Moray Council

Moray life

Rich lowland farming, fishing villages, mountains, moors and lochs are the essence of Moray. Stretching from Brodie in the West to Cullen in the East and South to the Cabrach and the Lecht, the area encompasses some of Britain’s most remote and magnificent countryside with an abundance of rich natural beauty and many isolated villages and hamlets. The Rivers Spey, Avon, Deveron and Isla start their journeys high up in the Grampian Mountains and wind their way down to the sea lining our coast.

 

The majority of Moray’s 96,000 population live in and around the towns of Elgin, Forres, Keith, Buckie, Dufftown and Lossiemouth, each with its own strong local identity. The large presence of RAF and Army personnel spread over the RAF base at Lossiemouth and the army at Kinloss contribute significantly to our local economy and culture.

 

Known as Scotland’s Sunshine Coast, Moray is popular with visitors and businesses partly due to its geography and climate. With almost 60% less rain than Scotland as a whole averages a year, Moray takes shelter from the Grampian Mountains to maintain our micro-climate. A popular holiday destination in the Victorian era, Moray is still famed for its drier and sunnier climate than most of Scotland. With near continuous daylight in mid-summer, Moray is a great choice for year-round adventure and living renowned for the friendliness and welcoming attitude from Moravians.

 

The great outdoors

From mountain to sea, we have it all in Moray. If skiing is your thing we’ve got you covered for snow sports.

Prefer the rush of the sea on your surf or paddleboard? We can do that too.

If you’re looking for a weekend hike or pedal there are numerous munros and corbetts, tracks and paths to choose from. You’ll never be stuck for outdoor inspiration in Moray.

The Speyside Way runs from Buckie on the Moray Coast to Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park and links up the communities in the Badenoch & Strathspey area of the Park.

A spur of the Speyside Way runs also from Ballindalloch to Glenlivet and Tomintoul.

The Dava Way runs from Forres near the Moray Coast to Grantown-on-Spey in the Cairngorms National Park.

For more information on Moray Paths and Outdoor Access visit Moray Ways.

Find out loads more here: https://morayspeyside.com/.

 

Sport

With 16 golf courses in Moray there’s ample opportunity to play for leisure or competitively. There are football teams from welfare league to League two that will welcome your support with Inverness and Aberdeen easily accessible on match days too.

Rugby, cricket, lawn bowls, tennis, badminton, swimming, ice sports and so much more is all on your doorstep through private hires and clubs, friendly groups and leisure centres.

 

Culture

Moray’s rich history dating back to the 10th century borders the Banffshire and Highland regions. From textiles to crofting, ancient monuments to modern exhibitions, you’ll find cultural offerings in every town and village in Moray.

Forres is noted for the town’s ancient history as a Royal Burgh, its mysterious Pictish Sueno’s Stone and as the home of the real Macbeth.

The historical ruins of Elgin’s Cathedral, the Lantern of the North, tell of Moray’s infamous Wolf of Badenoch and the local museum houses an impressive collection showing the development of Moray and our contributions to the world.

Keith proudly boasts Scots Toun status alongside some of the most ancient and picturesque bridges and buildings as well as a world famous traditional music festival.

Findhorn hosts an ever-evolving arts festival annually and is just one of many beautiful coastal villages to be discovered along the Moray Coastal Path with their fishing heritage on display.

Of course, Moray is the whisky capital of Scotland with the world renowned Malt Whisky Trail taking you on a memorable journey through the area.

 

Education

There are eight secondary schools and 45 primary schools in Moray with two Independent schools and a University of the Highlands and Islands campus in Elgin.

With over 100 funded early learning and childcare (ELC) providers in the region there is a variety of options to suit families.

We also have an active adult and family learning team offering free support across Moray helping to improve confidence with words and numbers wherever you are in your learning journey.

 

Transport

Moray is around 30 minutes from Inverness airport and 60 minutes from Elgin to Aberdeen airport, both with regular flights to the rest of the UK and Europe.

The railway runs through Moray with stations in Forres, Elgin and Keith on the main line from Inverness to Aberdeen, linking to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

A number of public travel routes are offered by bus from larger urban areas to smaller rural settlements. The council’s own demand responsive service, m.connect, can be booked via the dedicated app and connects the whole of Moray.

An increasing number of active travel routes also now connect Moray towns and countryside villages with more being developed.

 

Healthcare

NHS Grampian cover the Moray area with a number of GP surgeries in local towns and the main hospital, Dr Gray’s, in Elgin.

Health & Social Care Moray delivers a wide range of community health and social care services under the direction of the Moray Integration Joint Board, including: social care services for adults; community hospitals; GP practices; district nursing; health visiting; mental health; drug and alcohol services; occupational therapists; dental, ophthalmic and pharmacy services.