Navigation & Main Pages

• Home — Welcome to the heart of our village online.
  • Play List — Traditional and local music curated for the website.
  • Video Library — Documentaries, short clips, and community recordings.
  • Twinning with Chatillon-sur-Indre — Celebrating our connection with our sister town in France.
  • The Life Stones Project — Community stone carving and local trail information.
    • The Bigger Picture — Deeper insights into the Life Stones project.
  • Quizzes — Fun quizzes about Cruden Bay’s local history and landmarks.
  • Support Crudenbay.life — Learn how you can contribute or support the volunteer team.

Digital Storytelling & History

Explore our collection of digital storytelling, showcasing the rich heritage, unique folklore, and historical events of Cruden Bay and the surrounding area.

• Storytelling Main Page — The gateway to all historical articles.
• Bram Stoker — Discover the author’s connection to Cruden Bay, where he penned portions of Dracula.
• Cruden Bay Golf Course and Club History — The history of our world-renowned golf links.
• Cruden Bay Railway Hotel — Reminiscing the grand Edwardian hotel that once overlooked the bay.
• Cruden Bay Railway Station — Tracing the old railway line that connected the village.
• Cruden Bay 2000 — Community action at the turn of the millennium.
  • Doric Future | Doric TV — Preserving and promoting the Doric dialect of northeast Scotland.
• The Dardanelles — Tryggve Gran’s historic first flight across the North Sea in 1914.
• Cruden Bay Memories — Community memories and social history.
• The Black Rain of Slains — Aberdeenshire’s forgotten weather mystery of 1862.
• The Forgotten River — Exploring the Water of Cruden and its legacy.
• The Harbour — The history of Port Erroll Harbour.
• The Old Brickworks — Remnants of the industrial era in Cruden Bay.
• Port Erroll Past Times — Curated accounts by local historians Ann and Gordon Findlay.
• Slains Castle — The dramatic history and architectural legacy of New Slains Castle.
• St. Olaf’s Well — The ancient holy well and its links to the battle of 1012.
• The Story So Far — A chronological timeline of curated local history articles.
• When Christmas Comes to Cruden Bay — Seasonal folklore and holiday traditions in the village.
• The Wreck of The Fredrick Snowdon — The maritime tragedy of 1907.
• The Wreck of The Nymphaea — The ghost of Whinnyfold and the fate of the SS Nymphaea in 1914.
• The Wreck of The Wistow Hall — The historic shipwreck off the rocky cliffs.

Photographic Galleries

Beautiful visual galleries celebrating the coastal landscape, village events, and historical postcard archives.

• Galleries Overview — Access all photo archives.
• Scott Meiklejohn Gallery — Stunning local landscape photography.
• Mike Shepherd Gallery — Historical documentation and photography.
• Port Erroll Harbour Gallery — Images capturing the working life of our historic harbour.
• Cruden Bay and Port Erroll Gallery — General village and coastal scenery.
• Golf Course Gallery — Visual views of the legendary golf links.
• Harbour Dunes Gallery — Pictures from the sands and surrounding dunes.
• Heritage Group Gallery — Archival photos hosted by the local heritage group.
• Old Post Cards Gallery — Nostalgic postcards showcasing the village in days gone by.
• Brickworks Gallery — Archival and current images of the old brickworks.
• Old Adverts Gallery — Vintage advertising and promotions linked to the area.

📋 Publications & Village Documents

• 2026 Calendar — The annual community-sourced landscape calendar.
• 2025 Directory — Our up-to-date printed companion directory.
• Cruden Bay Community Action Plan 2024 — The core plan guiding the village’s future development.
• 2022 Directory — Historical community directory database.
• Useful Telephone Numbers — Emergency, local council, and healthcare contacts.
• Our Approach — How we research, draft, and create our community history and articles.
• How We Create Our Music — The creative processes behind our site’s digital tracks.
• Community Resilience Strategy

Visitor Attractions & Points of Interest

• Cruden Bay Beach — Our famous two-mile sweep of golden sand.
• Bullers of Buchan — The dramatic, deep sea chasm and seabird colony nearby.
• The Farming Life — Our connection to Aberdeenshire’s agricultural traditions.
• Cruden Parish Church — The Story of Cruden Parish Church.
• Port Erroll Harbour Gala 2026 — Celebrating the village’s annual harbour festivities.
• Nethermill Path — A scenic local walking route.
• North Haven — Exploring the quiet bay and rocky inlet.
• St James’s Church — The Story of St James’s Church.
• Walking Guides — Step-by-step guides for exploring the coastline and village.
• Ward Hill — Hiking the highest point in the local area.
• Wildlife — Spotting seals, seabirds, and local fauna.

Village Assets & Community Venues

• Port Erroll Public Hall — The main venue for community events, exercise, and activities.
• Community Hub (Old Congregational Church) — A converted space supporting local organisations.
• Mill Park — Local recreation fields and bowling green.
• The Mission Hall — Historical venue in the heart of the village.

Groups, Organisations & Recreation

• Community Association — Coordinating local improvements and events.
• Community Council — Representing residents’ voices to Aberdeenshire Council.
• The Cruden Bay Collective — Local fundraising and project coordination.
• Cruden & Hatton Community Pantry — Community food share located at the Mill Park Pavilion.
• Baby & Toddler Group — Parent and toddler play sessions.
• Craft Group (Old Parish Church) — Regular sewing, knitting, and crafting sessions.
• Craft Group (St James’s) — Creative meetups at St James’s Church.
• Hatton Repair Café — Reducing waste by fixing household items.
• Cruden Bay Folk Club — Live acoustic and folk music monthly at the Kilmarnock Arms.
• Woman’s Singing Group – Fiere Deems — Local community singing and choir.
• Heritage Group – Port Erroll — Collecting, preserving, and sharing local history.
• Horticultural Club — For gardening enthusiasts in the village.
• Lodge St Olaf (Freemasons) — Local fraternal lodge.
• Mahjong — Weekly games held in the Bob Lowe suite (winter) and St James’s (summer).
• Men’s Shed — Woodworking, socializing, and community projects.
• Panto Group — Producing the legendary annual village pantomime.
• Scottish Women’s Institute (SWI) — Education, crafts, and friendship.
• The Rebo’s — Local music and performance collective.

