The best cycling routes around King Edward And Gamrie

Whitehills Marina is an award-winning village owned marina on the Moray Firth coast of North-East Scotland. It has great facilities for visiting sailors in a beautiful part of the country. The ideal location presents the opportunity for a one day’s sail to Inverness, Peterhead or Wick.

Inverboyndie is a long, sandy beach to the west of the town of Banff, from where it can easily be reached on the coast path. The beach is popular with walkers and swimmers, and is regarded as one of the best surfing beaches in north-eastern Scotland.

Built as a motte and bailey castle in the 12th century and held by the Comyns, Earl of Buchan. The castle was visited by King Edward I of England in 1296 and also in 1298 after defeating William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The castle was garrisoned with English troops until being captured by the Scots in 1310. It came into the possession of the Sharps, before being sold to Lord Ogilvy of Deskford in 1722. The castle then passed into the hands of the Russells. The old castle was demolished and a mansion house designed by architect John Adam was built in 1750. The remains of the old castle are a scheduled ancient monument.

The church (formerly known as St Mary's) dates from 1778. It is attached to the current hall complex which was built in the 1930s. In the late 1920s a chancel was added, to which the organ was removed. The Roman Doric pilastered tower and tall Gibbsian spire, a prominent landmark, was added in around 1828.

Prior to 1768, the kirk-going inhabitants of Down walked each Sunday to the Parish Church of Gamrie, a distance of some 8 miles. In that year, a building in Schoolhill was fitted out as a chapel. This was the first church building in the town. Interesting details are recorded regarding the erection of a steeple at the cost of 1.15 and the provision of a bell at a cost of 8 guineas. Prior to 1768, the kirk-going inhabitants of Down walked each Sunday to the Parish Church of Gamrie, a distance of some 8 miles. In that year, a building in Schoolhill was fitted out as a chapel. This was the first church building in the town. Interesting details are recorded regarding the erection of a steeple at the cost of 1.15 and the provision of a bell at a cost of 8 guineas. By the end of the 18th century, a larger building was needed to accommodate the increasing church membership and in 1805 the Church on its present site was built with the support and encouragement of the Earl of Fife.

Category B listed granite cross incorporating small carved plaque at apex, inscribed narrow slabs as arms mounted on square tooled granite plinth. Carving on apex depicts a figure on horseback and bears the arms of the Earl of Fife. Dated 1783 but incorporating earlier fragments. The cross bears the inscription, on 2 panels one on either side: Macduff Cross. Rebuilt at Macduff by the Earl of Fife, 1783 when the town was constituted a Royal Burgh by George III. May it flourish, increase in number and opulence, ----- while it's inhabitants gain the blessing of life by industry, diligence and temperance." The words on the inscription are taken to refer to the fact that a stone was taken from the ancient Macduff Cross in Fife and built into the Macduff one, to form some sort of symbolic connection between the ancient and modern bearers of the name Macduff. It's adjacent to a large fixed tine iron anchor with wooden crossbeam from a sailing ship.

Banff Bridge carries the A98 across the River Deveron between the coastal towns of Banff and Macduff. The bridge is a 7 arch stone structure which was widened on both sides in 1881 but still carries a comparatively narrow roadway between narrow pavements. The first bridge across the Deveron here was built in 1765, but only lasted three years. The ferry was resumed, but it too succumbed to a storm, and so the new bridge was built.

A fascinating surviving burial ground of medieval origin in the heart of a town. It exhibits an almost theatrical assemblage of memorial art. It is enclosed by low rubble wall with railings and containing late 16th century Banff aisle, burial enclosures and tombstones.