Photos and the City

Tag: UK

  • Clashach Cove

    Walking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach Cove
    Hopeman Ice House

    In a time when we shouldn´t go outside I would like to invite you to a virtual walk along the Moray Coastal Walk. Switch on the sound of the Scottish Coast here: Sounds of Scotland and let´s start!

    Moray Coast Trail

    Beginning inland at the fine country town of Forres, it soon hits the coastline at Findhorn, famed for its eco-community. From here the coastal walking begins across the forested back of the vast Burghead Bay.

    The section from Burghead to Lossiemouth has some superb clifftop walking with great seaviews. Further on is Spey Bay, renowned for its dolphins, the ship-building heritage of Buckie and finally a string of picturesque former fishing villages leads on to Cullen, just over 72km from the start. (Walkhighlands)

    Walking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach Cove

    I started at Hopeman Beach and walked in direction of Lossiemouth with Clashach CoCoveve (Cove Bay) as my destination. Passing by the colourful beach-huts I took a different path than all the other times walking along the beach.

    Walking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach Cove

    Slowly climbing up the cliffs..

    Walking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach Cove

    Until I already saw Clashach Cove, a beautiful secluded beach with a few caves.

    Clashach Cove (Cove Bay)

    Walking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach Cove

    I went once around the bay and also a bit further towards Lossiemouth but didn’t really found a pathway going down to the beach. I kept looking until I saw a few people back climbing up trough all the bushed and thistles and I didn´t have the right shoes and clothes for that. The path seemed to be hidden very well!

    But the view from above was lovely!

    Walking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach Cove

    Clashach Cove is an interesting area for geologists, the “old red” sandstone as formed around 360 to 415 million years ago and the “newer” red sandstone is about 200 to 300 million years old.

    The is a quarry behind the bay where sandstone has been extracted for building use since the early 1800s. It was also recently used in the construction of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, the 9/11 memorial in New York and for Antoni Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

    Walking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach Cove

    I made my way back towards Hopeman and continued a bit in direction to Burghead.

    Walking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach CoveWalking the Moray Coastal Walk between Hopman and Clashach Cove

  • Lossiemouth

    Lossiemouth 1

    East Lossiemouth Beach

    Lossiemouth was kind of the neighbouring village of Hopeman and I heard a lot of things about the amazing East Beach, so I definitely had to check it out.

    Lossiemouth 2

    It looked very promising but then the bridge to the beach was closed and the was no other possible way to access it. So I changed my plans and did a walk around Lossiemouth instead.

    Lossiemouth 3

    Lossiemouth is often called the “jewel of the Moray Forth”, surrounded by two stunning beaches, dunes and wonderful landscape. And a lovey town…

    Lossiemouth 4Lossiemouth 5

    Originally the port belonged to Elgin and Lossiemouth became an important fishing town. There have been settlements in the area for around 1000 years, the current settlement developed over the last 250 years.

    The Seatown was established at the end of the 17th century when the old port at Spynie became landlocked. A succession of storms had built up large shingle banks to block the outlet of Loch Spynie to the sea. (Wikipedia)

    Lossiemouth 6Lossiemouth 7

    Lossiemouth 8Lossiemouth 9Lossiemouth 10Lossiemouth 11

  • Spynie Palace

    Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.

    Spynie Palace – Scotland´s largest surviving medieval bishop’s house, the former residence of the Bishops of Moray for around 500 years. Used by royalty travelling the area as a guesthouse.

    Spynie Palace was for 500 years the seat of the bishops of Moray. During that time, the palace stood on the edge of Spynie Loch, a sea loch with safe anchorage for fishing boats and merchant vessels. A thriving settlement developed nearby. (Historic Enviroment Scotland)

    Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.

    The bishops of Moray established their residence in Spynie in the late 1100s, around 1207 Bishop Brice choose the church of Spynie as his cathedral. And even so, his successor, Bishop Andrew, built a new cathedral in the nearby Elgin, the bishops continued to live in Spynie.

    Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.

    David´s Tower

    The oldest surviving buildings of Spynie Palace from around 1300 are the remains of a first-floor hall and a chapel. Today it is David´s Tower that dominates the complex.

    It measures 19m by 13.5m externally and rises to a height of 22m, making it one of the largest tower houses ever built in Scotland. The great tower had a first-floor front entrance and six storeys. (Historic Enviroment Scotland)

    From the top of the tower, one has an amazing view all over the area.

    Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.

    By 1500 a new great hall was erected and two more towers added.

    The last Bishop of Moray, William Hay, was appointed in 1688. The following year an Act of Parliament ruled that the Church of Scotland should henceforth be a presbyterian church, and all existing bishops, including William Hay, lost their jobs. (Undiscovered Scotland)

    Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin. Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.

    Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.

    The conflicts in the 17th century led to the decline of Spynie Palace and it took until the 19th century to have some preservation initiatives. Today it is under the care of the Historic Environment Scotland.

    Spynie Palace the fortified residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin.