Fortunate Femme

The second leg of our Scottish adventure took us from Edinburgh to our beautiful, secluded AirBnB cottage up north on the whiskey trail.  We checked in to our place, and headed to the northern coast to explore Clashach Cove.

First, I need to share this magical little cottage with you. It’s comfortable and luxurious. The finishings, the decor, the complimentary whiskey tasting, the outdoor space for the kids to just run around and play…no wonder the place tends to be booked solid. There is even a hammock and 2 separate fire pits. We got lucky, as we were only staying for two weeknights. Otherwise, this is a place you’ll want to book well in advance.

We didn’t get to visit any distilleries since we were with kids and were only visiting for a short time. The area is also known for it’s fly-fishing. Not my bag, but I have this romantic image of returning here as an occasional retreat once we live in France.  My husband can go fly-fishing while I learn to paint…or something.  The place is just idyllic. I definitely want to go back.

Once we got settled in, we headed about 45 minutes up to the northern Moray Coast. After some research and guidance from our AirBnb host’s recommendations, we found Clashach Cove (also known as Primrose Bay or Cove Bay). My research told me that this area held some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. After this visit, I believe it.

Clashach Cove is a secluded beach near the seaside village of Hopeman, with rock formations created from millions of years of erosion. It’s adjacent to a sandstone quarry which has supplied sandstone for things like the 9/11 memorial and the Sagrada Familia.

Always with an eye on kid friendly activities, I chose Clashach Cove because it was known for its fun rockpooling. I wasn’t even sure what rockpooling was. Turns out, it’s a super fun way for the kids to explore the beach without actually going in the water (it’s cold up north). They climbed across the rocks, explored caves, and looked for sea creatures in the shallow pools.  It is a photographer’s dream. Speaking of photographers, this one does a great job of capturing how special this place is.

After having visited Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, we were able to appreciate even more the significance of the area’s geology and just how old these rock formations are.

The whole family had a blast, enjoying some wholesome nature exploration and appreciation.

We drove into Lossiemouth for dinner at The Beach Bar. This place was unique to me in that it’s a sports bar, but has a nice room facing the ocean.  The service is slow, but thankfully, I was able to take my youngest out while we waited for the bill.  We checked out the shore, and found a little playground right next door, which made for some magic moments together as he tried the classic metal spinning satellite dish looking ride. He fell off, but he got back on again, and that’s all that matters!