ancient ruins
Slains Castle
A gaunt roofless clifftop ruin near Cruden Bay, said to have helped inspire Bram Stoker's Dracula. Unfenced drops — take care.
1 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomScotland
Cruden Bay
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
About Cruden Bay
Cruden Bay is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Boddam, 1km from Slains Castle.
Cruden Bay is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 1,700 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Boddam, about 7 km away.
Cruden Bay is a small village in Scotland, on the north coast of the Bay of Cruden in Aberdeenshire, 26 miles (42 km) north of Aberdeen.
Just west of Slains Castle, local tradition associates Cruden Bay with a supposed battle in which the Scots under King Malcolm II are said to have defeated the Danes in 1012;Read more
however, such accounts are regarded by historians as unsubstantiated and derive from much later sources. A traditional but unsubstantiated folk etymology derives the name from the Gaelic Croch Dain ('slaughter of Danes').
Today, Cruden Bay attracts tourists with its hotels and golf course. It has a long, unspoiled, beach made famous by Norwegian aviator Tryggve Gran who made the first solo flight across the North Sea.
Where to Stay in Cruden Bay
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Cruden Bay?
Within an hour or so of Cruden Bay: Slains Castle (1 km), Pennan (38 km), Pennan (Local Hero phone box) (38 km), Grampian Transport Museum (55 km).
Are there any good drives near Cruden Bay?
The nearest famous roads are The Lecht (A939 Old Military Road), The Lecht Road (A939) and Cairnwell Pass.
Where is Cruden Bay?
Cruden Bay is in Scotland, United Kingdom, about 7 km from Boddam.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 1,670
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Scotland
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 57.4180, -1.8531
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Cruden Bay
7 notable places within an hour's drive.
photogenic
Pennan
A single row of white cottages squeezed between red sandstone cliffs and the sea, reached by a steep hairpin lane off the B9031. Star of the 1983 film Local Hero. Its red phone box is now listed.
38 km · about 45 min drive
film location
Pennan (Local Hero phone box)
The red telephone box on the harbour front of this Aberdeenshire village is Local Hero's most famous prop, now a listed structure.
38 km · about 45 min drive
museum
Grampian Transport Museum
Acclaimed motoring museum in Alford, Aberdeenshire, with everything from steam locomotives to supercars, plus its own outdoor test track used for summer motoring events.
55 km · about 65 min drive
castle
Dunnottar Castle
A ruined medieval fortress on a dramatic rocky headland on the northeastern coast of Scotland.
56 km · about 65 min drive
film location
Dunnottar Castle (inspiration for Brave)
The clifftop ruin near Stonehaven was a visual inspiration for Pixar's Brave and features in Zeffirelli's Hamlet.
56 km · about 65 min drive
castle
Craigievar Castle
A pink harled tower house in Aberdeenshire, its top-heavy turrets often cited as an inspiration for fairytale castle design.
59 km · about 70 min drive
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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