, from the duke’spoint of view, uncomfortably close to hisfamily pile at Gordon Castle and he decidedthat his subjects should be kept at arm’slength by moving the village.

Fochabers has a village square with churchand fountain and can also claim to have oneof the prettiest cricket grounds in Scotland,perched as it is on the banks of the Spey.

Further upriver and into whisky country are Rothes and Aberlour and, lying betweenthem, Craigellachie and its iconic TelfordBridge spanning the Spey.

The structure, built in the early 1800s, is theoldest surviving iron bridge in Scotland andis considered to be one of Thomas Telford’sfinest engineering achievements. Along withElgin Cathedral, it is one of Moray’s mostphotographed subjects.

Of all Moray’s communities, Tomintoul is farthest inland and, standing at 1,150ftabove sea level, is the second highest village in Scotland.

With its long main street, the villagedepends heavily on summer tourist tradealthough it also benefits from the proximityof the Lecht ski centre.

Heading back towards the coast is the smallvillage of Dallas which was catapulted intothe limelight in the late 1970s thanks to the hitAmerican television soap of the same name.

Although it had little or nothing in commonwith its Texan namesake, Dallas nonethelessbasked in its hour of global glory asinquisitive visitors from all over the worldarrived to see if Moray had its own versionsof JR and Southfork!

Overlooking a tidal bay and the Moray Firth,Findhorn is one of Moray’s quaintest andmost-visited villages and over the years has become something of a playground for yachting and watersport enthusiasts.The original village was swallowed up by sea and sand more than 300 years ago and the present village is the second to bear the name.

Nearby is the Findhorn Foundation, aspiritual community which began life in acaravan in the 1960s and which has growninto an internationally renowned centre for the arts and global sustainability.

Burghead, with its harbour still used by a fleet of small fishing vessels, can trace its roots back to Pictish times and its former coastguard lookout post hasrecently been converted into a localheritage centre.

The town’s Pictish past is revived every year with the annual Burning of the Clavieceremony, one of Scotland’s few survivingfire-worshipping ceremonies.

Nearby Hopeman, which celebrated itsbicentenary in 2005, started out as a fishingvillage but diversified with the developmentof two major local quarries at Greenbraeand Clashach, with stone being shippedfrom the harbour to sites around thecountry and beyond.


There are those who have brought honourto Moray and others whom their homelandwould happily disown.

But each has his or her own place in theillustrious history of an area which continuesto take a pride in its sons and daughterswho have made good.

And they don’t come much better than SaintJohn Ogilvie, Scotland’s only post-Reformationsaint who was born near Keith in 1579.

He studied at Catholic schools in mainlandEurope and was ordained as a priest in Parisbefore returning to Scotland to minister tothe few remaining Catholics in the Glasgowarea. He began to preach in secret and tocelebrate mass clandestinely but it was notlong before he was betrayed.

Ogilvie was tortured in a bid to force him toreveal the identities of other Catholics, buthe steadfastly refused. He was convicted ofhigh treason and hanged at Glasgow Cross in 1615, aged 36.

He was beatified as a martyr in 1929 andcanonised in 1976 following the miracle cure of a Glasgow cancer sufferer who hadprayed to Ogilvie.

One of the most infamous characters inMoray’s history was Alexander Stewart,better known as the Wolf of Badenoch, who terrorised much of the north ofScotland in the late 14th century and whose name became synonymous withdeath and destruction.

A son of King Robert II, he was a philandererwhose marital infidelity riled the Bishop of Moray to the extent that he wasexcommunicated. Seeking revenge, the Wolf and his men left their lair atLochindorb Castle, in the middle of a lochon the bleak Dava Moor between Forres and Grantown-on-Spey, and bore down on Elgin where they sacked and burned the cathedral and much of the town.

FAMOUSPERSONALITIESThroughout recorded history, Moray has spawned its share of thegreat, the good and the not so good. It has produced brilliantacademics, captains of industry, successful politicians, scientists,adventurers, philanthropists and a few ne’er-do-wells.

MacDonald built a house in Lossiemouthand returned whenever he could to escapethe endless pressures of political life. Thehouse, The Hillocks, remains in theownership of his family.

