Travel

F someone had told me I was going to have a sunshine break on the east coast of Scot- land at the end of February, I don’t think II would have believed it. Armed with walk- ing boots and waterproofs, I headed North with my partner Sean for a weekend of outdoor activities and gastronomic goodness during a whistle-stop tour of the Speyside region. The area lies east of Inverness and Nairn, set high in the National Park, and is known as Malt Whisky country, with more than half of ’s distilleries located along the and surrounding area. It boasts some breath-taking scenery, where Beautiful: Califers Point, left. The River the countryside meets a coastline famous for at Randolph's Leap, Speyside bottlenose dolphins and is often referred to as the Northern Riviera, due its mild, dry climate and long summer days. There are good train links from the North-East to Inverness, where a regular bus service runs to and from the Moray area. We chose to tackle the 300-mile journey by car, which took around seven hours, but also Speyside special took in some the most beautiful scenery I have seen in the UK. We stayed at the Cluny Bank Hotel, in For- res, during our two-night stay and were given the warmest of welcomes from the owners, Helen Smithson takes offfor a foray into the wilds of Scotland Lloyd and Julia, on our arrival. The meal in the hotel’s award-winning Franklin’s Restaurant to provide environmentally and socially re- visitors’ centre, located near Randolph’s Leap, and kayak session on the Findhorn. Despite was one of the highlights of the weekend. sponsible holidays, day trips and workshops. which specialises in promoting Scottish crafts- some gentle coaxing from the instructors, I’m Despite arriving more than one hour after After a tour of Newbold House, which de- manship and produce, and includes a cosy cafe ashamed to say I pulled out of the activity hav- last orders were taken for the restaurant, chef scribes itself as “a place for education, healing with delicious home-made cakes, second-hand ing barely dipped an oar into the water, but Lloyd kindly kept the kitchen open for us and and spiritual transformation”, that aims to de- book shop and antiques store. Sean took to it like the proverbial duck. served up a delicious three-course meal. His velop and teach skills for sustainable living, we The Kimberley Inn, in nearby Findhorn, was One of the things that struck me during the passion for food is obvious as we started dis- spent the morning seal spotting with Deborah the next port of call for our evening meal. Sev- trip was how refreshing it was to see business- cussing the impressive menu, which changes at Findhorn Bay. We were in luck, as there were eral people we met during the day had told us es working together to help promote each other, monthly, and only uses the best local produce. dozens of seals basking on the rocks by the low good things about the food there, so our ex- rather than competing against each other. With The accommodation is colourful, comfort- tide mark. pectations were high. the threatened closure of RAF Lossiemouth able and spotlessly clean and the cosy bar area We headed back to Newbold House for a The pub, which overlooks the bay, specialis- nearby, which could result in the loss of hun- manages to effortlessly combine the feeling of home-cooked and home-grown organic lunch es in local seafood and, after dining on their dreds of jobs, the tourism industry has never being in someone’s front room and a smart followed by a thoroughly enjoyable fire-light- winter fish broth, packed full of scallops, been so important to the area as it is now. hotel bar. ing lesson using natural materials and fire prawns, haddock and mussels, I would be in- The late winter sun was shining brightly as steels that afternoon. The daytime activities clined to agree. morayspeyside.com Sean and I headed to Newbold House, in For- were rounded off with a walk and nature con- On Sunday morning, we visited rafting spe- newboldhouse.org res, on Saturday, for an action-packed day with nection exercise at Randolph’s Leap by the cialists Ace Adventures, which offer a wide wildatheart-ecoholidays.com Wild At Heart – a small business which offers River Findhorn, and we watched the sun set range of land and water-based activities on the clunybankhotel.co.uk wildlife watching trips, nature retreats and at Califers Point, which offers stunning River Findhorn and the Strathspey, varying in aceadventures.co.uk family holidays. Founded by marine biologist panoramic views across the bay. categories from mild to wild. kimberleyinn.com Deborah Benham in 2008, Wild At Heart aims Also worth a mention is the Logie Steading Our water sport of choice was a mild canoe logie.co.uk

northernecho.co.uk WEEKEND 23