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Craigellachie in Moray
Welcome to Craigellachie
Stand Fast in Moray.....!
Craigellachie
Craigellachie is a small and pretty village which lies in the heart of Moray, just off the A941 main road between Elgin and Grantown. The name Craigellachie comes from the Gaelic 'Creag Eileachaidh', meaning the crag of the rocky place or rocky hill. Craigellachie is built on this hill at 400 feet above sea level, overlooking the River Spey, in an area where the rivers Fiddich and Spey meet.
From the village of Craigellachie there is a spectacular view of the Thomas Telford designed bridge which was built in 1814 and which is listed as a monument of outstanding national heritage. Directly above the bridge is the rock of Craigellachie which features in the history of the Clan Grant and marks the boundary of their ancestral lands which stretched from Aviemore to Craigellachie. The Grant war cry is 'Stand Fast Craigellachie' which has achieved world wide fame through its association with Grant's whisky.
|  | | | | Although only a small community of around 400 people (Census 2001) Craigellachie in Moray is an exceptionally interesting place to visit during a tour of Moray or to base yourself for an extended stay.
Craigellachie benefits from a large and well known hotel with its award winning bar which has one of the best whisky selections in the world. With a stock of almost 700 malt whiskies, the Quaich bar is bound to have something to suit your taste. Alternative accommodation is available in several guest houses and B&Bs throughout Craigellachie as well as at the Highlander Inn which also serves refreshments and meals.
|  |  | Craigellachie is an excellent venue for walking, cycling, fishing on the famous River Spey or generally relaxing and taking in the scenery.
Craigellachie is an excellent base from which to visit distilleries. There are dozens of well known distilleries within a 15 mile radius of Craigellachie and Craigellachie is also home to the Speyside Cooperage and visitor centre which is included within the Malt Whisky Trail.
The economy of Craigellachie relies heavily on malt whisky production, and the village is located on the Malt Whisky Trail which is the only one of its kind in the world. Craigellachie is also home to two distilleries.
|  | The Craigellachie distillery is situated in the upper part of the village and was commissioned in 1891 although much of the structure which can be seen today was built during a major reconstruction in 1964 at which time the stills were increased from two to four, and indeed the only original buildings remaining are part of a warehouse and the building which housed the original floor maltings, including the distinctive pagoda head roof. The distillery was acquired by John Dewar and Sons in 1998 and launched a 14 year old malt in 2004
| To the west of Craigellachie can be found The Macallan distillery, which is the much better known of the two Craigellachie distilleries. It is understood that whisky has been produced on the site of The Macallan distillery since the late 1700's although the first legalised production began in 1824 and, perhaps surprisingly, was not available outside Speyside as a bottled single malt until the late 1970's. In the short period of time since general release, The Macallan has become recognised world wide as one of the finest malt whiskies on the market. Today, around 70% of the production goes in to their single malt with a large percentage of the balance being used in The Famous Grouse blend.
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| | Craigellachie Attractions and Amenities | Fishing
Fly fishers from all over the world are attracted to this area of Scotland and are rarely disappointed with the quality of facilities available or with the stunning scenery at Craigellachie. The fly fishing season runs from 11th February to 30th September.
Fishing on the Craigellachie beat is predominantly timeshare, but let rods are available throughout the season. The beat extends for around two and a half miles, between Craigellachie and Aberlour on the right bank of the River Spey. Information on bookings can be made by enquiry at craigfishings.com or fishspey.co.uk
|  | | | | Walking
Craigellachie is situated on The Speyside Way which is a famous long distance walk between Buckie and Aviemore and at this point you can walk along the trackbed of the former Strathspey Railway. You may choose to turn south east towards Dufftown at the end of the spur which runs up the valley of the Fiddich or continue south on the old railway through Aberlour and Carron towards Blacksboat and Ballindalloch. There are also many interesting local walks around Craigellachie and you might benefit from walking out of Craigellachie on Victoria street in the direction of Keith, where you will cross an old bridge and find the Fiddichside Inn. The tiny Fiddichside Inn is a place where you can transport yourself to a gentler time in history. There is a sign behind the bar which identifies the premises as "Headquarters for husbands, fishermen and other liars". When there are half a dozen customers there, the bar is full and you are able to sit by the fire and listen to local chat while sipping a glass of something special, or alternatively on a summer's day you can sit in the tiny beer garden and watch the water lapping over rocks in the River Fiddich near Craigellachie.
|  |  | | | | | Exploring | |  | The Speyside Cooperage is situated just outside Craigellachie on the A941 Dufftown road, and has been run by three generations of the same family since 1947. The Speyside Cooperage produces around 100,000 barrels a year for the Scottish whisky industry and has a visitor centre, unique within the UK, where you can watch barrels being constructed by skilled coopers and apprentices, or have a go at constructing a barrel yourself with the demonstration cask. A fascinating fact relating to the Speyside Cooperage, as detailed at their visitor centre, is that during a particularly hot summer in the mid 1990's, the management enlisted the help of a water diviner to check for additional sources of water. They bored down where instructed and found not only water, but an underground river which is estimated from its speed to be similar in size to the River Spey.
| Take a stroll down to the main A941 below Craigellachie, and cross to the engineering masterpiece which is the Telford Bridge. The bridge was designed by the famous Scottish engineering genius, Thomas Telford(1757 - 1834) and was completed in 1814. Telford was famed throughout Scotland and the UK for his roads, bridges, churches and harbours. These facilities opened up the north of Scotland to commerce during the 18th and 19th Centuries. The bridge at Craigellachie carried traffic over the River Spey for 160 years until 1974 when it was replaced by a modern bridge which was built downstream. It would be interesting to know if the new bridge at Craigellachie achieves such longevity and is still functioning in the year 2134. The Telford bridge at Craigellachie is listed as a monument of outstanding natural heritage, and is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
| | | | Relaxing | Craigellachie has two parks, both with car parking available. The Highlander park overlooks the River Spey and has tennis courts as well as a children's play area. The Fiddich park also has a childrens area, and there are pleasant areas to stroll from the park by the river Fiddich.
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