Portknockie, Moray
★★★★
Bow Fiddle Rock is one of the most spectacular landforms on the magnificent Moray coastline. The huge stack is connected to another by a sloping rock arch, with the resulting sculpture variously described as a sinking ship, bow and fiddle or a whale’s tail. If the latter, then the other end of the mammal is at the Whale’s Mouth: an aptly-named, gaping hole of a cave / arch just to the south. This coastal walk visits both with an inland railway line creating a brilliant circular walk. Starting in smaller Portknockie enables a mid-trip visit to The Ice Cream Shop in Cullen on a warm day, or a bowl of Cullen Skink on a cold one. Don’t forget to visit the picturesque harbours in both villages.
Chronological photo guide
Portknockie at the start 
Outward leg along the old railway line 
Cullen Bay from the old railway 
Seatown from Cullen Viaduct 
Seatown & Cullen Bay from Castle Hill 
Cullen town centre 
Seatown from above 
Cullen harbour 
Seatown of Cullen 
Cullen Viaduct 
Cullen Bay 
Cullen Bay 
Cullen Bay 
Looking ahead to the west end of the bay 
Coast path at the west end of the bay 
Rock formations 
Whale’s Mouth arch 
Whale’s Mouth arch 
Looking back over Cullen Bay 
Coastal scenery near Bow Fiddle Rock 
Bow Fiddle Rock 
Bow Fiddle Rock 
Portknockie harbour 
Return through Portknockie
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: NJ 490684
GPS coordinates: 57.702542,-2.857575
Bus to Portknockie (or to Cullen at a different point on the route)
Street parking
Key info
8 km / 5 mi | ▲ 110 m |
2.5 hr
Features:
Portknockie ★★;
Whale’s Mouth arch;
⬤ Moderate | Surfaced railway bed for outward leg with path detour to Castle Hill; sandy beach then clear coastal path with some ascent / descent for return.
Anticlockwise circuit: start & Portknockie – old railway line – Cullen viaduct – short detour to Castle Hill – Cullen Square – Cullen harbour – Cullen Bay – Whale’s Mouth arch – Bow Fiddle Rock – Portknockie harbour – start
On our last visit
Wildlife: Shags, seagulls, stonechats. Sheep near Castle Hill.
Weather: Often sunny with some cloudy periods, 15°C with moderate winds. This area has a benign microclimate, often making it a good area to escape heavy rain elsewhere in Scotland when the wind direction is from the southwest.
September 2021
