Local Info

Gardenstown is a traditional fishing village appoached by steep hills, and Seatown is a cluster of old houses with narrow lanes and many steps - not ideal for those with mobility difficulties.

The active harbour is home to many small boats in the summer season and often forms the centre of village life.

Although we are on the north facing Moray Coast Gardenstown actually looks towards the west and so we enjoy glorious sunsets, which in the high summer months are well after ten o'clock at night!

The old village includes an excellent pub, The Garden Arms, which also serves food (pre-booking advised), bakery and general store, butcher and greengrocer and a small souvenir shop. The newer part of the village, located at the top of the hill, includes a Spar convenience store with fuel.

Car parking is at each end of Seatown, so not immediately adjacent to the cottage, although you may be lucky enough to be able to use one of the few spaces close to the cottage.

At one end of Seatown is the harbour and at the other is the beach. Beyond the beach is an excellent walk up the brae to the remains of tenth century St John's Church and an excellent view of Gardenstown and its surrounds. Past the harbour a short walk leads to Crovie - a small picturesque fishing village where access to all the houses is by foot only.

Banff and Macduff provide local shopping, tourist information, Marine Aquarium, watersports and boat trips, as well as two excellent golf courses.

Gardenstown is an excellent base for the coastline towns and villages and almost deserted beaches both east and west, including Pennan, Portsoy (where there is an annual boat festival), Buckie and Cullen (famous as the home of 'Cullen Skink', a delicious fish soup).

The Castle Trail is very near, and for 'refreshment' there are the Speyside whisky distilleries, many of which are open to visitors.

Aviemore and the Cairngorms make a good day trip, and the more rugged Highlands are not far away.