History: Elgin to Fraserburgh

After breakfast we recommend a visit to the Museum of Banff which is one of the oldest museums in Scotland. Allow about 1 to 2 Hours to view their fascinating exhibits including a great display of Banff Silver and a display about the Deskford Carnyx, a distinct musical instrument of the pictish period 1,200 years ago and found in the local area (replica displayed-original is in the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

After a short stop for coffee take a quick trip down to the historic Banff Harbour which now acts as a popular pleasure marina. The first Banff Harbour dates from around 1625 when rocks were cleared to create a small basin. In 1770 John Smeaton, the father of Civil Engineering in the UK was commissioned to make improvements. This was then followed by Thomas Telford in 1818 who designed the lighthouse quay, thus creating the outer harbour

After lunch its on the road again to visit one of Europe’s best preserved fishing village. Dating from the late 1700’s, Crovie is incredibly picturesque with great sea views. The shelf on which the village is perched is so narrow it only has room for a row of cottages and the footpath in front of them. The village and the harbour was badly damaged in the destructive storm of 1953. To visit the village please don’t drive down to the village itself as there is very little room for vehicles, indeed half the village can only be reached by wheelbarrow! Instead please park in the car park and viewpoint at the top of the cliff above the village.

For an evening walk, take a stroll to the ruined Pitsligo Castle, once home to the Forbes family, with the remains of a "Great Tower" or “Keep” dating from the early 1400's. The extensive courtyard buildings connected to the keep date to around the mid 1500's. The castle fell into ruin following the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 when the Forbes family supported the Jacobite cause, leading to the castle being looted by Flemish troops on the Hanoverian side.