Cullen is a picturesque fishing town in the North East of Scotland, right on the border between Moray and Aberdeenshire. Our sandy beach offers ideal surf and paddleboarding conditions and receives the occasional visit from passing dolphins!
With a great atmosphere and a variety of things to do and places to eat and stay, it's an ideal choice for a quick visit or a longer relaxing holiday by the sea for families and couples.
A natural sea arch near Portknockie, named because it resembles the tip of a fiddle bow. Breathtaking in person, and best seen from the water on our favourite SUP tour route! Not to be missed.
A hearty bowl of Cullen Skink is a delicious local specialty. A must!
The Bin of Cullen is a 320m hill rising above forestry to a bare summit that offers breathtaking views of the local coastline and landscape. When the surf is big enough, you can see the waves rolling in at Cullen Beach from the top of Bin Hill!
Andy at Coffee at the Kings is our neighbour at the beach, selling delicious coffee and cakes from Thursday to Sunday. Perfect for a treat after a session in the North Sea.
Gareth & Sarah run Coastal Pizza - delicious Neapolitan Pizza available regularly at Cullen Harbour. Highly recommended for a feel-good meal after spending some time in the sea!
A varied selection of great shops and cafes to visit. From breakfast at the Rockpool Cafe to dinner at the Seafield Arms Hotel, a Cullen ice cream, fresh fish & chips, or a stroll around the colourful shops; there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Combine water activities with a unique round of golf overlooking our beautiful beach!
Hot feel-good food served by friendly staff right at the beach.
There are a variety of walking routes from Cullen, along headlands, past castles, above secluded bays; a great way to enjoy a summer's day and take in the stunning view.
Discover Cullen is a great resource on the town and local area for more information. There are plenty more things to do & see, and places to visit that we haven't been able to mention here!
Visit us at Blue Coast for surfing & paddleboarding at our bay in the North East of Scotland. We're at Cullen beach year-round; every day in summer and for bookings in winter.
Looking northwest from the quaint fishing town of Cullen, down through its striking viaducts that frame the picturesque bay, it would be easy to miss something. You look over the water towards the headland at Portknockie as people around you slip in and out of the cafes and shops. It's a clear day and the sun on your face doesn't give it away; you'd be forgiven for forgetting you're in the North East of Scotland.
But if you look closely, down at the blue water and the white breakers that roll onto the sandy shoreline, maybe you'll see a figure or two out there, beyond the waves, paddling leisurely on top of the water. If you're really lucky, you might see a pod of dolphins putting on their playful show as they make their way across the bay, past the awestruck paddleboarders.
And if you had time on your hands, maybe you'd take a stroll down the hill and through the Seatown, pausing occasionally to admire the old colourful cottages. You'd make your way to the beach, under the viaducts that were so prominent all those moments before, and look out at the Moray Firth, at the North Sea, and you'd see the black dots floating just beyond the waves.
What are they doing? you'd think, as one begins to paddle and glide with an incoming wave. They'd stand up on their board and ride almost to the sand and you'd watch them grin, turn around and paddle out again, hoping for another glimpse of that magic and you'd think to yourself,
Maybe I'll give that a try.
Managed to get a booking with short notice thanks to Adam. My daughter and nephew done the paddle board class and had a great time, the location at Cullen harbour was a great location to carry out the lesson. Due to poor sea state that day this protected them. We will book again when we are back up in the summer to visit there Grandparents.
We have had various sessions with Adam @ Blue Coast - always brilliant, helpful, learning & confident, safe environment
Great teachers & all in fantastic locations with excellent equipment - I had some trepidation for my first surfing lesson, I needn’t have worried, 2nd time we had a ‘big sea’ but guided by Adam I had one of the most exhilarating experiences - I will be doing this again - I think I’m improving 😝
My daughter and I had a fabulous time. Adam was very professional. The session was not only informative but fun and worth every penny. Would definitely recommend booking with Blue Coast Surf & Paddle.
We joined a small group of mixed ability surfers while we were up in Scotland and thoroughly enjoyed our session with Adam. The mixed nature was no problem for Adam and he was able to give us all individual tips that helped us improve through the session.
