Roseisle

This beautiful beach seamlessly connects Findhorn and Burghead.

It’s a beautiful, wide strip of smooth sand with a dune bank. It’s punctuated with concrete blocks that were put here in WWII to stop enemies from using the beach as a perfect landing place to offload tanks.

Although many of them have shifted a little in the sands, they form a very neat and uninterrupted line stretching for miles. Similar defences can also be seen in Lossiemouth Forest

The beach is a popular place for local families and dog walkers. It is bounded entirely by forestry plantation.

The land is managed by the Forestry Commission and has a car park, toilets, barbecue area, play park, and miles of tracks and trails.

The Moray Coast Trail runs through the forest, and there’s also miles and miles of tracks as you would expect on any Forestry Commission property. As you make your way around the forest, look out for old abandoned buildings, a disused railway line, and an abundance of wildlife.

Pages of the Sea

In 2018, the beach became a giant canvas for Remembrance Sunday. Beaches all around the country participated with artists and members of the public drawing images in the sand to mark the memory of those lost in battle.

The nearby village is called College of Roseisle and has a few residential houses, some small businesses and a village hall.

The Roseisle Maltings and Distillery between the forest and the village are owned by Diageo.

Sculptured seat

On the main pathway from the car park to the beach, you’ll find a paved area with a bench just before you descend onto the sand. This is a peaceful place to rest and take in the views, ideal if you have a wheelchair or just want to sit and relax.

The bench not only serves as a resting place, but it is a pleasant piece of artwork created by Moray sculptor Stuart Murdoch. It is made from locally-quarried Clashach sandstone, shaped to emulate sand dunes and carved with swaying grasses.

The seats and legs on either side are made from oak with the edges carved to resemble waves lapping on the shore, and the legs designed to look like groynes protruding from the sand.

Wartime defences

Along the entire length of the beach from Findhorn to Burghead are concrete blocks. These were put in during World War II to prevent tanks from landing here. You will also find ‘pillboxes’ at regular intervals. These lookout posts were also added as a military defence to keep watch along the coast. Many of these have now sunk partially into the sand.