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Action, Adventure &Outdoors

The contrasting landscape of Moray Speyside presents multiple opportunities for adrenaline junkies and sports enthusiasts. A rugged coastline and mountains provide the perfect backdrop for climbing, mountain biking, rafting, sailing and hiking; whilst the rolling slopes and flatlands lend themselves ideally to gentler activities of walking, golfing and cycling.

Day one begins with a morning of biking through the forest trails located within the Glenlivet Estate.

Off the B9136 by Kirkmichael, north of Tomintoul you will find purpose-built mountain bike trails with a confidence-building to intermediate 9km track, plus a challenging 22km track for experienced riders. (Bike hire, spares and cafe on-site too.)

Roads through the Braes of Glenlivet arrive at Tomintoul, the highest community in Moray at 1160ft (354m).

One of the very best ways to get an overview of the grand landscapes around the area is on horseback; a range of local providers offer guided rides and treks using local knowledge to take their guests over high ground and valley - all of it ideal terrain for sturdy Highland horses.

Itinerary 4: Action, Adventure & Outdoors

Day 1: Glenlivet - Grantown - ForresDuration: Four nights Base: Anywhere

Forres

Glenlivet

Cullen

Lossiemouth

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2

3

Grantown-on-Spey

www.morayspeyside.com

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For those who prefer walking, Ben Rinnes is a good starting point to the trip. At 841m, the summit offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. The walk is around 7.5km up a well-worn hill path and is estimated to take 3-4 hours to complete.

East of Tomintoul, the spectacular Snow Roads climb past the Lecht Ski Centre at 2090 ft. (645m) The skiing and boarding is especially suitable for beginners and intermediates. There are 12 lifts and a ski

Itinerary 4: Action, Adventure & Outdoors

school. All equipment can be hired (on line too). The day lodge has a cafe, bar, shop and all facilities. For another night in unusual accommodation, Ace Getaways near Forres provide luxurious Shepherd’s huts, or try Macbeth’s Hillock also near Forres which offers luxury glamping on the site of Macbeth’s famous encounter with the three witches…

Day two day begins with a morning of canoeing and kayaking on the river Findhorn. This activity, operated by Ace Adventures, begins on the doorstep of the Shepherd’s hut.

As an area with sheltered coastal waters, beautiful coastline and rushing rivers, Moray Speyside offers a wide range of water-based activities: kayaking and white-water rafting; sailing and windsurfing; sea kayaking and paddle-boarding; surfing; boat trips and sea-angling charters; salmon and trout fishing.

Findhorn Marina awaits, from where North 58 provide wildlife adventures along the Moray Firth. The two-hour trip offers exciting encounters with the local marine life, including Dolphins, Seals and occasionally Orcas! The excursion also offers the chance to explore the breath-taking scenery along the Moray coastline.

For picturesque views, head to the coastal town of Lossiemouth where the beach provides postcard-worthy views of the sunset highly. Lossiemouth has highly-rated golf courses, a well-equipped marina, an equestrian centre and even caves which can be explored via the coastal path - there are so many things to do in and around this handsome resort.

Day 2: Forres - Findhorn - Lossiemouth

Lossiemouth also presents the option of sea kayaking, with kayaks available to hire from Outfit Moray, or surfing at the beach with New Wave Surf School.

Experienced climbers can complete their Moray Speyside adventure at Cummingston Cliffs to the west or Logie Head to the east - two hotspots for climbers in the area.

Overnight in Lossiemouth, Hopeman or Burghead

www.morayspeyside.com

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Begin day three with a trip back to Elgin - the capital of Moray Speyside where you’ll find a good range of restaurants and shops to stock up. Elgin also offers plenty of choices for accommodation, from camp sites to hotels.

Return east to Fochabers, where you’ll saddle up to experience the Moray Monster MTB Trails. There are four trails starting from Ordiequish car-park: Three suitable for everyone to enjoy and one for the most experienced bike riders. There are two more trails starting at Winding Walks car park, both aimed at experienced mountain bikers.

Moray Speyside is also a fabulous place for road cyclists, with a wide range of routes offering something for cyclist of all abilities, from short, circular routes to epic adventures in the remote hills and valleys of Speyside and the Cairngorms.

That evening, Portknockie is a must visit location. Bow Fiddle Rock, a natural sea arch on the Moray Firth coastline, is a popular tourist attraction and a nesting area for various sea birds. One of the most recognisable landmarks in Moray, Bow Fiddle Rock offers itself as a subject for all levels of photographer to capture.

Day 3: Lossiemouth - Fochabers - Portknockie - Cullen

On the final night, try one of the many self-catering cottages in Cullen which offer the perfect setting to pour yourself a dram, light a fire and put your feet up after an action-packed few days, or relax in one of the area’s excellent hotels.

OPTION:Although the suggested activity for day two focuses on the best water-based activities available throughout Moray Speyside, an alternative option for those who favour firmer ground is close at hand in The Loft at East Grange Farm which has plenty to offer in an action-packed menu that includes combat laser tag, quad bikes, archery, grass sledging, turf boarding and much more.

Golf Moray’s low rainfall, warm sunshine and mild coastal airs make our golf courses playable all year round. Designers such as James Braid, Sir Henry Cotton and Tom Morris have made their mark on the region’s courses, and famously, former British Prime Ministers Ramsay MacDonald and Herbert Asquith counted Lossiemouth’s Moray Golf Club among their favourites. From classic coastal links at Moray and Cullen to courses with grand views of the hills, such as the course at Rothes, Moray Speyside is the perfect holiday destination for golf-loving visitors.

Walking An alternative for walkers is The Dava Way - one of Moray’s most popular walking routes, offering a way-marked walking and off-road cycling route linking Forres and Grantown-on-Spey. It has easy gradients and a variety of access points from the main road at either end, and all along its route.

The Speyside Way crosses Moray Speyside for 65 miles between Buckie and Aviemore. It is a great way to savour the varying landscapes of Moray Speyside between sea and mountains on foot.