A Walk from Findochty to Portknockie and Back

It was nice to be back up on the Moray coast for a week's break. We were staying in the wee village of Findochty (also sometimes called Finechty) so our first walk was from there to the neighbouring village of Portknockie.

Findochty from the clifftop path

It's a fairly straightforward plod up to the clifftop from the beach and then follow the fairly wide path to Portknockie and on to Bow Fiddle Rock, a natural quartzite sea arch, so called because it resembles the tip of a fiddle (violin if you're posh) bow. After a break for lunch sitting on one the benches near Bow Fiddle Rock, we headed back to Findochty.

It's a fairly pleasant and level walk with fields on the inland side and lots of fragrant and yellow-flowering gorse bushes on the cliff side. I spotted a wee Viviparious lizard sitting on top of a mole hill, probably because it was warmer than the grass, and it didn't seem to mind me pointing a camera at it. 

As for birds, there were quite a few Skylarks nesting in the fields and lots of Yellowhammers on the gorse.

Bow Fiddle Rock and the accompanying crags and stacks had plenty of noisy Herring gulls, Razorbills, Guillemots, and Cormorants diving and wheeling around.

Bow Fiddle Rock

The distance there and back is just over four and a half miles so allow two to three hours for an easy walk and a break for a snack.

The Walking Route

Here are a few more pictures taken on the day:

A Rocky Coast

Moray Coast