Cruden Bay on the north east Aberdeenshire coast is a quaint former fishing village and a most pleasant location for a cottage holiday. Rows of fishermen's cottages line the narrow lanes near the harbour. The village has an excellent sandy beach set into the bay, backed by sand dunes which lead to the golf course. There are several pubs for meals out at lunchtime or evenings. Even if you stay in self catering cottages in Aberdeenshire or log cabins in Cruden Bay, you can relax some evenings and eat out.

Cruden Bay was a popular place for people to visit in years gone by.  It has a lovely beach of golden sand set in a sheltered bay, a picturesque fishing harbour with quaint fishermen's houses, a superb 18 hole golf course, several attractive and interesting walks plus a selection of pubs and  hotels for meals and refreshments.  High tea at 5 pm is highly recommended.

There is an attractive an interesting walk that can be begun from the car park just off Main Street, in the village.  It goes through a small section of woodland where the trees are bent against the winter gales and then proceeds along the bank of a stream to the right and takes you along the cliffs to the ruins of Slains Castle of Dracula fame.  Apparently Bram Stoker, author of Dracula was inspired to write the story following a visit to Cruden Bay and Slains castle in eerie, misty weather.  People familiar with the area will know that the haar or mist can arise even on a hot summer's day, and especially after very hot weather.  

The fairly extensive ruins are dramatically perched on the edge of a sheer cliff.  Children should be supervised at all times when exploring the ruins.  Dogs have been known to run into the cliffside 'rooms' and disappear over the side of the cliff.

The cliffs at the back of Slains Castle have been weathered into strange shapes.  the 'two eyes' or 'twa een' is one such rock formation and is a popular spot with locals  fishing for mackerel. 

 Behind the castle, the walk goes past Smuggler's cove where contraband was brought ashore under cover of darkness in the past. The south facing side of these cliffs is covered with yellow primroses in late spring. Sea pinks, broom and many other wild flowers are a delight to behold in late spring and early summer.  

If you enjoy wild flowers then you should make a point of visiting Cruden Bay in late May.  Instead of just taking the cliff walk, take a short detour following the stream down the ravine.  The banks of the stream are edged with yellow iris and blue  forget-me-nots -  there are primroses in abundance.

Bird watchers will adore the coastal area.  Small rocky islands just off the coast and the cliffs are breeding grounds for numerous sea birds.  Puffins and seals can be spotted in season.

Other nearby coastal spots worth a visit are Bullers of Buchan for their majestic cliffs which are about 2 miles away from Slains Castle going towards Peterhead, and  Whinnyfold, which is a couple of bays away from the end of Cruden Bay beach.  A steep path takes visitors down the side of the cliff into a pebbly bay. 

A sandy bay lies a short walk along the cliff top towards Cruden Bay.  These quiet and remote beaches are ideal for barbecues on the beach using driftwood .  Children will love to discover the sea anemones, crabs and myriads of other small creatures that live in the rock pools.

Click here for a list of Scottish self-catering holiday cottages and apartments.

Self-catering holidays in Royal Deeside,  Scotland

Sleeps 2-6: Stranduff Lodge Croft is a delightful detached country cottage situated in an idyllic location, just outside the charming village of Kincardine O'Neil , in the heart of Royal Deeside.

Built out of granite in the 19th century, Stranduff Lodge Croft was originally a working croft, since upgraded to provide superior and spacious accommodation for tourists and visitors, the croft is an excellent base for exploration, adventure or relaxation. With the addition of the superb views (see the peak of Lochnagar on a fine day) and the spacious garden grounds (over half an acre) with barbecue and garden furniture, a stay in Stranduff will be a stay to remember.

Please click on the photograph to find out more about a stay in this country cottage on Deeside with views of Lochnagar.

Self-catering log cabin holidays in Dinnet, Royal Deeside,  Scotland

Our comfortable self-catering log cabins are set in the centre of Royal Deeside at the Eastern Gateway to the Cairngorms National Park.

Located in the wee rustic village of Dinnet, our Woodland Lodges make a convenient base to visit and explore the many sporting and tourist activities Royal Deeside has to offer.

Outdoor activities include bird watching, fishing, walking, gliding, shooting, quad biking, archery, go-carting, mountain climbing, skiing (Glenshee and the Lecht for skiing and fabulous views are only a 45 minute drive away).

Visitor attractions in this north east part of Scotland include Balmoral Castle (10 miles away), the Castle trail, Whisky Trail for a range of distilleries to tour and whiskies to sample, Victorian Heritage Trail, Aberdeen City and the Coast, Cairngorm National Park with plenty of opportunities for bird spotting including eagles and other birds of prey .....

Each lodge has 2 bedrooms sleeping up to 4 people. They have fully fitted kitchen including integrated dishwasher and fridge freezer. With spacious open plan lounge/kitchen/dining areas and a decked patio area to enjoy in the summer months. The bathroom has bath tub and shower. The lodges are double glazed and centrally heated making them a cosy retreat after a day out on Royal Deeside.