The Seals of Crimond

If you were to draw a map of Scotland's most common tourist itinerary, it would look something like this:

Edinburgh - Glencoe - Isle of Skye - Inverness - Aviemore - Stirling - Edinburgh:

But this leaves out large swathes of the country, most obviously the entire southern third of Scotland and the northeast wedge of Buchan. What is the area round Fraserburgh and Peterhead like? A look on the map shows a vast sweep of virtually unknown beach between the two fishing ports. If you've never heard of the area around Rattray Head, you could be forgiven for thinking it can't therefore be that good. You'd be wrong.

Rattray Head:

Rattray Head, with nobody about, is desert island-esque. Turn the corner from the lighthouse and it is just you, the sea, the dunes, and the occasional passing vessel. Quick, find some wood to burn to make a bonfire and alert them! But you aren't miles from anywhere at all. You are just somewhere tourists don't visit. The villages may not have the picturesque quality of the East Neuk of Fife, but they are full of character all the same, the tiny houses of the old fisher folk a grey vernacular with gable ends to the street, and on the outskirts, bespoke new builds, outsized and raw, for the winners of today's fishing industry.

Inverallochy street:

Inland this is farming country, dominated by the modest height of Mormond Hill with its curious White Horse (its actually grey) laid out on the slopes above Strichen. It is unlikely you have heard of this.  

White horse:

However there is something you are likely to know from this area, even if you have never visited. In the 19th century Jessie Seymour Irvine, whose father was minister of the kirk in the small village of Crimond, wrote a hymn tune. She named it Crimond after her home. It is one of the most recognisable tunes in the world, better known as the 23rd Psalm, The Lord's My Shepherd:

But here, you are continually drawn back to the sea. Down on the beach a woman was watching the seals. Perhaps she would sing this tune to them, and they would follow her along the beach, listening. Perhaps Jessie Seymour Irvine did the same.

Sealwatching near Crimond: