Findochty
Encyclopedia
Findochty is a village in Banffshire
, Scotland
, 4 miles east of the town of Buckie
.
Findochty (known locally as 'Finechty') stands on the shores of the Moray Firth
. The Gaelic name of the village was recorded by Diack in his own transcription method as fanna-guchti which is unclear in meaning. With its painted cottage
s, a scenic harbour overlooked at the west by the local war memorial, and at the east by the white painted Church of Scotland
, Findochty is a jewel of the north east of Scotland.
The village has basic amenities including a pub, small supermarket, library, and a pharmacy
. There is a caravan
site at the west of the village, conveniently sited near The Admirals pub. The caravan site has facilities for touring caravans and camping
. There are some fixed pitch vans on site. The caravan park looks out onto a rock formation known as the Edindoune, and a bay past which the schools of Moray Firth dolphins can sometimes be seen. For sailors, there is a well serviced marina
, with ample pontoon
s. The harbour is well protected from the elements by sturdy quays, one of which is topped with a small lighthouse
.
There are coastal walks both east and west. To the east are cliffs, studded with caves. The cliffs are the home to myriad seabirds. There are substantial rock formations such as the Priest Craigs, and the Horses Head. West of the village lies the 18 hole Strathlene golf course which caters for day members. The golf course is bounded to the north by coastal footpaths and low cliffs, making the errant drive from some tees particularly costly. At the south side of the course lies the road linking Findochty to Portessie
and Strathlene
. Adjacent to this can be seen the remains of a small castle, or keep. Access to the castle is not normally permitted as it is located in the midst of a working farm.
Many of the villagers work in the oil and gas industry - as is true of much of the surrounding area - due to its reasonable proximity to Aberdeen
.
have two meeting rooms as their church halls are generally known. There is also a Methodist church. The Plymouth Brethren at Station Road Hall have an annual Bible Conference every September which draws Christians from all parts of the British Isles and many overseas countries. Details of this are found on the BibleCentre website http://www.biblecentre.org.
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, 4 miles east of the town of Buckie
Buckie
Buckie is a burgh town on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland in Moray. Buckie was the largest town in Banffshire by some thousands of inhabitants before regionalisation in 1975 removed that political division from the map of Scotland...
.
Findochty (known locally as 'Finechty') stands on the shores of the Moray Firth
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
. The Gaelic name of the village was recorded by Diack in his own transcription method as fanna-guchti which is unclear in meaning. With its painted cottage
Cottage
__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
s, a scenic harbour overlooked at the west by the local war memorial, and at the east by the white painted Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
, Findochty is a jewel of the north east of Scotland.
The village has basic amenities including a pub, small supermarket, library, and a pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. There is a caravan
Caravan (travellers)
A caravan is a group of people traveling together, often on a trade expedition. Caravans were used mainly in desert areas and throughout the Silk Road, where traveling in groups aided in defence against bandits as well as helped to improve economies of scale in trade.In historical times, caravans...
site at the west of the village, conveniently sited near The Admirals pub. The caravan site has facilities for touring caravans and camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
. There are some fixed pitch vans on site. The caravan park looks out onto a rock formation known as the Edindoune, and a bay past which the schools of Moray Firth dolphins can sometimes be seen. For sailors, there is a well serviced marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
, with ample pontoon
Pontoon (boat)
A pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float itself as well as a heavy load. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on pontoons to float. Pontoons may be used on boats, rafts, barges, docks, floatplanes or seaplanes. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft. A...
s. The harbour is well protected from the elements by sturdy quays, one of which is topped with a small lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
.
There are coastal walks both east and west. To the east are cliffs, studded with caves. The cliffs are the home to myriad seabirds. There are substantial rock formations such as the Priest Craigs, and the Horses Head. West of the village lies the 18 hole Strathlene golf course which caters for day members. The golf course is bounded to the north by coastal footpaths and low cliffs, making the errant drive from some tees particularly costly. At the south side of the course lies the road linking Findochty to Portessie
Portessie
Portessie is a small fishing village to the east of Buckie on the north-east coast of Scotland. It is commonly nicknamed "the Sloch", due to the name of the original settlement being Rottenslough...
and Strathlene
Strathlene
Strathlene is an area between Buckie and Findochty which has a caravan site facing onto the Moray Firth. At one time the Strathlene House Hotel, a former mansion, was a popular local venue with a pleasant beach leading directly off its lawn. There was also a large outdoor seawater swimming pool...
. Adjacent to this can be seen the remains of a small castle, or keep. Access to the castle is not normally permitted as it is located in the midst of a working farm.
Many of the villagers work in the oil and gas industry - as is true of much of the surrounding area - due to its reasonable proximity to Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
.
Churches
There are a number of churches in this small village, a Church of Scotland congregation. The Salvation Army have an active corps here and the 'Closed' Plymouth BrethrenPlymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
have two meeting rooms as their church halls are generally known. There is also a Methodist church. The Plymouth Brethren at Station Road Hall have an annual Bible Conference every September which draws Christians from all parts of the British Isles and many overseas countries. Details of this are found on the BibleCentre website http://www.biblecentre.org.
External links
- Panorama from Findochty Pier (QuickTime required)