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Lossiemouth

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Lossiemouth is a Town on the Moray Coast area of Scotland, 43 miles east of Inverness, 6 miles north of Elgin.

Lossiemouth is popular for its two Beaches, Museum by the Harbour, Fast Boat Trips, Spynie Palace 3 miles south, and there are a number of Walks in the area including the Moray Way.

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The image top is of St Geradine's Church completed in 1901. This Church sits on a High Point in Lossiemouth on St Geradine's Road, one of the first buildings you see when driving up from Elgin.

The second image is of St James Church also high up on Prospect Terrace. This is the area you get great views over Lossiemouth East Beach, as seen right.

St James Church was originally built in the late 1800s? as the High Free Church. The original St James Church, at St James Square, had structural problems, leading to this Church being taken over to be used as St James Church, a Church of Scotland with connections to St Geradine's Church.

Pitgaveny Street and Clifton Road look over Lossiemouth Harbour and East Beach with Cafes, Firth Hotel & Diner, Marina, and the Lossiemouth Fisheries & Community Museum.

The Footbridge to the East Beach was closed in 2019, with the new bridge completed in 2022. This is one of the top Beaches in Scotland.

The Golf View Hotel is on the west side of Lossiemouth, looking over the Moray Golf Club, where you can have a meal indoors or outdoors while watching Golf.

The Stotfield Hotel also has views over the Moray Golf Course. This Hotel was built in 1895, when Lossiemouth was becoming a popular holiday Town.

The Moray Golf Club is next to Lossiemouth West Beach. This Club was founded in 1889. There are benches around the 18th Green, a great spot to watch the Golf, and Watersports on the Beach below.

The West Beach at Lossiemouth has a Cafe, an area popular for Watersports, then it runs for miles west towards Covesea Lighthouse.

The West Beach has some areas with large Concrete Blocks, placed there during World War Two to prevent German Tanks from being landed on the Beach.

RAF Lossiemouth is on the west side of the Town, where Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4's are based for intercepting Russian Aircraft encroaching on UK airspace.

RAF Lossiemouth was built from 1938, a time when World War Two was breaking out. The Base was mainly used throughout that War for Bomber attacks in Northern Europe. After the War, the Base was used for Aircraft such as Buccaneer, Jaguar, Tornado, and Typhoon, for intercepting Russian Aircraft and Ships. Some of these Aircraft carried Nuclear Weapons.

There is an old Buccaneer Aircraft at the Entrance to RAF Lossiemouth, but you are not allowed near it, or even close to the Entrance without a Loaded Gun pointed at you. There is an area to the north of the Base where you can watch for Typhoon Fighters taking off and landing. You can spend hours or days waiting to see this though.

Spynie Palace is 3 miles south of Lossiemouth, off the road to Elgin. This Palace / Castle was built for the Bishops of Moray from the 1200s. The Palace was abandoned and fell into ruin after the Reformation in 1560 made Catholic Worship in Scotland illegal. Spynie Palace is now preserved to serve as a Tourist Attraction.

Lossiemouth History

800s - there was a Pictish settlement here with Carved Stones from that Settlement held in the Elgin Museum.

900s - a Celtic Hermit named St Geradine lived in a Cave in this area.

1207 - the Bishops of Moray had a small Cathedral and Palace at Spynie, 3 miles south of Lossiemouth.

1296 & 1303 - King Edward I of England stayed at Elgin Castle during the First War of Scottish Independence, a time the English were in control of this area.

1308 - forces of Robert the Bruce began pushing the English out of Scotland, with Bruce becoming King of Scotland.

Lossiemouth evolved with the settlements of Kinneddar, Stotfield, Seatown, and Branderburgh merging.

1380s - records show Lossiemouth was being used as a Fishing and Trading port.

1764 - the Harbour at Lossiemouth was built for for Merchants based in Elgin, so they could bring in larger Trading Ships.

1806 Christmas Day - the three Fishing Boats and most of the Fishermen here died during a Great Storm.

1839 - the Harbour was enlarged for Trading Ships and the Herring Fleet that was building up. The Herring Fleet was made up of small Boats such as two masted Luggers, Skaffies, Fifies, and Zulus.

1852 - the Morayshire Railway opened, connecting Elgin and Lossiemouth. This line was partly funded by the Speyside Whisky Distilleries so they could use the Port of Lossiemouth for transporting Whisky.

This was a busy time for these Railways as Herring Fishing was at its peak.

The area prospered through Fishing, Whisky, and Linen.

1858 - the Railway connecting Inverness and Aberdeen opened with a station at Elgin. This led to an increase in people on Holiday at Lossiemouth with its long West Beach.

1889 - Lossiemouth Golf Club was founded.

1906 - powered Fishing Boats began entering service such as Steam Drifters and Seine Netters.

1918 - the East Beach Footbridge was built to allow people on holiday to use that amazing Beach as well.

1938 - RAF Lossiemouth was built as the Second World War began to spread throughout Europe.

1940s - the Second World War led to most of the Fishing Boats being laid up, with few ever being used again.

1964 - the Elgin to Lossiemouth Railway closed.

2019 - the East Beach Bridge was closed awaiting repairs.

2022 - a new East Beach Bridge was built.

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