This page is about the county in Scotland. For the Incan archeological site, see Moray (Peru).
Moray is a county in the north east of Scotland. It's a small county sandwiched between Aberdeenshire and Highland local government areas. It takes its name from the much bigger "Kingdom of Moray" that in early medieval times stretched from here to Sutherland and Wester Ross.
Towns and villages
- 1 Elgin, the county town, has a 13th C ruined cathedral, and even earlier bishop's palace nearby.
A series of small towns line the coast of the Moray Firth. From the west:
- 2 Forres has a castle, the remarkable Pictish Sueno's (or Sven's) Stone, and a couple of distilleries.
- Just north on the coast is the "New Age" settlement of Findhorn.
- 3 Lossiemouth is an early example of a planned town, being laid out on a grid from the 18th C. Along the coast are pine woods and sand dunes.
- 4 Buckie and Cullen are two small fishing ports.
Inland is classic malt-whisky distilling country along the lower Spey Valley. Towns here include 5 Keith, 6 Dufftown, 7 Craigellachie and 8 Tomintoul.
Get in
For Forres and Elgin the usual approach by air, rail or road is via Inverness. For the southern towns such as Keith, Aberdeen may be a more convenient way in.
Get around
- 1 Keith & Dufftown Railway, Dufftown Station, Dufftown, Banffshire. AB55 4BA (Just off the A491 in Dufftown (next to Glenfiddich Distillery)), ☏ 44 1340 821181. Weekends & Bank Holidays (see Website). A heritage railway that winds through the scenic hills of 'Speyside Whisky Country'. A popular cafe is located at Dufftown Station. The staff are very friendly and helpful.
See
Do
- Walk the Speyside Way, a long-distance footpath linking Buckie, Fochabers, Dufftown, Craigellachie, Tomintoul, Ballindoch, Grantown on Spey, Boat of Garten and Aviemore.
- Highland Gatherings and Games: several towns or large villages host an event during a summer weekend. Pipe bands, caber-tossing, field & track events and so on; often combined with Agricultural Shows. The full calendar is posted online.
Eat
Drink
Stay safe
Go next
- East to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
- West to Inverness and The Great Glen and Strathspey.
- South to the Cairngorms National Park