Banff has two beaches that bookend the town. To the west, Banff Links is a half-mile of golden sand backed by dune grassland, with a caravan park, a children's play area, and a surf club that hires wetsuits and boards. A coastal path runs west from the Links past the curious Red Well — a chalybeate spring with a small stone canopy locally claimed to be Roman — and on to the converted fishing harbour at Whitehills.
To the east, Banff Bay Beach at the mouth of the Deveron is smaller and more sheltered, an easy stroll from the town centre and reliably busy with wading birds and the occasional seal.
The North Sea here is cold even in midsummer — wetsuits aren't optional if you're swimming or surfing.