If anyone is in the area and is looking for a surf lesson then I would highly recommend Blue Coast. You're a superstar, Adam.
My son and daughter have really enjoyed their surf lessons with Adam at Blue Coast Surf & Paddle. Great addition to Cullen beach and look forward to trying out the coasterering next. Thoroughly recommend 👌
Fun, informative, and in a lovely location, it was a great experience, something slightly different to the usual activities, and was overall an enjoyable morning. Adam was supportive and patient and very good at explaining all the fundamentals. Will definitely be paddleboarding in the future thanks to Adam and the confidence he inspires!
I have been taking surfing lessons with Adam at Blue Coast most Sundays since early July after a recommendation from a friend and it is one of the most fun experiences I’ve had.
He is extremely professional and clearly very passionate about what he does and even though I’ve been doing lessons in a group setting, he makes sure everyone gets one on one time with pointers on how you can improve.
I’m 36 years old and never surfed before but have discovered that it’s never too late to start. Whether you fancy trying it alone or in a big group you won’t be disappointed and will be made to feel very welcome.
I visited Blue Coast for a first go at surfing and loved it. Adam was brilliant with the group, knowledgeable and a great instructor. I enjoyed myself and the instruction so much I went back up two days for stand up paddle boarding. Top notch
I did a coasteering adventure few weeks ago and it was the funnest and most exciting thing ever! Although it looked a bit dangerous when I saw videos online prior to the session, on the day Adam helped me feel confident and safe. He went over every step carefully and prepared us for jumping by gradually increasing heights. Every activity was optional and the atmosphere was great. I honestly can’t wait to do it again!
Adam is very knowledgeable and reassuring and was an excellent tutor. We were both quite apprehensive but Adam made it an excellent experience. Would highly recommend .
Our surfing lesson was great fun! Adam is an excellent teacher. We spent plenty of time in the water. We can't wait to go back!
Bought a session for granddaughter. She thoroughly enjoyed the day and the two staff members there ensured that she was getting well educated in the practicalities of surfing. On the way home she said she needs to come again and is keen on increasing competency. Thoroughly recommend Adam and his team for attention to detail . Definitely return for a few more lessons
Booked both a surf lesson for my son and a SUP lesson during the summer, both were great days out. Adam is a great teacher, read the abilities of everyone in the group and ensured all had a great time. All equipment was in perfect condition and had great photos emailed though after the lesson.Would highly recommend, and will be back next year.
Great, it was great fun, Adam is a great teacher and put us in a good mood. We were there in September when it was 12°C and it wasn't cold with the wetsuits in the water. Perfect location on the beach.
🏄🏼♀️Just had the most amazing time at Blue Coast Surfing! 🌊 Adam, our instructor, was an absolute gem. He was patient, fun, and made our surf lesson incredibly enjoyable 🤙🏼🏄♀️ I can't recommend Adam enough for anyone looking to catch some waves and have a blast while doing it! #SurfingFun #BlueCoastSurf&Paddle #AdamRocks 🌊
Brilliant morning with Adam who made it fun from the start. Two paddle boarding novices who thoroughly enjoyed his tuition and company. Fair play to him. He had us both standing and paddling by the end of the session. Can only highly recommend him and we are happy to visit him again.
Had a fantastic time coasteering around Portknockie out towards bow fiddle rock. Adam was very patient and encouraging especially to so ek e who doesn't do heights. Sea was calm and day was hot, a lovely afternoon and a rea treat for my son and myself. Thanks Adam - we had a blast!
I had great fun coasteering with Adam and a small group around portknockie, highly recommend giving it a go. I'm already wanting to do it again!
Fantastic location, great experience, Adam made us feel very welcome and is extremely knowledgeable about surrounding area.
Terrific surf lessons. All quality equipment provided. Adam is an excellent and attentive teacher who came across as genuinely invested in making sure everyone had the best experience. He’s also very communicative and helpful in the run up to the sessions and a very approachable and friendly person.
