​Cruden Bay | Golf & the inspiration of Dracula | Dallaswear

Cruden Bay

Cruden Bay is a little seaside village in Aberdeenshire. Popular with day trippers, the main attraction is undoubtedly the beautiful unspoilt beach. The Bay of Cruden, as it is known, is the 2.5km expanse of pink sandy beach that attracts water sport lovers, day trippers and sea fishers alike.

Cruden Bay is situated approximately 30 miles North of Aberdeen. I have been lucky enough to stay in Cruden Bay on several occasions. In my experience, it is a quiet and beautiful place to visit. There’s nothing like heading down to the harbour of an evening to watch the sunset. With the big expanse of beach and sand dunes, and equally big sky, the light seems to change by the minute. Cruden Bay is the only place I have found gooseberries growing in the wild. They were beside the river that leads to the beach. It’s the little things like this, along with great company, that make memories to treasure.

These days Cruden Bay is a tranquil spot. In the year 1012, however, times were very different. It was during this year that a battle took place between the Scots and the Danes. “Cruden” from the Gaelic Croch Dain translates as “Slaughter of the Danes”.

The last time we visited, a few years ago now, it was lovely to see fishing nets strung up to dry in the sea breeze. It would once have been a very ordinary sight but with the decline of fishing and being visitors to the area it had a very nostalgic feel. I recently spoke to someone who lives near Cruden Bay who says it’s not something that you see anymore, which is a great shame but a sign of the times.

Close to Cruden Bay are the remains of Slains Castle. Originally built in 1597 by the Earl of Erroll, the castle has been adapted and reconstructed throughout the years. The Erroll family were a very influential family in the area at the time. Having had various owners, the castle roof was removed in 1925 to avoid paying taxes and now the castle stands in ruins. It was famous during the 19th Century as a haunt of celebrities of the time. The most famous was Bram Stoker, the author of “Count Dracula”. Written in 1897, it is believed that Slains Castle was the inspiration of the story. The castle featured in the television series “The Crown” as a stand in for Castle Mey. It’s definitely worth a visit. Who wouldn’t want a photograph or two of Dracula’s Castle?

The Cruden Bay Golf Club has a long history. It was founded in 1791 at its original site, Port Erroll. There it remained for more than a century before relocating, in 1899, to its present home among the massive sand dunes at Cruden Bay. The beautiful panoramic views add another dimension to this course, as does the ever-changing direction of the wind blowing in from the North Sea! With nine holes it is well known in the golfing world and has won many awards. Rated 61st best course in the world by the Links Magazine and Number 2 in 2012 for Top Fun Courses in Great Britain and Ireland by Golf World Magazine. In 2012 it also received the top award for Golf Tourism Scotland.

For Nature lovers, another great place to visit while in the area is Forvie National Nature Reserve. The sand dunes at Forvie are amazing and are some of the largest in Britain. Because of the dunes, the coastline here is dramatic. The changing winds and the tides have shaped and reshaped the landscape here. Birds are attracted to the mudflats of the Ythan Estuary and seals are here all year round. The last time we visited was in the month of October and although the wind was “bracing” it was a fantastic day. The seals were everywhere, hauled out on the sand and bobbing about in the cold North Sea. It was wonderful to see so many of these beautiful, inquisitive, animals.

From Cruden Bay a 2.75-mile coastal walk brings you to the Bullers of Buchan. This is an interesting location as there is a massive blow hole with several natural arches. These have formed as the result of a sea cave collapse. The path is muddy at times and close to an unprotected cliff edge so caution is required. The cliffs are a nesting site for colonies of seabirds including shags, razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, great black backed gulls, herring gulls and everybody’s favourite, puffins. At times there are eider ducks, which make a lovely noise, and often dolphins can be seen a little further out to sea.

Cruden Bay is a lovely place to visit and there are lots of towns and villages close by that will be of interest. Aberdeen has museums, beautiful architecture and lots of shops. Peterhead has interesting museums and the countryside is beautiful. With an abundance of outdoor activities to chose from and lots of amazing wildlife Aberdeenshire surely has something for everyone.