Local Area Information
We frequently come to stay at Sandend and don’t even leave the village / bay for days! Walking the dog on the beach, or out along the coastal footpath to Findlater Castle and Sunnyside Beach. Mooching up to the harbour to watch the waves followed by relaxing in the cottage and the ever changing wonderful view across the bay from our big bay window is all that we need for a great break.
If you are lucky you can spot the dolphins in the bay and seals on the rocks, and when the surf is up watching the surfers catch the waves is strangely mesmerising. If you are looking for relaxation in a beach front setting then this is it - we think we have the best view and position in the village and because our holiday cottage is the only one slightly elevated your car can be parked right outside and it still doesn’t block that view.
The nearest shop is the Co-op in Portsoy which is 3 miles away. Portsoy also has an ATM, post-office, chemist, medical centre, gift shops, bakery, fish & chip shop and the wonderful Portsoy Icecream.
Cullen is 4 Miles in the opposite direction with a similar range of services and more good cafes and ice-cream. Both Portsoy and Cullen have historic harbours and are worth a visit.
Sandend itself has a fish smokery which sells direct to the public - we can highly recommend the smoked haddock. The local campsite (open 1 April - 5 Oct) has a small shop selling milk, bread, newspapers, ice cream etc.
Both Tesco and Asda deliver groceries to the village so you don’t even need to go out (use AB45 2UE as the location postcode) or there is a large Tesco at Buckie along with a petrol station (10 Miles / 15 mins drive).
If you do fancy venturing just a little further afield then Sandend makes a great base. As well as the coastal footpath there are a number of lovely local walks around Cullen and Sandend features on one of the North Coast cycle routes. It's right on the path of the new North East 250 route - the "ultimate road trip".
For nature lovers a trip to the Dolphin Centre at Spey Bay is a must, and can be combined with a visit to Portgordon to see the seal colony (usually easy to spot by the old ice house or in the harbour).
There are any number of great day trips to choose from - the historic towns of Elgin and Huntly are nearby or you could drive out along the coast to Fraserburgh to the Lighthouse Museum and visit the tiny yet iconic villages of Pennan and Crovie on the way. Castle hunters have a wealth of nearby sites to visit - ask us for recommendations and nearby more obscure ones if this is your thing. If you enjoy a whisky then Sandend has it's own distillery, Glenglassaugh, at the other side of the bay and is within easy driving distance of many others.
Take a look at the following pages for more information on what to do in the area. The cottage is well equipped with guides, maps and leaflets as well as board games and books for those days when you just don't fancy an adventure out.
Undiscovered Scotland NE Index
Aberdeenshire & Banffshire Coast
Historic Scotland (use AB45 2UE in search facility)