Sports & Exercise

• Adult Exercise Class — Weekly fitness sessions at the Public Hall.
• Badminton Club — Fun and social play at Port Erroll Primary School.
• Bowling Club — Indoor and outdoor bowling matches.
• Cruden Bay Golf Club — The world-class championship links golf club.
• Cruden Bay Juniors FC — Our local junior football club.
• Darts Team (Killie) — Darts nights held at the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel.
• Fitness Group (Sean’s) — Group workouts held at Longhaven Community Hall.
• Harbour Dookers — Outdoor wild swimming enthusiasts in the bay.
• Indoor Bowls — Winter bowling leagues at the Public Hall.
• Mahina Dance — Modern dance classes.
• Pilates — Physical strengthening at the Public Hall.
• Pool Team (St Olaf) — Local pool league based at the St Olaf Golf Hotel.
• Port Erroll AFC — Local amateur football league matches.
• Thistle Youth FC — Youth soccer coaching and development.
• WellBeing Health Walks — Friendly, low-impact local walking groups.
• Yoga — Mindful yoga classes in the Public Hall.
• Youth Football Club — Training sessions at Mill Park.

Business Directory

Shops & Retail

• Cruden Bay Links Pro Shop — Golf gear, clothing, and custom fittings.
• Cruden Bay Co-op and Post Office — Essential groceries and postal services.
• Peterhead Fish Company — Fresh Scottish seafood deliveries to the village.
• Websters Pharmacy — Healthcare advice, prescriptions, and local chemists.

Independent Small Businesses

• Blackmask Website Design — Professional local web development services.
• BlackW Sign Shop — Vehicle graphics, banners, and shop signage.
• Cabin Club Afterschool C.I.C — Out-of-school child care services.
• Campbell Media — Audio-visual production and digital media.
• Cruden Bay Candle Boutique — Handcrafted soy wax candles and fragrances.
• Cruden Bay IT Services — Local tech support and computer repair.
• Domestic Dazzle — Household and domestic cleaning.
• Doric Future | Doric TV — Independent video and digital media production.
• Irene | The Harbour Barber — Local barber services located near the harbour.
• Martin Forman Painter & Decorator — High-quality painting and interior decoration.
• Macleod Electrical Services Ltd. — Approved commercial and domestic electrical work.
• Mahina Designs — Local creative design work and crafts.
• Orycks Plumbing & Heating — Local plumbers and gas engineers.
• Relax Beauty & Care by Genny — Professional beauty therapy and personal care.
• Kevin Shearer Joinery — Bespoke local carpentry and joinery work.
• Mike Shepherd – Writer and Historian — Local authorship, tours, and history books.
• David Strachan Joinery Ltd — Local building and structural joinery.
• Tee Shirt Printing – Racing Tees — Custom apparel, print wear, and embroidery.
• Debbie Walker Photography — Professional photography portraits and landscapes.
• Oblitarisk — Creative and design consultants.
• Claire Mackay – Author — Spotlighting works by our local village author.

Accommodation

• Kilmarnock Arms Hotel — Legendary historical hotel where Bram Stoker stayed.
• St Olaf Golf Hotel — Popular local hotel and bar overlooking the links.
• By The Bay Bed and Breakfast — Cozy bed and breakfast near the water.
• The Beach House — Scenic self-catering house bordering the sands.
• The Dunes — Charming coastal guest lodging.
• Sycamore Hall — Luxury guesthouse accommodation.
• Haddie Cottage — Quaint traditional stone cottage rental.
• Ivan Cottage — Self-catering cottage ideal for golfers and walkers.
• Outlander Boutique Bed and Breakfast — Themed boutique lodging.
• Room on the River — Peaceful accommodation by the Water of Cruden.
• Shell Cottage — Traditional coastal cottage holiday home.
• Tumbledown Croft — Idyllic rural croft accommodation nearby.
• Craighead Holiday Park — Campsite and holiday homes.
• Port Erroll Harbour Motorhome Park — Scenic coastal overnight parking spaces.

Food & Drink

• The Harbour Dunes Cafe — Popular beachfront cafe famous for local baking and coffee.
• The Fairways Public Bar — Pub food, live sports, and local community atmosphere.
• Pan Fish Bar & Chinese Take Away — Hot takeaways located in the village centre.
• Cakes – Phippsy’s Fancies — Bespoke cakes, baking, and sweet treats.
• Sugar Crumbs Cakery — Beautiful designer cakes and dessert tables.

Services, Public Assets & Welfare

• Cruden Medical Group — Local NHS general practice clinic and GP services.
• Cruden Bay Library — Aberdeenshire council-run library and local resources.
• Port Erroll Primary School — The local state school.
• Cruden Bay Garage — Vehicle servicing, MOT tests, and local repairs.
• HM Coastguard Station — Search and rescue operations on our local cliffs.
• Bayview Care Home — Residential and nursing care.
• Cantlay Court Sheltered Housing — Independent living support in the village.
• Nethermill Seed — Local agricultural seed supplies.

Places of Worship

• Cruden Bay Parish Church — Historic Church of Scotland congregation.
• St James’s Episcopal Church — Beautiful historical church overlooking the village.