Getting around Findhorn
The former fishing village of Findhorn is located on a peninsula and is easily navigated by foot. Please see below for parking options. The Park Ecovillage Findhorn is on the Findhorn Bay Road (B9011), about one mile before you reach the former fishing village of Findhorn. The ecovillage is open to visitors, and here you can visit the Phoenix Shop and Café, the Universal Hall theatre, music and dance venue, and the Moray Art Centre).
You can easily walk or drive between the Park Ecovillage Findhorn and the former fishing village of Findhorn in a few minutes (2 mins by car, 5 mins by bicycle, 15-20 mins by foot), however parking spaces may be limited during the busy summer period.
Wheelchair users: There is a usable pavement or flat track along the edge of Findhorn Bay, from the Kimberley Inn to Findhorn Marina (see Findhorn Path for more info).
Findhorn Beach
There are two ways to access Findhorn beach by road:
- Coming into the village along the B9011, turn right at Dunes Road. Drive for about 1/2 mile to reach the beach. view map
- Drive through Findhorn village in the direction of the Marina and follow the signs to the West Beach Car Park (see further parking info below). There are boardwalks and steps to the beach from the car park. view map
Wheelchair users: To witness the stunning views of Findhorn beach and the Moray Firth there are Disabled Parking spaces above the beach at the end of Dunes Road. There are also two ‘no step’ access ramps leading up to the ridge above the beach – one ramp is located at the East Beach Car Park and the another at the West Beach Car Park.
An unusual opportunity at the beach is to spend an hour in the Watershed Sauna, which is located on the ridge above Findhorn East Beach… it’s unmissable!
Findhorn Village
The current Findhorn villlage is the third known village called Findhorn in this area. The shifting sands have despatched at least two villages in the past and the Heritage Centre and Ice House is a great place to explore the history of Findhorn, back to Bronze Age times. Recently a Bronze Age axe head was found by a local archaeologist in Findhorn dunes. There is information about the location of the ‘disappeared’ Findhorn villages and the loss of the Culbin Estate (on the western side of Findhorn Bay) under shifting sands in 1694. Innovative for its time, a forestation project commenced on Culbin Sands in the 1930s in order to stabilise the sands, leading to the forest you now see on the western side of Findhorn Bay.
The current Findhorn village is made up of around 340 houses and is very picturesque with many small lanes between the older cottages. There are many pathways that lead from the village into the dunes and on to the beach. In terms of amenities, Findhorn village has two shops – Findhorn Village Store, which sells food, drink and newspapers and is also a Post Office and Findhorn Bakehouse Market, which sells a range of fine foods, has its own bakery and does takeaway food with outside table-seating. There are also two much-loved pubs, the Crown & Anchor and Kimberley Inn.
Close to Findhorn’s West Beach is the beautifully situated Captain’s Table – great for enjoying views of the Bay – with its popular restaurant and ice cream parlour. Findhorn Marina offers watersports courses, dolphin and seal spotting boat tours and operates a water taxi across to Culbin Forest.
The Park Ecovillage Findhorn
Starting in the early 1960s, an intentional community began to form in a caravan park to the south of Findhorn village. The community was founded by Eileen Caddy, Peter Caddy and Dorothy McLean, and its foundational principles were and still are inner listening, co-creation with nature and love in action. As more and more people came to participate, a charity called the Findhorn Foundation was formed, and for many decades it ran courses on spirituality, eco-living and personal growth, as the ecovillage continued to develop around it. The pandemic of 2020-22 led to a severe contraction of the Findhorn Foundation, and it withdraw its operations from The Park altogether in September 2023.
The Park Ecovillage continues to thrive nevertheless, and the Ecovillage’s website, as well as the New Findhorn Association’s website, provide a wealth of information about activities and events taking place at The Park Ecovillage. Here you can visit the famous Whisky Barrel houses and the Hobbit house-like meditation chamber known as The Nature Sanctuary. The Park is also home to the Phoenix Café, beautifully situated at the unique, hand-built, Universal Hall and to one of Scotland’s finest organic stores – The Phoenix Shop. The Universal Hall frequently hosts internationally-acclaimed musicians and theatre groups in its 350 capacity hall, which is also available to hire for events. The Moray Art Centre runs regular classes, exhibitions and hosts artists studios.
Findhorn Bay Holiday Park is located at The Park Ecovillage and provides accommodation in chalets, eco-cabins and holiday caravans. It is open all year round.
Visitors are welcome to take a stroll around the ecovillage but please respect residents’ privacy. Tours of the ecovillage are available most days during the summer, from the Visitors’ Centre.
Findhorn Bay
The Bay is easily accessed from multiple points on the west side of Findhorn. The Findhorn Bay Local Nature Reserve website includes a map showing the locations of various information panels and parking areas.
Parking
Parking is limited in Findhorn village, especially during the summer months. Visitors are encouraged to park at the East Beach or West Beach Car Parks. It costs £1 per day to park at Findhorn’s West Beach Car Park (located near Findhorn Marina), which also includes 21 motorhome stopover sites. These can be booked in advance for £17 per night here. There is limited free car parking at the East Beach Car Park, which is accessible via Dunes Road. Dunes Road is mostly a gravel road and not suitable for motorhomes, hence there is a height restriction barrier in place.
Please note that overnight stays are not permitted in either of these parking areas, other than in the paid motorhome stopover area.
There is free parking at the Park Ecovillage Findhorn.
Please park considerately and do not block entrances or park on the pavement.
Toilets
There are two sets of public toilets (seasonal) adjacent to the beach car parks. At the Park Ecovillage there are toilets for visitors next to the Phoenix Café at the Universal Hall.
Weather
The weather in Findhorn is best described as “changeable”! If you are visiting for any length of time, it’s best to be prepared for all weathers, and even the short term forecasts can sometimes get it badly wrong. There are many weather sites online, but BBC Weather and forecast.io are two of the more reliable.