Holidays in Cullen

Cullen is famous with foodies for its seafood soup, Cullen Skink. The dish is quite well known beyond the limits of the village and there are plenty of places to buy it frozen or fresh from a restaurant across Scotland. The soup is essentially a smoked haddock and potato chowder - if this sounds like your kind of thing keep an eye out for it on local menus.

Cullen is characterised by a large unused viaduct that runs across the landscape. It was formerly a part of the Great North Scotland Railway. The eight arch section is now Grade B listed after the line closed in 1968. Part of the route further north has been re-appropriated as a part of the Moray Firth Path. It’s an eye-catching landmark and as such is well photographed.

Just 2 miles east along the coast are the ruins of the dramatic Findlater Castle; the rocky remnants are scattered over a forbidding cliff top promontory. The best way to see the castle is from a distance, but visitors do scramble over it although exercising a degree of caution is encouraged on the castle’s website. The ruins are thought to incorporate previous forts but the majority of what can be seen today dates back to the 1500s. Along the path is an example of a doocot (Scots for 'dovecot') also dating from the 1400s that was restored in 1992. There are no amenities at Findlater Castle as it’s essentially a ruin that’s been left to nature.

“Cullen has a lovely harbour and railway viaduct to complement its North Sea views…”

Cullen has a nice long beach which is cut in two by the River Cullen. To the west of the river is the Cullen Golf course and to the east is the suburb of Seatown, the main town and harbour. The town has a few basic amenities like a general store, a few restaurants and pubs. Most interesting is the Cullen Ice Cream Shop! For a good daytime meal, try The Rockpool, that promises a pleasant and relaxed dining experience. The tasty menu looks great and is full of interesting dishes to try out.

We have some lovely holiday cottages in and around Cullen. Why not visit our collection and let us inspire you?