Weary of politics and with his health indecline, MacDonald took his doctor’s advice and in 1937 left for a cruise to SouthAmerica. He died aboard the vessel at theage of 71 and following a funeral service inWestminster Abbey his ashes were buried atSpynie Churchyard on the outskirts of Elgin.

One of MacDonald’s closest friends, Captain James Brander-Dunbar, was also one of Moray’s most colourful characters of recent generations. Brander-Dunbar wasLaird of Pitgaveny, an estate which liesbetween Elgin and Lossiemouth, and diedaged 94 following an eventful and oftencontroversial life.

He fought in the Boer War where he ledwhat was the first-ever commando-styleunit, and later served in the colonial servicein Africa where he gained a reputation as a big game hunter. He had scant respect for authority and during a dispute withLossiemouth Town Council over ownershipof the town square he had part of itploughed up.

According to legend, the Wolf died afterlosing a chess game with the Devil!. He liesburied in Dunkeld Cathedral.

The British equivalent of America’s log cabin-to-President dream came true for JamesRamsay MacDonald, the illegitimate son of a servant girl who went on to becomeBritain’s first Labour Prime Minister.

MacDonald was born in Lossiemouth in 1866and the cottage where he first saw the lightof day survives to this day. He was broughtup in abject poverty and his prospects werenot helped by the fact he had been bornout of wedlock, a status that in those dayscarried a heavy stigma.

MacDonald left for Bristol as a teenager totake up a post as a clergyman’s assistant butsoon became involved in politics and waselected as MP for Leicester in 1906. Hispolitical career took off and in 1924, asleader of the Opposition, was asked by King George V to form a government whenthe small Conservative majority in theHouse of Commons proved unworkable.

Within a year there would be a GeneralElection and MacDonald’s short-livedgovernment was defeated.

But he was given a second bite of the cherryin 1929 when he again headed a minoritygovernment which survived throughturbulent times until 1935.

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Ramsay MacDonald

Captain James Brander-Dunbar


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Born in a workhouse, she lived in poverty inone of Elgin’s town centre closes with herunmarried mother.

Those formative years inspired her first andbest-known novel, “The White Bird Passes”,which was published in 1958.

Kesson went on to produce ‘Women’s Hour’on BBC Radio and also wrote plays for radioand TV. She spent the latter years of her lifein London where she died in 1994.

A Moray loon who headed Stateside in the19th century was James Philip, born andbrought up on a farm at Dallas. Philip –dubbed Scotty in deference to hishomeland - is credited with helping to savethe American bison from extinction.

The bison - or buffalo as it was commonlyknown - had been hunted to the verge ofoblivion and in the 1890s Philip inherited asmall herd of survivors which he moved tohis ranch. By 1914 the herd was 400-strongand were the ancestors of many of the wild bison which roam free over NorthAmerica today.

Another of Moray’s greatest benefactorswas Doctor Hugh Falconer, a distinguishednatural historian and contemporary ofCharles Darwin.

Born in Forres in 1808, he studied the flora, fauna and geology of large parts ofIndia and Burma and became an authorityon fossils.

He spent 25 years in India before beingforced to leave because of ill health, but his research continued until his death inLondon in 1865. The Falconer Museum in

Forres, built with a bequest from Falconerand opened within six years of his death, is a memorial to his scientific achievementsand has a section dedicated to the man andhis work.

Dufftown-born George Stephen - later tobecome Lord Mountstephen - emigrated toCanada at the age of 21 and soon became aprominent businessmen with a particularinterest in railways. He played a pivotal rolein developing the rail network and in theconstruction of the Canadian PacificRailway. He returned to live in Britain in 1888 and died in 1921.

Mountstephen was joined in developingCanada’s fledgling rail network by his cousin,Lord Strathcona, who was born plainDonald Smith in Forres in 1820.

He worked in the Forres town clerk’s officebefore seeking his fortune in Canada anddrove the last spike in the Canadian PacificRailway at Craigellachie, British Columbia, in 1885.

A politician and philanthropist, he wasCanada’s High Commissioner to Britain from 1896 to 1913, the year before his death.

Although not a Moravian by birth, the author of the “Biggles” novels, Captain W.E. Johns, penned many of hisbest-known works in Moray.

