Myrtle Cottage Findhorn

Locally:

• Beach- secluded, empty beaches, tall sanddunes in which to play hide and seek.
• Powerboat and Sailing Courses on Findhorn Bay for adults and kids are now being held at Findhorn Marina.
• Cycle-  you can hire bikes from Rafford Cycles http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/recycles/ There are plenty of forest tracks to cycle through, as well as a few mountainbike areas. Check the forestry website http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6MQD2A
• Walk- as above really. Lovely walks in Culbin, Roseisle, and up near Pluscarden also.
• Findhorn Circular Walk – 4.5km walk around Findhorn, touching the bay, the Firth and ancient sand dunes. Link to map and route here.
• Other nearby walks, see: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/moray/nairn-forres.shtml

Castles etc:

• Pluscarden Abbey- Benedictine monastery, mass in latin, open to public, a must see. http://www.pluscardenabbey.org

• Spynie Palace- started 1000 years ago, a skyscraper in its time, bishops palace near Elgin, amazing. Visit Elgin Cathedral too. Coffee and scones at Johnstons Cashmere across the road. http://www.marie-stuart.co.uk/Castles/Spynie.htm
• Brodie Castle- towards Nairn, coffee shop, lovely gardens, you can stay here, just renovated apartments. http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/69/
• Lochindorb- castle in middle of loch off road to Grantown. http://www.castles.org/Chatelaine/LOCHINDORB.HTM
• Fort George- near Inverness airport, on the Moray Firth http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail?propertyID=PL_136
• Castle Urquahart- best way there is to take boat trip on Loch Ness from Inverness. http://www.castles.org/Chatelaine/URQUHART.HTM
• Culloden Battlefield is on the outskirts of Inverness, this side. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/inverness/culloden/

Villages:

• Lossiemouth- sit at cafe on quay, watching Tornadoes queing up to land, like cars entering car park.
• Hopeman- lovely wee harbour with a tiny beach. Take a picnic.
• Portsoy- bit of a drive, near Buckie, majestic ancient harbour.

Activities:

• Aviemore (45 mins drive) offers all sorts of ‘extreme’ activities. Sled dog trails, canyoning, mountain biking, kayaking, climbing, climbing wall, and skiing. The best thing to do is call Aviemore Tourist Info Tel: 01479 810363.
• Steam Railway at Aviemore – Boat of Garten is also great fun. You can walk along the Speyside way, and take the train back. http://www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk/
• Landmark at Carrbridge (30 mins) is a great small adventure park in the woods. It has three big water slides which I loved. The kids did too. http://www.landmark-centre.co.uk/

Days out:

• We recently took a drive to Cromarty on the Black Isle, then across the Nigg Ferry (smallest ferry in the UK) across the entrance to the Cromarty Firth. There is a Pictish Trail in Easter Ross, with a number of intriguing ancient carved stones.