We’re finishing our wee series of #HameTownTourist adventures with some impressions of our visit to Bow Fiddle Rock, an iconic rock formation near Portknockie, another fishing village on the Moray Firth between Findochty and Cullen. The coastline in this area is simply stunning: Wide sandy beaches, some dramatic cliffs, coastal formations, and attractive fishing villages. We just love driving along the coastal route and exploring the charming villages.
We guess it is quite obvious where Bow Fiddle Rock has its name from, it does indeed look like the tip of a fiddle bow and is perhaps the most famous rock in Moray. We once came across a still from BFG where a rock formation with a striking resemblance to Bow Fiddle Rock was shown. Whether the rock inspired this scene remains a mystery, but we do know that a certain Vaughan Fleischfresser (#truestory) composed a march dedicated to it.
The rock is indeed a stunning sight. It is made from Cullen Quartzite, a metamorphic rock, which means its original nature was altered by heat or by pressure. The rock is also a nesting place for sea birds such as herring gulls, great black-backed, and lesser black-backed gulls. If you are lucky, you may also spot the famous Moray Firth bottlenose dolphins or porpoises.
Bow Fiddle Rock sits on the Moray Coast Trail, a long distance walking route from Forres to Cullen, that takes you past some really stunning scenery. Once you have arrived in Cullen, which is also famous for its impressive rail viaduct, we wholeheartedly recommend you have a “Cullen Skink” - a thick and hearty soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes, and onions. This is soul food at its best and the perfect dish for one of these dreich autumn days - you won’t regret it, even Sherlock approves!