He visited the area frequently on fishingholidays and for several years in the late1940s and 1950s spent the summer atPitchroy on the Ballindalloch Estate, whereat least 15 of the “Biggles” series of adventurenovels were written. Johns returned south in1953 and died in London in 1968.

On the estate, he had a sneaking admirationfor poachers, having been one himself. In hisyounger day he had made a wager with aHighland laird that he could poach a stagfrom his land without getting caught. Hewon the bet and had the £20 chequeframed. The story became the inspiration forauthor John Buchan’s novel “John MacNab”.

Several years before his death on ChristmasDay 1969, one of Brander-Dunbar’s favouriteoak trees on Pitgaveny Estate was blowndown in a gale and he had his coffin madefrom it.

He penned his own epitaph: “A fine naturalblackguard who gave greater justice thanever he got.”

James Gordon Bennett, born at Newmill,near Keith, in 1795, emigrated to NorthAmerica where he founded and edited ‘TheNew York Herald’ which went on to boastthe highest circulation in the United States.

On his retirement he handed control to his son, James Gordon Bennett Junior, whocommissioned Henry Morton Stanley tosearch for David Livingstone in darkestAfrica. It was from the son that the phrase‘Gordon Bennett’, denoting surprise orexasperation, derives.

Moray has produced a leading media figurein more recent times, BBC radio presenterJames Naughtie, who was brought up atRothiemay and was head boy at KeithGrammar School before embarking on a career in journalism.

He wrote for ‘The Scotsman’, ‘TheWashington Post’ and ‘The Guardian’ beforemoving to radio journalism.

The late Jessie Kesson was a writer of a verydifferent kind, a novelist whose works werelargely autobiographical and drawn from heraustere upbringing.

Doctor Hugh Falconer

Lord Mountstephen

James Naughtie


Elgin CathedralOne of Scotland’s finest medieval buildings, the cathedral – known as theLantern of the North - was laid waste by the Wolf of Badenoch in 1390 but itsmagnificent ruins provide a wonderfulinsight into what it must once have looked like. Open daily throughout thesummer, restricted opening in winter.Admission charge.

Spynie PalaceSituated a mile from Elgin off the A941 Elgin-Lossiemouth road, it was the residence ofthe Bishops of Moray for five centuries until1686. Although much of the palace has gone,a substantial part remains. Open dailythroughout the summer, restricted openingin winter. Admission charge.

Elgin MuseumOwned and run by the Moray Society, the museum was founded in 1842 “for thecollection and preservation of objects ofscience and virtue.” Its collection includesRoman coins found at an archaeological siteat Birnie, near Elgin. Open April to October.Admission charge.

Tugnet Ice HouseA three-vaulted ice house located near themouth of the River Spey at Spey Bay, it isthe largest building of its kind in Scotlandwith only a third showing above groundlevel. It was built in 1830 and was used as a cold store to keep locally-caught salmonfresh until shipping.

Moray Firth Wildlife CentreThe disused fishing station at Tugnet wasconverted to a wildlife centre in the mid1990s and is now run by the Whale andDolphin Conservation Society. It is also a study centre for the Moray Firth’s rarebottlenose dolphins which can often beseen close inshore.

Portknockie HarbourThe small picturesque harbour was built in 1890 in a cove sheltered from the sea by a promontory which was once a Pictishstronghold, although a harbour of sorts

RestaurantsMoray has scores of restaurants across the area with a wide range of fare on offer. Everything from a full-on gourmetexperience to a quick pub lunch can be had within a small radius of most towns.

probably existed long before that. Theharbour can only be reached by a very steep approach road from the village which perches above.

Brodie CastleFour miles west of Forres, the 16th centurycastle houses collections of art and antiqueswhich include French furniture, porcelainfrom different parts of the world and manypaintings. It is the ancestral home of theBrodie family but is now in the ownershipof the National Trust for Scotland. Openfrom Easter to October. Admission charge.Castle grounds open all year.

Cullen ViaductOne of Moray’s best-known landmarks, thelong-disused stone viaduct towers overCullen. The railway had to be constructedover the town, rather than past it, becausethe then Countess of Seafield would notallow it to run through the grounds ofCullen House.

