Aberdeenshire Beaches

In 2021 Balmedie Beach was given a Visit Scotland’s Beach Award for excellence in access, facilities and safety, local environmental quality, and community and heritage. There are BBQ stands and picnic tables available and a child’s play park & toilets. There is also a lovely café on route to the beach where you can enjoy a coffee, cakes & meals or get a takeaway and relax on the beach!

The dunes support a wide range of wildlife amongst the heavy marram grass, including 225 species of birds. There are two streams that cut through the sand dune to enter the sea that creates a habitat for wetland wildlife.

It is the perfect location for catching the mesmerising sunrise, cosied up in a blanket with a breakfast picnic.

The bit of history

The beach is enthralling for WW2 enthusiasts. It was used as a bomb cemetery where unexploded bombs would be cleaned and detonated. There are still remnants of the defences of the war at the beach, including pillboxes & anti-tanks blocks. This is great for a good exploration!

The Menie Estate which is nearby was a minefield during WW2 as protection from a shore invasion. Fragments of land mine were still found during the construction of the Trump Golf Course.

Newburgh Seal Beach (13 mins)

This beach also boasts impressive walks, but this beach and dunes are all about the wildlife. It is one of the best places in the UK for spotting a plethora of marine life.
The Newburgh 400 strong seal colony is a must see and they can be safely viewed from the opposite side of the estuary. Be sure to take you camera as the curious seals will come close for a look at you too!

The area is also a good a place for spotting whales and dolphins which are often seen close to the beach.
There is ample parking and the Ythan golf club offer delicious meals with to die for views, or takeaway breakfast rolls!

The village of Newburgh also has a delightful pub serving delicious meals, walking distance from the beach and further into the village there are more cafés and pubs and a village shop serving ice-cream.

The Forvie National Nature Reserve is just 1 mile from Newburgh and is one of our natural treasures.
The large areas of bare sand and shifting dunes that dominate the southern end of the reserve have been compared to the Sahara Desert. It’s a place of stark beauty.
The reserve covers almost 1,000 hectares of sand dunes between the North Sea and the estuary of the river Ythan. It is home to a rich variety of wildlife. Forvie is particularly renowned for its birds. These include a breeding colony of eiders, four species of breeding terns and a wealth of wildfowl and waders.