(113) Findochty-Portknockie Circuit (Moray)

Route Summary
A good walk along the cliffs heading east from the former fishing village of Findochty. On a clear day there are views of the faraway Caithness coast and, at the return point on the route in Portknockie, the amazing Bow Fiddle Rock is guaranteed to make a memorable impression.

Duration: 3 hours.

Route Overview
Duration: 3 hours.
Transport/Parking: Regular 35/38 bus service between Buckie and Findochty. Check timetable. On-street parking in Findochty near walk start/end point.
Length: 9.030 km / 5.64 mi
Height Gain: 221 meter.
Height Loss: 221 meter.
Max Height: 45 meter.
Min Height: 2 meter.
Surface: Moderate. Mostly hard-surfaced cycle-way path or tarred surfaces. Some path sections may be very muddy.
Difficulty: Medium.
Child Friendly: Yes, if children are used to walks of this distance and overall ascent..
Dog Friendly: Yes. Keep dogs on lead on public roads and near any livestock.
Refreshments: We can recommend the Fly Cup Cafe at the walk mid-point in Portknockie. The Admiral pub in Findochty.

Description
This is a fairly straightforward “there and back” coastal walk along the bracing cliff-top path between the former “Old Banffshire” fishing villages of Findochty and Portknockie. On a clear day you are likely to enjoy views across the Moray Firth to the Caithness hills, picking out the conical shape of Morven, over 80 km away. Findochty (pronounced “Finechty”) traces its history back to a royal charter in the mid 15thC. In the early 18thC, the local landowner developed the beginnings of a fishing industry, and by 1850 it was home to around 150 fishing boats. But the harbour expansion at nearby Buckie provided safer berths and access to a busy fish-market so that, by 1890, Findochty was declining as a fishing port. Findochty harbour now has a marina for leisure craft and is a very pretty and attractive spot, particularly when the sun shines, as it often does on this sheltered stretch of the Moray coast. In 1959, a local artist, Correna Cowie, created a very striking white-painted statue of a seated fisherman, known as “The Mannie”, who casts a protective gaze over the old harbour. Mid-way between Findochty and Cullen sits Portknockie, perched on the cliff-tops. The village has an ancient history, including being the site of an Iron Age/Pictish fort, the “Green Castle”, on a headland protecting the harbour, but its development in modern times is associated with the herring boom of the 1800s. It is also the site of a well-known and very photogenic natural sea arch, the “Bow Fiddle Rock”, so called because it resembles the tip of a fiddle bow. This deservedly popular visitor attraction is the turning point on a relatively easy but enjoyable route.