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Findhorn >  Google™ Map May 2018  Moray Coat of Arms

fionn white + Èireann Scottish Gaelic Ireland. Population - 880.

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May 2018

Moray Coat of Arms

That's finned as in like the dolphin but don't expect to find any in the Moray Firth. Three days in the area now and not a single sign of the little flippers.

A cheap phone confirms the dramatic expanse so chances are high today, perhaps, and the size of the car park next the beach suggests plenty of other takers.

Findhorn Beach - Moray Firth

That makes for a binoc-laden loll near a sandy spit before heading back to the village for a courteous snoop. The walk would have been longer but how the heck are you expected to get to Hull and back in the same afternoon, eh?

The fine, sandy beach has a hint of the shingle but not so much to stop 'em coming in summer.

Findhorn Beach
Findhorn - Beach Huts

It's not known exactly how many for these, though, setting you back £25K although that's a fraction of those in Southwold, say. Be warned, however, they don't come with running water at least not until the next storm surge.

No sign of the dolphins, yeah right, so some seals will have to be settled on.

Findhorn Beach - Halichoerus grypus

Basking, ever-so-slightly out of focus, on a sandbank at the mouth of the River Findhorn.

It's said river but by the time it flows into the firth, it's more of a lagoon, really, and could easily qualify as the fourth[1] firth in these parts.

That'll explain the small marina, then, the only unnatural attraction in this enticing area.

Findhorn Marina

[1] After Moray, Cromarty and Beauly, naturally.

They planted a pinewood forest over the river to try and stop the forever shifting sands and that goes some way to explaining the sandscape this side.

Findhorn Beach
Findhorn Beach - Heath Behind

Dunes give way to heath and together with Culbin Forest attracts those with a special interest in sites of a scientific nature.

As should be known by now, they don't hand them awards out willy-nilly although it's still not thought that lichen really counts. Not that a vast area of it can be explored since RAF Kinloss sits a little way south and isn't, not unexpectedly, exactly access all areas.

  Moray Coast Trail

The Moray Coast Trail runs right through here on its 50-mile way from Forres, via Burghead, to Cullen. It's part of the larger North Sea Trail although you'll be needing the marina to continue on that.

The rest of it is random, signposted routes by the sea, you see, in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Dutchland although Northumberland and North Yorkshire claim some kind of inclusion. Its upkeep is funded by the EU so expect to see broken glass and crisp packets along here on the morning of 1st January 2021.

Meanwhile, back up in the village, Findhorn, itself, isn't all that old because the original is out there, Atlantis-like, somewhere beyond the seals.

Findhorn - Welcome To
Findhorn - Kinloss and Findhorn Parish Church

That means what makes what is here easy-on-the-eye, largely 19th century with a mandatory church, obviously.

The population is swollen by an even newer development, just south of the centre and off the lagoon hugging road.

In the '50s, the Findhorn Foundation's founders had some early history with extraterrestrials and UFO landing sites in the forest near Forres.

Not that RAF Kinloss could possibly have had anything to do with that but they're grounded in a very different kind of way, these days. This is the UK's largest ecovillage, no less, where it's all solar-panelled spirituality with their own wind farm providing an additional spin.

They'll let you in to wander around, donations welcome, what was an old caravan park but as for the spirituality? The jury's out on the New Age and Bob much prefers his cask-aged.

What's What
 Findhorn Bay Local Nature Reserve
 Findhorn Foundation
Where's Where
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