St John's Church, Gamrie

The ruined kirk of St John sits high on the cliff above Gardenstown, with one of the most spectacular kirkyard views in north-east Scotland — straight out across Gamrie Bay and the Moray Firth. The present ruin dates mostly from the 16th and 17th centuries, but the site is far older, with foundations going back at least to medieval times.

Access is on foot from a small parking area off the back road above Gardenstown. The walk down is short but the ground around the gravestones is uneven and exposed, so wear sensible shoes. Among the lichened slabs are several memorials to local fishing families lost at sea — a quiet, sobering counterpoint to the view.

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A story
According to local tradition the original church was founded around 1011 to give thanks for a Scottish victory over Danish raiders at the Battle of the Bauds. Three skulls of defeated Danes were once built into the church wall — a grim relic that survived into the 19th century before disappearing.