Welcome to Forvie National Nature Reserve, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Shifting sands blown into towering dunes, a wide estuary of mudflats, open heathland dotted with summer orchids, a home to thousands of birds. Forvie is one of Scotland’s most dramatic stretches of coast. The wind and the tide are in charge here, and it’s a great place to blow the cobwebs away!

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Stonehaven

Aboyne

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TurriffPeterhead

ABERDEEN

Forvie NNR

Banchory

Alford

Inverurie

Huntly

Getting thereWaterside car park is 1.5 miles / 2.5km north of Newburgh on the A975. The Forvie Centre is 3.4 miles / 5.5km further north, just outside the village of Collieston. There is a frequent bus service between Aberdeen and Peterhead via Cruden Bay.

Need to knowDuring bird nesting season (April to July) we ask you to keep any dogs under close control, especially in the eider zone and do not enter the ternery area. Please follow the requests on any notices you see and keep your distance from seals, allowing them to rest at any time of year.

For more information please contact: Scottish Natural Heritage, The Forvie Centre, Collieston AB41 8RU. Tel: 01358 751 330. Support this NNR at www.nature.scot/donate-nnr

Eider duck

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www.nnr.scot

Forvie’s other special environment is the wide estuary of the river Ythan. Like the dunes, it’s one of the mostnatural examples of this habitat in Britain. The mudflats and saltmarsh are full of shellfish and worms, making the estuary a vital winter food source for birds like redshank and shelduck. Watchfor them from the Waulkmill Hide or the Riverview car park. In spring and summer, you might see flocksof eider ducks on the water and delight at their wooing sounds.

Resting seals hauled out at the mouth of the river are best enjoyed from the opposite shore, near Newburgh golf course. A short walk onto the beach here allows you to enjoy watching the seals, while their curious faces watch you from the water.

Dune landscapes are amazing places, and Forvie is one of the largest, most natural dune systems in the country. The great waves of sand change constantly, moved by the wind and tide. Where tussocks of marram grass take hold, their roots bind the shifting grains. Gradually, flowering plants and low shrubs cover this more stable ground, creating coastal heathland: another environment for which Forvie is one of the best sites in Scotland. In summer the heath is covered in jewel-like wild flowers.

The heathland flowers are wonderful for moths and butterflies like the dark green fritillary. Only the under sides of its wings are green: you’re more likely to see the colourful orange top sides, patterned like intricate stained glass. They’re around between June and August.

Stone Age and Bronze Age people lived and hunted here before the sands came. Among the dunes there are traces of their lives, like the mounds of shells or middens they left behind. Later, a small village stoodjust inland from the coast at Rockend. It was swallowed by the dunes sometime in the 1400s: now only congregations of walkers meet in the ruins of the kirk.

But if the shifting sand makes it difficult for people to live here, it’s great for birds. Forvie has the largest breeding population of sandwich terns on Scotland’seast coast: they nest in their hundreds in the dunes near the sea. These elegant birds have an enchanting courtship ritual, with the male offering fish to the female. We take special care to protect their nests from foxes,and keep the nesting area as a sanctuary while the birds are there.

Dark green fritillary

Dunes with marram grass

Watching seals at Newburgh

Forvie kirk

Sandwich tern

Scotland’s National Nature Reserves

Forvie National Nature Reserve

VISIT

Welcome to Forvie National Nature Reserve, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Shifting sands blown into towering dunes, a wide estuary of mudflats, open heathland dotted with summer orchids, a home to thousands of birds. Forvie is one of Scotland’s most dramatic stretches of coast. The wind and the tide are in charge here, and it’s a great place to blow the cobwebs away!

All map data ©

Crow

n copyright 2012 – Ordnance Survey Licence num

ber 100017908. © Scottish N

atural Heritage 2017. ISBN

: 978-1-85397-852-4.

A93

A994 A980

A90

A975

A920

A94

7

A950

0

0

10 mls

1020 kms

Stonehaven

Aboyne

Oyne

Ellon

TurriffPeterhead

ABERDEEN

Forvie NNR

Banchory

Alford

Inverurie

Huntly

Getting thereWaterside car park is 1.5 miles / 2.5km north of Newburgh on the A975. The Forvie Centre is 3.4 miles / 5.5km further north, just outside the village of Collieston. There is a frequent bus service between Aberdeen and Peterhead via Cruden Bay.

Need to knowDuring bird nesting season (April to July) we ask you to keep any dogs under close control, especially in the eider zone and do not enter the ternery area. Please follow the requests on any notices you see and keep your distance from seals, allowing them to rest at any time of year.

