Findlater Castle to Portsoy and back – 11 miles
Trail Date: April 19, 2023
Method of travel: Cycle
Today I am joined by my new assistant (a.k.a. my husband)! He will be with me for more of the journey, since I hired him full-time as of April 2023.
Before doing this leg of the journey, I researched it heavily to find out if it was suitable for mountain bikes. I couldn’t find anything. No trail reviews or explanations that were helpful. So I hope this post helps someone else out there who wants to ride this trail in the future.
First of all – YES, it’s doable on a mountain bike. With caveats, which I’ll explain as I go.
To start, there’s a small parking lot south of the Findlater Castle viewpoint. From here there is a dirt path down to the castle which is a joy to ride. Along the way, look left to see the 15th century doocot (pigeon house).
Above the castle you can either turn left down to Sunnyside Beach, or right to go down to the castle. You cannot ride to the castle, so you’ll have to leave your bikes here before descending. The castle itself is impressive despite being in ruins and the view from the top of the castle is one of the best in Scotland in my opinion.
In mid-april, the brilliant gorse put on a show all over the cliffs, emphasizing the beautiful greens and turquoise below.
We didn’t go down to the castle, since we had a long ride ahead. But (spoiler) we did return to spend a few hours exploring the castle which I’ll share later in this post. Originally we planned to ride eastward along the coast, but a couple of riders at the castle told us the path had caved in and was closed. So we had to retrace our steps back to the car park then down the single track road to Sandend. This road was mostly downhill which was enjoyable, but in the back of my mind I was dreading the ride back.
At Sandend there is a small parking lot with public toilets and a footpath to the beach. You can either ride along the hard packed sand of the beach, or take the trail through the dunes. We found the dunes were hard going, with some sections unridable. But it doesn’t take long before you reach the other end, at which there is a small stream to pass (with stepping stones). Then we realized our first major hurdle of the trail.
At the east end of the beach, the trail passes some old WW2 bunkers before climbing up steep stone steps through the gorse. We carried our bikes up the steps with great effort and were rewarded with beautiful views down to the glistening turquoise water. The scent of gorse filled our nostrils which struggled for air after the “stairmaster.”
The path through the gorse then climbs and is narrow in places, which makes pushing a bike tricky (but doable). I recommend wearing long sleeves and trousers/leggings to avoid being shredded by the gorse thorns.
Finally at the top, a leisurely ride begins with beautiful views. There are several promontories from here to Portsoy, and the trail rises and dips along many small hills. The trail meanders between gorse on the left and farmland on the right.
There are a few spots of interest along the way, such as sea stacks and beautiful cliffs with nesting seabirds, including Shags.
There are also a few precarious moments when the trail turns very rocky and hugs a steep drop. At those times we pushed our bikes, as we aren’t confident yet to tackle such obstacles.
After the stairmaster, it’s only about 2.5 miles to Portsoy. We navigated our way to Co-Op for some chocolate then found a quiet street to enjoy our packed lunches. There are a lot of cool buildings in Portsoy, including the oldest harbour on the Moray Firth. The streets were very narrow at times and packed with cars, so be careful where you ride.
We bought some tape to make a small fix on my bike, then returned to the trail.
I enjoyed some painting along the way, but we were hurried along by the threat of ticks.
The ride back to Sandend was most enjoyable, as there were long stretches of downhill.
After descending the stairmaster, we walked our bikes down the beach, enjoying the views and sunshine.
Then began the worst part of all, the ride back up towards Findlater Castle car park…a mile of uphill. Just steep enough to burn the entire way.
Thankfully, we had plenty of snacks waiting for us in the car. But we were completely exhausted. Rather than risk shaky legs on the ledges of Findlater Castle, we decided we’d return soon to explore.
Two Days Later
Arriving again at Findlater Castle on a beautiful sunny day, we were shocked as we walked down the same dirt path into a wall of haar (sea fog).
What was previously a gorgeous view of the castle surrounded by sparkling turquoise water was now a cloud. But we knew this would provide a unique experience at the castle, so we continued on.
We stepped carefully down the path, and by now I was practically foaming at the mouth to paint everything in sight. It was an artist’s dream come true. The castle ruins were barely visible against the dense fog. Gulls and Shags chattered from nearby cliff nests as we walked towards to top of the castle.
Since I’m not a fan of heights, my heart was pounding as we approached the top of the castle ruins. It’s nestled into the side of the promontory with a steep drop of at least 50 feet on both sides. Imagine how the builders did this by hand hundreds of years ago??
We wandered around silently for a while, admiring the beauty and eerie atmosphere.
It was an odd feeling, to stand at the top of the promontory, listening to the sound of water on stone but unable to see the waves below. Gulls swooped in an out of the dense fog as I sat down to paint some rocks.
Soon the sun began to burn off the fog, and we caught a glimpse of the castle in the light. I had wanted to paint it while the fog drifted around, so I rushed over to find a good spot. I painted as quickly as I could, but unfortunately the fog was nearly gone within 20 minutes. The results of my sketches frustrated me, but I had to remind myself that it’s OK. I was in an absolutely epic location doing what I love. No room for being bummed out.
So I packed up and decided it was time to explore the castle.
Findlater Castle was originally built in the 13th century. Over the centuries it was besieged by the Norse as well as Mary Queen of Scots’ forces. It changed ownership many times until eventually it was abandoned in favour of more modern estates.
It’s amazing how much of this medieval castle remains today. You can even walk inside a couple of the rooms, with caution. I couldn’t help but picture the floors collapsing or the entire thing tumbling off the edge of the cliff, so I didn’t stay inside long.
As the fog lifted, we were treated to spectacular views of the coast in both directions. This area is as dramatic as they come and worth viewing on a sunny day. The clear turquoise waters almost look tropical at times – but don’t let it fool you. It’s barely above freezing this time of year!
We watched the seabirds for a long time. Gulls, Shags, and Razorbills nest on these cliffs. The Shags dive deep into the water and suddenly surface a few meters away.
It was a spectacular day that will stay in my memory for a long time to come. I plan on returning to paint again more than once.
