Cruden Bay

Cruden Bay is a Village on the Aberdeenshire Coast area of Scotland, 26 miles north of Aberdeen, 8 miles south of Peterhead.

Cruden Bay is popular for its long sandy Beach, amazing Golf Course, Bram Stoker and Dracula, Slains Castle 1 mile northeast, Bullers of Buchan nature reserve 2 miles north, and a number of Walks in the Area.

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Camping & Touring Parks in area

The image top is from the Car Park at the small Park next to the Water of Cruden. Cruden Bay Congregational Church seen here was built in 1884. Many of the people now living in Cruden Bay work in the North Sea Oil Industry, commuting between Aberdeen or Peterhead.

A short walk round from the Church is the Harbour and Bridge across to the long sandy Beach.

William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll, from Slains Castle under 1 mile northeast, established the fishing community of Port Erroll in the 1840s. The Settlement that grew around the small Port became known as Cruden Bay.

The Wooden Bridge across the Water of Cruden was built in 1922, with funds raised by local Women, known as Ladies Bridge. That Bridge became unsafe, leading to its closure in March 2015, with a new Bridge completed in July 2015.

The Beach at Cruden Bay is one of the top Beaches in Scotland, running for miles south alongside Cruden Bay Golf Course.

The Small Harbour at Cruden Bay is still referred to as Port Errol, with a Seating Area, Little Beach, Recreational Boats, and Small Fishing Boats, still used for Seasonal Fishing.

In the Village centre is the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel, famous as the place Bram Stoker stayed when he began writing his Dracula Novel in the 1890s.

The St Olaf Hotel is on the south side of Cruden Bay, close to the Golf Course.

Cruden Bay Golf Club is on the south side of Cruden Bay, with the Original Course built in 1899 for the Great North of Scotland Railway, designed by Old Tom Morris of St Andrews, one of the best looking Courses in Scotland.

St James Episcopal Church is about 1 mile south of Cruden Bay on Chapel Hill, completed in 1843.

Cruden Parish Church is about 2 miles southwest of Cruden Bay, built in the 1770s on the site of much earlier Churches, as far back as the 1200s.

New Slains Castle is under 1 mile northeast of Cruden Bay, thought to have inspired Bram Stoker as he wrote his Dracula Novel. This Castle was built from the 1500s for the Hay Family, Earls of Erroll. The Castle fell into ruin in 1925.

There is a Walking Trail from Cruden Bay to the Castle, and a Car Park close to the Castle.

Bullers of Buchan is a Cliff Area with a collapsed Sea Cave 2 miles north of Cruden Bay. There is a Path from Cruden Bay to Slains Castle, then north to the Cliffs. There is also Parking close to the Cliffs, where you can view Sea Birds nesting.
Walk Pics and Information.

Cruden Bay History

1300s - Clan Hay became the largest land owners in the area for their support of King Robert the Bruce, with The Bruce giving them Old Slains Castle, about 5 miles south of where Cruden Bay is today.

1597 - Clan Hay began building New Slains Castle, 1 mile northeast of where Cruden Bay is today.

1770s - Cruden Parish Church was built 2 miles southwest of where Cruden Bay is today.

1791 - the Cruden Bay Golfing Society was founded, playing on the Land by the Beach. This Land is normally referred to as Links, land with Dunes close to the Sea, not suitable for Houses, but ideal for Golf Courses.

1840s - William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll, established the Fishing Community of Port Erroll, with the Village that grew around the small Port being named Cruden Bay.

1843 - St James Episcopal Church was completed 1 mile south on Chapel Hill.

1884 - Cruden Bay Congregational Church was built in Cruden Bay.

1890s - Bram Stoker began taking Holidays at Cruden Bay, with him beginning the writing of his Dracula Novel at that time. Parts of New Slains Castle were used by Stoker when he was describing Castle Dracula.

1897 - the Railway reached Cruden Bay, at a time the Village was a popular Holiday Resort.

1898 - the large Cruden Bay Hotel was built on the south side of Cruden Bay for the Railway Company.

1899 - Cruden Bay Golf Course was built for the Cruden Bay Hotel.

1899 - a Tramway was built between Cruden Bay Train Station and the Cruden Bay Hotel.

1922 - a wooden Bridge was built across the Water of Cruden to make it easier for people to reach the Beach.

1925 - New Slains Castle fell into ruin after the roof was removed to prevent paying Taxes.

1932 - Cruden Bay Train Station closed after being destroyed by fire.

1940 - the Cruden Bay Hotel was taken over by the Military during World War Two, never to re-open.

1947 - the Cruden Bay Hotel was demolished, at a time the population of the Village was declining.

1970s - Wars in the Middle East led to Oil prices rising around the World, leading to a number of companies drilling for North Sea Oil. This led to many High Paid Jobs in the Aberdeen and Peterhead area, with many of these people buying Houses in Cruden Bay.

1975 - an Oil Pipeline from the Forties Oil Field, 110 miles out in the North Sea, was completed, with that Pipeline coming ashore just south of Cruden Bay, then running across land to the Oil Refinery at Grangemouth, 154 miles south.