FIFTYTHINGSTO SEEANDDOINMORAY

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Barrel Houses at the Findhorn Foundation

Findhorn FoundationWith its roots planted in the 1960s, the Findhorn Foundation is a spiritual community ofaround 400 people who have become known for their empathy with nature and sustainableliving. The foundation runs a series of educational programmes and every year welcomesthousands of people from around the world to take part in residential courses.


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MillbuiesOne of the area’s most popular

beauty spots, the country park atMillbuies, four miles from Elgin, was gifted

by philanthropist George Boyd Anderson. Ithas pleasant walks around a loch on whichthere is trout fishing.

Johnstons of ElginThe mill which today produces cashmereand other luxury fabrics has stood on thesame site since the company was foundedin 1797. Guided tours of the mill are available to visitors who can see theproduction process from start to finish.There is also a visitor centre, retail shop,coffee shop and a homeware department.Open all year.

Sculptor’s CaveSo called because of its ancient inscriptions,Sculptor’s Cave is a sea cave at Covesea, to the west of Lossiemouth, whereexcavations have uncovered large numbersof children’s bones. Originally thought tohave been the site of macabre humansacrifice, it is believed the cave was the final resting place of Picts who had died inchildhood and whose heads were severedand placed on poles. The cave is accessibleonly at low tide.

Balvenie CastleThe imposing ruins of Balvenie Castle atDufftown are what remains of an impressivefortification dating from the 13th century. It had a succession of owners before itshared the fate of many similar buildings by gradually falling into a state of disrepair.Open daily throughout the summer.Admission charge.

Famous Fochaberians’GardenThe commemorative garden honouringfamous people from Fochabers was opened in 2002. It was laid out at theentrance to the village cricket field on the banks of the Spey, with two standingstones bearing the names of 21 Fochaberianswho achieved great things in their chosenfield.

Moray Piano CompetitionSince its inception in 2000 the competitionhas gained a reputation as one of theleading events of its kind by attracting many of the best young pianists from all over Britain and beyond. It takes place at Elgin Town Hall over a weekend inNovember and is split into competitions for pianists aged 20 and under, 16 and underand 12 and under.

Telford BridgeThe iconic Telford Bridge at Craigellachie is one of Moray’s most photographed structuresand is one of the finest examples of Thomas Telford’s work. Opened in 1814, it carriedvehicular traffic over the River Spey until the early 1970s when a new road bridge was builtdownstream. The bridge has a single 150ft span and was revolutionary for its time.

© Jim Robertson

Wartime DefencesMoray has some of the best preservedwartime coastal defences anywhere inScotland and their survival gives a fascinating insight into how Britain hoped to defend itself in the event of a seaborneinvasion during World War II. Although many have been swallowed up by shiftingsand and shingle, long lines of large concrete blocks and pillboxes still exist to the west of Kingston and along Roseisle beach.

Malt Whisky TrailThe world’s only malt whisky trail connectsseven working distilleries – Benromach,Cardhu, Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, Glenlivet, Glen Moray and Strathisla – the Speyside Cooperage and the Dallas Dhu time capsule distillery owned byHistoric Scotland.

AnglingMoray has some of Scotland’s finest salmonrivers but permits are very limited. There are also a small number of privately ownedtrout fisheries in the area.

TomintoulMoray’s highest community at 1,150ft abovesea level, Tomintoul can trace its originsback to 1775 when it was founded by theDuke of Gordon. Its resident population of just over 300 is swollen by large numbersof tourists in summer and its economy alsorelies in no small measure on the nearbyLecht Ski Centre.

ClavieOn January 11 the people of Burgheadcelebrate the Pictish New Year with theBurning of the Clavie, an ancient fireceremony which, according to tradition, wardsoff evil spirits for the year ahead. A barrelfilled with burning tar is carried through thestreets of the town, with smouldering embershanded out as a token of good luck.

Maggie FairEvery June for more than 400 years,Garmouth has celebrated Maggie Fair whenstalls and sideshows are set up in the heartof the village.

It is one of the few street fairs still survivingin Scotland and is believed to take its namefrom Lady Margaret Ker, the wife of thelocal laird and by all accounts very popularwith villagers.

Auld BrigBuilt in 1609, the Auld Brig in Keith was apackhorse bridge built of stone and is oneof the oldest surviving structures of its kindin Scotland. It was designed to take peopleon foot or ponies and horses but not a cartor carriage.

