☰Fochabers

Fochabers is well placed for exploring the wider Speyside and Moray coast. Elgin, 10 miles west, is the main town and has the best range of shops, restaurants, and the magnificent ruined cathedral.

The Speyside Whisky Trail is the most obvious excursion. The signposted Malt Whisky Trail takes in nine distilleries in the Spey valley, from Aberlour and Cardhu to the south up to Benromach near Forres. Dufftown, about 20 miles south, is the heart of it — seven distilleries within a mile of the market square, including Glenfiddich, which runs an excellent visitor experience and free tours. A full circuit of the main distilleries takes the better part of a day; pick two or three and go deeper rather than skimming all of them.

Spey Bay, about 8 miles north along the Speyside Way, is where the river meets the sea. There is a wildlife centre run by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, and the Moray Firth here is one of the best places in Britain to watch bottlenose dolphins from the shore. The shingle at the river mouth is also good for sea trout fishing when conditions are right.

Pluscarden Abbey lies about 15 miles west, just south of Elgin. Founded in 1230, it is one of only two medieval monasteries in Britain still occupied by its original religious order — Benedictine monks who sing the daily offices and welcome respectful visitors. The approach through a wooded valley is beautiful.

Fochabers sits on the A96, the main road between Aberdeen (about 60 miles east) and Inverness (about 60 miles west). It is easy to find by car and most visitors pass through rather than specifically heading for it — but it is worth stopping.

The nearest train stations are Elgin (10 miles west) and Keith (10 miles south), both on the Inverness-Aberdeen line. A bus service connects Elgin and Aberdeen along the A96, stopping in Fochabers. From Elgin, the journey by bus takes around 20 minutes.

There is no train station in Fochabers itself; the branch line that served the village closed in 1966. A car makes getting around the wider Speyside area significantly easier, particularly for visiting distilleries and the river walks downstream.

Fochabers punches above its size. The Baxters heritage centre and Gordon Castle walled garden are the two main draws, but the village itself — a well-preserved Georgian grid on the Spey — repays a slow walk, and the river and its surroundings offer excellent walking.

Fochabers and the Speyside valley are at their best from late April through September. The weather in this part of Moray is drier than the west coast of Scotland — the area sits in a rain shadow — and summer days can be genuinely warm. July and August are busy at the Baxters centre and along the Speyside Way.

Spring and early summer are good for the Gordon Castle walled garden, which comes into full production from June onwards. Autumn brings the salmon runs on the Spey, which draw anglers from across the world; the river is at its most dramatic in October when the water levels rise. The Speyside Whisky Festival, based in Aberlour and Dufftown, takes place in late April or early May and is a useful reason to time a trip to the region.

Winter is quiet and perfectly serviceable for a short stop, but several attractions reduce their hours or close from November to March. Check ahead before making a special journey.