Rattray Head Lighthouse is an iconic and historical point on the north east of Scotland. It lies on the North East 250 (NE250) road trip, outside of the city of Aberdeen.
This is a spot we would highly recommend visiting if you are ever in this part of Scotland as we were blown away by the beauty and tranquillity.
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Rattray Head Lighthouse is a must visit on your trip to the north of Scotland. The beach alone is one of our favourites in Scotland! In this guide, we will discuss the best time to go to Rattray Head Lighthouse as well as the following
Table of Contents
Planning Your Trip
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What is Rattray Head Lighthouse?
Rattray Head Lighthouse is a historical lighthouse that sits in the North sea and was built in 1895 by engineers and brothers Charles Alexander Stevenson and David Alan Stevenson. It is currently unmanned and self working and has been since 1982.
Rattray Head Beach overlooks the lighthouse and is surrounded by sand dunes. The soft white sand beneath your feet and turquoise waters will make it a beach you will want to return to again and again.
Where is Rattray Head Lighthouse?
Rattray Head Lighthouse is located on the north east coast of Scotland and sits just outside of Peterhead in Buchan.
The Lighthouse itself sits at the end of a causeway which is covered at high tide and accessible at low tide. The causeway is wide enough for a vehicle to cross if it was necessary.
Are you planning to visit more of Scotland on your trip? Why not check out our books to help you plan your trip?
How to get to Rattray Head Lighthouse?
Rattray Head Lighthouse isn’t the easiest beach to get to on the NE250 road trip. It is located at the end of a narrow track with limited passing places. Follow the road from Rattray towards Old Rattray and St Mary’s Chapel, then you will know you are on the right track.
The road becomes unsealed with many pot holes and a very uneven surface. You will pass a building on your right hand side and the parking is just beyond this in a very muddy car park.
From the car park, follow through the gate towards the sea and take a right in between the sand dunes and you will be on the beach.
Why Should I go to Rattray Head Lighthouse?
Rattray Head Lighthouse is well worth the visit if you are able to get there safely as the surrounding scenery of the beach and the surrounding sand dunes is absolutely beautiful! We could have sat and watched the turquoise waves crashing off the beach for hours. The sand is also very clean and lovely to walk on.
If you are looking for a good bag for your time visiting Rattray Lighthouse, we can highly recommend the Wandrd Bag PRVKE 41L if you are carrying camera equipment. If you are looking for a smaller backpack, The Nest by Tropicfeel is one of the most comfortable bags I have ever owned!
When Should I go to Rattray Head Lighthouse?
The best time to visit Rattray Head Lighthouse is during the summer months. The sunshine really brings out the colours of the water and the sand overlooking the lighthouse and it will be a lot more pleasent to sit on the beach and enjoy the view.
With the being said, we haven’t visited in winter and I can imagine it may be very dramatic to watch the stormy waves crash off the lighthouse and hit the shore.
There are no amenities at Rattray Head Lighthouse so if you are planning to stay a while, make sure you bring supplies with you to the beach.
DON’T FORGET
Your trip to Scotland will be a lot more comfortable with a midge net and midge spray. These little biting bugs can be enough to ruin a trip if you don’t have the equipment to protect yourself from them. A repelling candle can also be helpful if you are sitting oustide.
Before You Leave on the North East 250
Before you head off on your trip around the NE250, there are certain things you will need to get organised to ensure a smooth trip. These include how to get around the route, including being aware of single track roads, etc., what to pack for Scotland, where to stay along the route and what travel insurance to book.
How Do I Get Around the NE250?
Given the reasonably remote location of the NE250 and the majority of the sights along the route, the best way to get around this road trip is by driving. There are of course other methods that are still popular, such as cycling and hiking, however, if you have a short amount of time on the route, neither of these are very suitable.
As for public transport, this isn’t completely impossible, it is just a lot more difficult.
If you are looking to rent a cosy, reliable and luxurious campervan for your trip around the NE250, we highly recommend hiring through Spaceships Rentals.
Browse the full range of vehicles on offer at Spaceships over here.
What Should I Pack for the NE250?
When it comes to packing for a trip along the NE250 there is one item of clothing that you are going to need all year round: a waterproof. It rains in Scotland on average 250 days a year, meaning that during your 7-day NE250 road trip you will probably experience at least a drizzle of rain. Due to this, the number one item on any Scotland packing list is a good waterproof jacket.