Keith ShowThe Keith Show staged over two days inearly August is Moray’s only majoragricultural show and dates back to 1872.Held at Seafield Park, it attracts large entriesof cattle, sheep and horses and is animportant occasion on the local farmingcommunity’s calendar. Admission charge.


Ramsay MacDonald’sBirthplaceThe tiny cottage in Lossiemouth whereBritain’s first Labour Prime Minister, RamsayMacDonald, was born in 1866 still stands. It ismarked with a plaque but is not open to thepublic. MacDonald’s remains are buried in thefamily tomb at Spynie Kirkyard, near Elgin.

Keith Music FestivalPerformers and fans from all over Scotlandflock to what has become known simply asthe Keith Festival – a three-day celebrationof Scottish traditional music and song.Hotels, pubs and local halls host ceilidhs,concerts and competitions during the event,which has been held every June for the pastquarter of a century.

Biblical GardenOccupying a secluded area in the shadow ofElgin Cathedral, the walled Biblical Gardenwas the first of its kind to be created inScotland. It has examples of all 110 plantsmentioned in the Bible in addition to statuesof biblical figures. Open May to September,admission free.

Mountain BikingThe Forestry Commission has created threeMoray Monster Trails to satisfy mountainbikers of all abilities. The trails, totalling 17 miles in length, are located at Ordiquishand Whiteash, both on the outskirts ofFochabers, and Ben Aigan, near Craigellachie.Mountain bike trails have also recently been developed by the Crown Estate on its Glenlivet Estate.

Cooper ParkGifted to the people of Elgin in 1902 by Sir George Cooper, the Cooper Park is thetown’s most popular recreational area.Covering some 40 acres on the banks of the River Lossie, it has a boating pond,tennis courts, a cricket pitch and children’splayground.

Ballindalloch CastleThe castle has been home to theMacpherson-Grant family since 1546 andstands in a magnificent setting between the River Spey and one of its tributaries, the Avon. The castle and its extensivegrounds, including a walled garden, are open daily, apart from Saturday, from April to September. Admission charges apply.

LadyhillThe site of Elgin Castle in medieval times,the mound known as Ladyhill is where Elgin’smost prominent landmark, the monument to the 5th Duke of Gordon, can be seen. The 80ft column was erected in 1839 andthe statue of the duke added in 1855.

LechtThe Lecht ski centre straddles theCockbridge-Tomintoul road at just over2,000ft although the chairlifts rise to around2,500ft. It is one of Scotland’s five ski centresand attracts winter sports enthusiasts fromfar and near. In recent years it has diversifiedto become a year-round resort, with quadbikes and karting among the attractions.

Moray Leisure CentreOpened in 1993, the Moray Leisure Centre inElgin has a wide range of facilities for peopleof all ages. Its 25 metre pool is used byswimmers both for fun and fitness, while itsice rink is popular with skaters and curlers andis also used for ice hockey. The centre also hasa health and wellness suite and a healthyeating café and is open seven days a week.

Whisky FestivalAficionados of Scotland’s national drinkmake the annual pilgrimage to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival which takesplace in May. A packed programme ofevents spans several days and includesdistillery tours, whisky tastings, talks, theme dinners, ceilidhs and visits to placesof interest. All the sites offer guided tours,including the cooperage where visitors canhave a go at making a cask.

Elgin High StreetThe centre of Elgin is dominated by St Giles’Church, built in 1827 and named in honour ofthe town’s patron saint. Nearby is the MuckleCross, a market cross restored in 1888 afterthe original was demolished, while at theeast end of High Street is the Little Crosswhere transgressors had punishment metedout to them. The west end of High Street isdominated by the façade of Dr Gray’sHospital with its commanding dome.

GolfAnyone coming to Moray for a fortnight’sholiday can play a round of golf on adifferent course every day. Its reputation forchoice and quality of courses is unrivalled.Visitors are welcome at all 14 clubs andgreen fees are among the cheapestanywhere in Scotland.

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A barrel of laughs at the Speyside Whiskey Festival every May


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Fishing MuseumThe recently extended Buckie and

District Fishing Heritage Centre has anunrivalled collection of exhibits which

traces the history of the fishing and boat-building industries in the area. Housed in aconverted cottage and run by volunteers,the centre has over 7,000 photographs anda comprehensive database of all vesselsbuilt in local boatyards over the years. Open during the summer, otherwise byarrangement.