For more information please contact: Scottish Natural Heritage, The Forvie Centre, Collieston AB41 8RU. Tel: 01358 751 330.Support this NNR at www.nature.scot/donate-nnr

Eider duck

Creative m

anagement by Aaron Law

ton Associates, writing by Jam

es Carter, design by EC

Design Studio, map by Fitzpatrick W

oolmer, photos by N

iall Benvie, Laurie Cam

pbell/SNH

, Lorne Gill/SN

H, David W

hitaker and Ron Macdonald.

www.nnr.scot

Forvie’s other special environment is the wide estuary of the river Ythan. Like the dunes, it’s one of the most natural examples of this habitat in Britain. The mudflats and saltmarsh are full of shellfish and worms, making the estuary a vital winter food source for birds like redshank and shelduck. Watch for them from the Waulkmill Hide or the Riverview car park. In spring and summer, you might see flocks of eider ducks on the water and delight at their wooing sounds.

Resting seals hauled out at the mouth of the river are best enjoyed from the opposite shore, near Newburgh golf course. A short walk onto the beach here allows you to enjoy watching the seals, while their curious faces watch you from the water.

Dune landscapes are amazing places, and Forvie is one of the largest, most natural dune systems in the country. The great waves of sand change constantly, moved by the wind and tide. Where tussocks of marram grass take hold, their roots bind the shifting grains. Gradually, flowering plants and low shrubs cover this more stable ground, creating coastal heathland: another environment for which Forvie is one of the best sites in Scotland. In summer the heath is covered in jewel-like wild flowers.

The heathland flowers are wonderful for moths and butterflies like the dark green fritillary. Only the under sides of its wings are green: you’re more likely to see the colourful orange top sides, patterned like intricate stained glass. They’re around between June and August.

Stone Age and Bronze Age people lived and hunted here before the sands came. Among the dunes there are traces of their lives, like the mounds of shells or middens they left behind. Later, a small village stood just inland from the coast at Rockend. It was swallowed by the dunes sometime in the 1400s: now only congregations of walkers meet in the ruins of the kirk.

But if the shifting sand makes it difficult for people to live here, it’s great for birds. Forvie has the largest breeding population of sandwich terns on Scotland’s east coast: they nest in their hundreds in the dunes near the sea. These elegant birds have an enchanting courtship ritual, with the male offering fish to the female. We take special care to protect their nests from foxes, and keep the nesting area as a sanctuary while the birds are there.

Dark green fritillary

Dunes with marram grass

Watching seals at Newburgh

Forvie kirk

Sandwich tern

Scotland’s National Nature Reserves

Forvie National Nature Reserve

VISIT

Newburgh

Forvie Moor

NorthSea

Meikle Tarty

Sleek of Tarty

NewburghGolf Course

Ternery

Cotehill Loch

Forvie KirkRockend

HackleyBay

Sand Loch

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Forvie Centre

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Foveran Links

www.nnr-scotland.org.uk

Other routesNational Nature Reserve

Dune TrailHeath Trail

Parking

Toilets

Information centre

Information

Ranger base

Paths

Picnic area

Viewpoint

Wildlife watching

Historic structure

Limited mobility

Bus

Refreshments

Accommodation

miles

kilometres

1

10

0

Dune Trail

This path leads past the estuary, through Forvie’s dramatic dune landscape and out onto the wide open beach. On the way back you’ll pass near the ruins of Forvie Kirk and the site of the village, engulfed by sand in a nine-day long storm. For an easier option you can follow the path alongside the estuary “there and back” to a viewing area.

3.5 miles / 5.7 km Allow 2½ hrs

A rough, mostly grass and bare sand route, which is muddy and narrow in a few places. One burn crossing. Many slopes ranging from long and gentle to short and steep. One seat at 200m and another at 800m.

Heath Trail

This circular trail meanders through quiet heathland with the ground carpetted in heather, crowberry and lichens. The best time for wild flowers is May and June. If you get tired, a shortcut gives a shorter route of 1.4 miles (2.2 km).

2.1 miles / 3.4 km Allow 1½ hrs

A varied path with gravel surface, uneven sand and grassy sections and with some wet, muddy patches. Narrow sections and several short slopes.

Sand Loch Trail

This path leads from the Forvie Centre to the Sand Loch and back. Look out for tufted ducks and gulls on the water and enjoy the views from the seats.

1 mile / 1.7 km Allow ¾ hr

Gravel path with some loose stone. One narrow gate (95cm width). One short moderate length slope and several gentle slopes. Occasional seats.

Cliff Trail via Hackley Bay

Hackley Bay is a stunning hidden bay and makes a great extension to either the Dune or the Heath Trail.

1 mile / 1.7 km Allow ¾ hr

A varied path with narrow, uneven and muddy sec-tions. Short boardwalks with handrails over the wettest sections. A few short steep slopes including uneven steps (pitching) down to the beach.

Way to go

Seal watching

Sand Loch Trail

www.nnr.scot