Wild swimming has grown massively over the past year and we can definitely see why! The benefits of a cold water dip are like no other and even though it might feel cold at first, the common saying goes that it’s lovely once you’re in.
One of our most recent road trips was the North East 250, taking in the beautiful Cairngorms and Aberdeenshire coast. We love a wild swim and especially living in a motorhome, it’s a great way to get a shower so we will share with you all of our favourite spots for wild swimming around the NE250.
It is important to note that there are not life guards on these beaches and if you cannot swim or if the water does not look safe, don’t go in.
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Wild Swimming in Aberdeenshire – Top Spots on the NE250
We love a bit of wild swimming and we tried and tested some beautiful locations around the NE250 to share with you our favourites.
Table of Contents
Planning Your Trip
We use the below booking platforms to plan our trips. We hope you find them useful too!
We would highly recommend getting yourself a Seashell dryrobe for keeping warm when you get out of the icy cold water! They even have pockets to store your keys!
Aberdeen Beach
A sandy beach, right on the edge of the city, perfect place to cool off on a hot day. Head to the Esplanade where you will find a line of cafes and restaurants along the beachfront. You can park anywhere along the front and at the opposite end there are toilet facilities.
Balmeadie Beach
Hidden behind the sand dunes, Balmeadie Beach is a beautiful beach to visit on the NE250 road trip. The beach goes on for miles so you will be able to find a bit of the beach to yourself. There is a large car park with toilet facilities.
Collieston
Collieston is a beautiful harbour town with two swimming spots. The beach area is sheltered from the harbour making it a calm spot for wild swimming.
The more open area is popular with those going our on their stand up paddle boards or kayaks.
Cruden Bay
Cruden Bay was one of our favourite beaches on the NE250 road trip. There are two entrances into the water, one at the harbour where the swim will be more sheltered and also from the 2.5km beach. There is a small amount of parking at the harbour as well as toilets.
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.
Rosehearty Beach
Cullen
Cullen Beach was one of our favourite beaches for a swim on the NE250. The water is incredibly clear and the sand is very soft. We would recommend heading into the centre of the beach to avoid the seaweed closer to the harbour.
The beach is overlooked by cliffs and a large viaduct, it is very scenic. There is parking on the beach and toilet facilities nearby.
If you are looking for a good bag for your time exploring the beaches of Aberdeenshire, we can highly recommend the Wandrd Bag PRVKE 41L if you are carrying camera equipment around. If you are looking for a smaller backpack, The Nest by Tropicfeel is one of the most comfortable bags I have ever owned and perfect for a day out.
Linn Falls
A beautiful waterfall located a short walk from Aberlour and the perfect place for a refreshing dip. There is access to the water from the path which is sheltered by the surrounding trees. Depending on the recent rain fall will determine how deep the water will be.
Findhorn Beach
A bit off route but this one has to be one of our favourite beaches in Scotland. The top of the beach is lined with colourful beach huts and is stoney but walk down further and you will reach the soft golden sands.
We would definitely recommend a swim at Findhorn Beach at sunrise or sunset. There is parking at the beach that costs £1 and toilet facilities in the car park.
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!
Are you planning to visit more of Scotland on your trip? Why not check out our books to help you plan your trip?
So there you have it, all of the best wild swimming spots along the North East 250. If you have visited the NE250 recently, let us know what you thought of the swimming locations listed above, or if you have any suggestions 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:
- North East 250 Itinerary – The Ultimate 5 day Aberdeenshire Road Trip
- Must Visit Castles in Aberdeenshire – Castles on the NE250 Road Trip
- Unmissable Beaches on the North East 250 – Best Beaches in Aberdeenshire
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