Grouse InnSituated on the A941 Dufftown to Rhynie Road at the Cabrach and surroundedby heather-clad hillside, the Grouse Inn has been a popular staging post forgenerations of hungry and thirsty travellers.The family-run business boasts one of thelargest collections of whiskies anywhere.Open daily throughout the summer.

Bothy Ballads FestivalA full house is guaranteed for Elgin RotaryClub’s annual festival of bothy ballads at thetown hall. The event, held in early February,is a celebration of the Doric and helps tokeep alive many of the homespun songswhich emanated mainly from the north-east farming community of yesteryear. The audience can also look forward to aplate of stovies and a dram of whisky duringthe interval.

Sueno’s StoneThis 20ft high stone of Pictish origin standsonly yards from the main A96 on the outskirtsof Forres. Its carvings date from 800 to900AD and depict a bloody battle, although,in the absence of any inscription, exactlywhich battle no one knows for sure. Thestone was encased in glass a number of yearsago to protect it from further weathering.

ScalanThe survival of Catholicism in Scotlandfollowing the Reformation owes much toScalan, a small seminary nestling in the hillsat the remote Braes of Glenlivet whereyoung priests were trained. The originalbuilding was destroyed after Culloden but it was replaced in the 1770s by the simplebuilding which survives today and which islooked after by the Scalan Association. It isopen to visitors year round.

Nelson’s TowerThis octagonal tower at Forres was built by public subscription in 1806 to honourHoratio Nelson and his famous victory atTrafalgar. Visitors can climb the 96-stepspiral stairway to the rooftop and enjoyspectacular views across the Moray Firth.The tower also houses Nelson memorabilia.Open during the summer, admission free.

Falconer MuseumThe museum in Forres was founded in 1871 by the family of locally-born naturalistand palaeontologist Dr Hugh Falconer, acontemporary of Darwin who did much ofhis research in India. Recently redeveloped,the museum houses a wide-rangingcollection, including some of Falconer’sfossil finds. Open year round, restrictedhours in winter. Admission free.

SpeyfestThis four-day festival of Celtic culturefeaturing music, song and crafts is held inFochabers, normally in late July or earlyAugust. Organised by a local committee,many of the events take place in marqueespitched on the village playing fields. Thefestival features performers from home and abroad and has become an annualfixture on the Scottish music scene.

Findhorn BayOne of Moray’s most scenic spots, the bay’sshallow waters are popular with watersports enthusiasts and also provide a safehaven for yachts and pleasure craft. The bayis a designated nature reserve and attractsthousands of migrating wildfowl and wadingbirds, particularly in autumn. Sitting at onecorner of the bay is the village of Findhorn,home of the Royal Findhorn Yacht Club andwith its own local heritage centre.

Pluscarden AbbeyLocated in a peaceful setting in the Vale of Pluscarden, the abbey, founded in 1230, is the only medieval monastery in Britainstill inhabited by monks. The smallcommunity of Benedictine monks returnedto Pluscarden in 1948 to restore the abbeywhich had been abandoned many yearsbefore. Visitors are welcome.

Speyside WayWalkers who want to enjoy some of thebest scenery that Moray has to offer coulddo worse than take to the Speyside Way,which as its name suggests follows thecourse of the River Spey although the lastfew miles to Buckie hug the coastline. Theroute is waymarked and a number of mapsand leaflets are available.

Highland GamesFour of Moray’s communities stage theirown annual Highland Games in the summer – Dufftown, Tomintoul, Aberlourand Forres. Featuring a mixture of track and field events, the emphasis is on thetraditional competitions such as tossing the caber. The games are particularlypopular with visitors to the area and theirparticipation in the various competitions is encouraged.

Grant ParkWith its wide open spaces and wooded backdrop, Grant Park has played a pivotal role inForres’s long-running successes in major national floral and environmental competitions,among them ‘Britain in Bloom’ and ‘Beautiful Scotland In Bloom’. The park’s sunken gardenand floral sculptures are a magnet for visitors.

Grant Park is host to a wide variety of events such as arts festivals


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