Morayshire is known the world over as whisky country but there is much more to the area than just whisky. Situated on the fertile plains along the coast of the Moray Firth, Morayshire can offer something to everyone, whether you want sandy beaches, history, shopping, golf or just the great outdoors. The city of Elgin is the centre of things with all of the shops and amenities that you might need on holiday. Founded in 1224, the cathedral was known as 'The Lantern of The North' before it was attacked and burned by The Wolf of Badenoch in 1390. Today, Historic Scotland welcomes visitors to the cathedral and tells the fascinating, sometimes scandalous story of The Wolf's reign of terror in the North East. http://www.historic-scotland.net.

Johnstons of Elgin have spun wool and cashmere in the city for more than two centuries. Their mill, shop and visitor centre is open daily and offers tours around the mill where you can learn about cashmere production before visiting their coffee shop to sample some of our local specialities. http://www.johnstonscashmere.com/.

Speyside is the perfect base for visiting one of the long sandy beaches on the coast which, more often than not are deserted. Culbin Forest is a nature reserve owned by the forestry commission and has miles of waymarked paths and nature trails, many of them leading to the beach. Birdwatchers will love the area too, Culbin Forest even has it's own bird observatory on Duck island! We have spent many happy hours exploring Culbin Forest and the great thing is that there is so much there for everyone. Families will enjoy the waymarked trails which tell the story of the forest, on information boards. If you want to get away from it all, just head for the sandspit called 'The Bar'. http://forestry.gov.uk/culbin.

Dolphin watching is not something that comes to mind when you think of Scotland but The Moray Firth has it's own school of bottle-nosed dolphins which can be seen year round from any vantage point along the coast. The Moray Firth Wildlife Centre at Spey Bay organises dolphin watching trips from its visitor centre at Tugnet at the mouth of the River Spey. It is also the headquarters of the annual Environmental Festival http://mfwc.co.uk. Further along the coast at Buckie, The Buckie Drifter maritime heritage centre tells the story of the fishing industry and the steam powered 'drifters' which were once the mainstay of the local economy. http://www.moray.gov.uk/area/bdrifter/intro.html.

The aquarium at Macduff and The Lighthouse museum at Fraserburgh are well worth a day trip and a day out along this part of the coast has the added benefit of taking in fishing villages such as Crovie (pronounced Crivie) where you must leave your car at the top of the hill and walk down -you'll understand why when you get there! Pennan is just around the headland of Troup Head and was the setting for the 1984 film Local Hero starring Burt Lancaster, Jenny Seagrove and Dennis Lawson. http://www.scotlandthemovie.com/movies/pennan.html. The area has long been a golfers paradise with courses to suit all levels from pitch and putt for the family to the international links course at Nairn. In between there are courses at Elgin, Rothes, Spey Bay, Lossiemouth and Dufftown to name but a few. Further afield you are spoiled for choice at Newmachar, Grantown on Spey, Inverurie, Huntly, Fraserburgh....the list is almost endless. If golf isn't your sport, you can go horseriding instead or enjoy outdoor pursuits at Loch park outdoor centre. For the most energetic of you, skiing and snowboarding at Aviemore and The Lecht are both within an hours drive whilst hillwalkers are well catered for both locally and further afield in The Cairngorms. We are both keen hillwalkers and will be happy to advise on walks for all abilities.

At the last count there were about 300 castles in Grampian. Some, like Ballindalloch and Cawdor are still family homes and a visit there offers a real insight into the grand country house way of life. http://www.ballindallochcastle.co.uk. http://www.cawdorcastle.com. Other castles like Auchindoun and Findlater are ruins but offer no less an experience for those willing to go a little off the beaten track to find them. The grandest of all is Balmoral, the Queens summer residence which is about an hours scenic drive over the Ladder hills. Visitors are welcomed to Balmoral from 1st April to the end of July every year. http://www.balmoralcastle.com

Last but not least is Whisky, and with 50% of Scotlands whisky distilleries within 28 miles you won't be disappointed. The Whisky Trail is the worlds only trail devoted to single malt whisky and takes in 8 distilleries as well Speyside Cooperage. These distilleries offer organised tours and tastings which are ideal for the whisky novice to learn about 'The Water of Life'. http://www.maltwhiskytrail.com. They are not the only distilleries that welcome visitors though, The Macallan, Glen Moray and Aberlour all offer tours. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival takes place in May and September each year and has quickly become an established part of the local scene for visitors and locals alike. Many special events take place such as tours to distilleries that are usually closed to visitors, whisky nosing competitions and ceilidhs. There is a real international flavour as people travel from all over the world to sample the unique atmosphere of the area. http://www.spiritofspeyside.com. For anyone with a real love of whisky a visit to Gordon & MacPhails shop in Elgin is a must with hundreds of unique bottlings of local whisky as well as a selection of fine wines and a delicatessen offering local specialities. http://www.gordonandmacphail.com