Cruden Bay

Small Aberdeenshire coastal village with a pink-sand beach, golf links, and Dracula-linked Slains Castle.

Cruden Bay is a small coastal village in Aberdeenshire, about 25 miles north of Aberdeen. It has a spectacular sweep of pink-sand beach, a world-class golf links, and the dramatic clifftop ruins of Slains Castle — the building widely believed to have inspired Bram Stoker's vision of Castle Dracula. Stoker spent several summers in the village in the 1890s, writing much of the novel here.

The village was originally known as Ward of Crudane, a name derived from "Slaughter of the Danes" after a battle in 1012 in which King Malcolm II defeated King Canute's forces. The baptismal font from the kirk built jointly by Scots and Danes after the battle survives in St James Church on Chapel Hill.

The golf course, opened in 1899, is regularly ranked among the best links courses in Scotland. If you play, book ahead — it draws golfers from around the world. Even if you do not, the walk along the cliffs from the village to Slains Castle and on to the Bullers of Buchan — a collapsed sea cave that so impressed Samuel Johnson he overcame his habitual disdain for Scottish scenery — is one of the finest short coastal walks in the northeast.

Guide

Getting There

Cruden Bay is 26 miles (42 km) north of Aberdeen, most conveniently reached by car on the A90. The drive from Aberdeen takes about 35–40 minutes. There is no railway; the line from Aberdeen that once served the area, including the branch to Cruden Bay, closed in 1965.

Stagecoach operates bus services from Aberdeen (service 63) to Cruden Bay and the surrounding villages. The bus takes about 1 hour 10 minutes from Aberdeen Union Square. Services run several times daily Monday to Saturday, with limited Sunday provision. Taxis from Aberdeen are an option for those without a car, though the cost is significant.

Guide

Things to Do

Cruden Bay is best known for its golf and its dramatic coastline. The walk to Slains Castle along the clifftops is the standout activity for non-golfers — the ruins are atmospheric and the views up and down the coast are excellent. The beach itself is beautiful and rarely crowded.