Fochabers, Moray

Flower Delivery to Fochabers by Clare Florist

If you’re wondering where to go on a walking and touring adventure in Scotland, Fochabers is the perfect place to be. Nestled between Inverness and Aberdeen, this wee village boasts of a charming outdoors and fascinating local attractions. The place is noted for its music and culture that are steeped in history. Its folk music, in particular, is what draws a huge crowd in the summer during the Speyfest.

The Fochabers of today is a far cry from what it was in the past. Back then, it featured dilapidated old cottages set in the parkland of Alexander Gordon, the 4th Duke of Gordon. Even if the area is filled with beautiful flowers in Fochabers, the state of the houses would still eclipse their beauty. Good thing, the Duke decided to move the village to its present location. Unfortunately, he left behind his previous tenants.

It was late in the 18th century, when an architect named John Baxter created a rectangular street plan with Fochabers located in the centre of a spacious square. The Fochabers Square, as it will be later called, is surrounded with various local attractions. On the south, there was the Bellie Church and on other areas the Gordon Chapel and the former Pringle Church, which is now the Fochabers Folk Museum.

There are only around 2,000 people living in the village, so it’s likely that everybody knows everybody. Despite the small population though, this place boasts of very notable citizens such as John M. Caie, author of the famous poem The Puddock, John Russell, a leading painter of the Spey salmon and a long line of Dukes and Duchesses of Gordon. It is also home to a family-run factory of foodstuffs, the Baxters.

The folk festival, Speyfest, was what placed Fochabers in the map of folk music. The event capitalises on the village’s local talents through concerts, ceilidh (traditional Gaelic gathering) and sessions. It’s usually held in August, which is also the perfect time to send flowers to Fochabers as a way to greet friends you might know in the area.

The Fochabers Square - The attraction is made famous by its large fountain, which was built to commemorate the introduction of piped water in the village, while the lamp is dedicated to the Duke of Gordon, who was responsible for initiating the hydro-electric scheme. Today, the square sits on the only direct route from Aberdeen to Iverness — A96. For years, people have campaigned for a bypass.

Fochabers Folk Museum and Heritage - Formerly the Pringle Church on High Street, the museum is home to artefacts and photographs that show the history of the village and its locals, the Fochaberians. One of the rooms was converted into an old school room from Milne’s High.

Wondering what to do in this wee village? Two of the favourite pastime in the area is mountain biking and walking. Cycling is made fun by the Moray Monster Trails that stretch between Fochabers and Craigellachie, with a difficulty that ranges from easy to severe. Walking, on the other hand, is best done at the Winding Walks and the Spey Way, where you’ll find colourful and fragrant flowers in Foschabers.

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