As for the rest of the year, the temperature in Scotland and the central heartlands is reasonably mild for most of the year. During the winter months, you will most likely experience snow, however, temperatures usually sit around freezing, so it is not too cold. For your reference, the average temperatures in Scotland are listed below during each season.
Spring (March, April, May) – 5-10 degrees C
Summer (June, July, August) – 15 degrees C
Autumn (September, October, November) – 5-10 degrees C
Winter (December, January, February) – 0-5 degrees C
As you can see, the weather never really gets above the teens, with anything over 25 degrees C considered a heatwave. The best way to pack for your trip to the highlands is with layers that can be added and removed as you need them. You will definitely need a hat and gloves during the colder months and will most likely need sunscreen to protect you on the long days in the open.
It is also important to stay hydrated, especially when you are out exploring in the marvellous landscape of Scotland. We use Water to Go water bottles to fill up with water from running streams when we are hiking.
Given the beautiful sights and scenery that you are no doubt going to see around Scotland, we highly recommend packing a good camera for your trip. If you want to read more about the cameras we use and why we love them, check out the link below.
Photography Equipment
Main Photography Camera – Sony A7v Mirrorless Camera and Sony A7iii Mirrorless Camera
Microphone – Sony Mic ECM-B1M
Main Lens – Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8
Zoom Lens – Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8
Camera Tripod – ZOMEI Z669C Camera Tripod
Gorilla Pod – JOBY JB01507-BWW GorillaPod
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 11 and Insta 360 One RS
Drone Camera – DJI Mavic Pro 3
Camera Bag – Wandrd PRVKE 41L and The Nest by Tropicfeel
Phone Tripod – Manfrotto MKPIXICLAMP-BK, Mini Tripod with Universal Smartphone Clamp
Sturdy Phone Tripod & Selfie Stick – ATUMTEK 61″ Selfie Stick Tripod, Sturdy Phone Tripod Stand with Wireless Remote
Hard Drives – LaCie Rugged Mini, 5TB, 2.5″, Portable External Hard Drive
SSD – SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable NVMe SSD
Travel Adapter –Worldwide Travel Adapter Universal Travel Plug with 4 USB Ports+Universal AC Socke
Where Should I Stay in Aberdeen?
Luxury – Residence Inn by Marriott Aberdeen is a luxury hotel in the city of Aberdeen. It is within 20 minutes walk of the beach front and has free wifi, a gym and laundry facilities on site. The best things about this hotel might just be that it was rated highly for the comfort of the beds!
Book your stay at Residence Inn by Marriott Aberdeen here.
Mid-range – The Jurys Inn Aberdeen is located a stones throw away from the city centre shops, bars and restaurants. All rooms have air conditioning, a TV, hairdryer and most importantly, a comfortable bed.
Book your stay at the Jurys Inn Aberdeen here.
Budget – The Station Hotel sits opposite the train station in Aberdeen and is a fantastic budget option for your trip to the city. Each room is equipped with a TV and tea/coffee making facilities as well as having it’s own private bathroom.
What is the Best Travel Insurance?
We know travel insurance is the least enjoyable thing to purchase and look at when you’re planning a trip, however, you wouldn’t want to be without it in the event that something happened. Accidents can happen anywhere and the extortionate medical bills will ruin your trip if you are not covered.
To ensure you have a stress-free trip with no worries about potential medical bills, make sure you cover yourself when you travel. We can recommend using SafetyWing, a backpacker-friendly and cheap insurance company that provides good coverage and support. It is also nomad-friendly, unlike most other insurance companies, meaning you do not need to worry about being out of your home country for too long.
Get a quote for your travel insurance right here and get covered!
So there you have it, a guide to visiting Rattray Head Lighthouse. If you have visited the NE250 recently, let us know what you thought of Rattray Head Lighthouse or if you have any suggestions of what to do nearby, let us know in the comments below.
As always, sharing is caring so make sure to share this photo guide with your family and friends and inspire them to head off on their own North East 250 adventure. If you are planning the trip for yourself, make sure you have a look at the rest of our Scotland content for more inspiration to our beautiful home country.
When you set off on your own adventure, be sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram and we will share them with the rest of our community. In the meantime, why not follow us over there to see what we are currently up to and keep up with us on our Instagram Stories.
Now Read:
- Best Things to do on the North East 250 Road Trip
- North East 250 Itinerary – The Ultimate 5 day Aberdeenshire Road Trip
- Unmissable Beaches on the North East 250 – Best Beaches in Aberdeenshire
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