Buckie Area Guide

You won’t find many places as charming as the small fishing town of Buckie on the Moray coast. Known for its beautiful scenery and varied wildlife, this little town is a surprisingly busy hub of activity – mostly thanks to its thriving harbour, which is the heart of the town.

There’s much more to Buckie than just fishing though, and anyone would be happy to call this traditional town home.

Things to see and do

If you’re keen to keep in shape, or just enjoy the occasional swim now and again, you’ll be spending a lot of time at Buckie’s leisure centre. Warm up with a swim in the 25-metre swimming pool before hitting the gym equipment. Finally, finish your workout off by relaxing in the sauna and steam room. With a routine like this, going to the gym won’t seem like such a chore any more.

Not everyone wants to run on a treadmill to keep fit, so if you prefer to participate in something a bit more leisurely, why not take up golf? There are two great golf courses in Buckie: Strathlene and Buckpool. The former is one of the oldest courses in the nation – some of the holes are 120 years old! Don’t let this put you off though, as the course is well maintained and proves to be a challenge for golfers of all abilities. You can also enjoy fantastic views of Moray Firth from the cliff top course; you may even be fortunate enough to see some dolphins.

Buckpool golf course, on the other hand, is known as one of Scottish Golf’s best kept secrets. Again, there are spectacular views from up top the course, where you can gaze across Moray Firth and the hills of Caithness. Keen golfers will love the fast and rolling fairways, and the club is very welcoming to all. You don’t even have to play golf if you don’t want to, as the club also has two squash courts and a snooker room.

Local environment

Buckie is so picturesque, it’s perfect for walking. Plus there are plenty of parks, and even a beach, to stroll around in your spare time. Walk to the north east of Buckie to see the beautiful Bow Fiddle Rock near Portknockie, or if it’s wildlife you want to see, head to the beach at the mouth of Spey Bay, as it’s perfect for spotting dolphins, otters and even ospreys.

If you want to learn more about Buckie’s fishing past, pay a visit to the Buckie and District Fishing Heritage Centre. It’s completely free (unless you want to leave a small donation), and it’s home to a collection of over 8,000 photos of the local area, plus a number of artefacts and model boats.

Schools and shopping

There are several primary schools in Buckie, so you’ll have plenty of choice when deciding where to send your little ones. Cluny Primary School has recently been modernised, and as such has plenty of great, key facilities, including a computer and library room, gymnasium and a separate canteen building. The school makes use of Buckie High School’s facilities for sporting events too.

Millbank Primary also boasts excellent facilities, as it has a well-equipped games hall, two libraries and a large playground for running around in. Lastly, St. Peter’s RC Primary School has a very secure playground, so you can be sure your children are always going to be safe. The playground even has a slide, swing and climbing frames.

When the kids grow up, they can attend Buckie High School, a six-year comprehensive which teaches over 900 students and has 100 members of staff. It also has its own swimming pool and leisure complex on site.

Shopping wise, the idyllic town centre offers everything a local resident would need and more, including a yummy cake shop, selling treats that look too good to resist.