Things to do in Elgin
Elgin in Scotland is the administrative capital of Moray Speyside as well as the main shopping and entertainment centre with lots of things to do and see.
There are many points of interest and activities for the visitor including Elgin Cathedral, St Giles Church, Johnston’s Woollen Mill, Glen Moray Distillery and the Biblical Gardens. Elgin is a lively base from which to visit and tour the rest of Moray Speyside. Things to do in Elgin include:
- Visit Elgin Cathedral
- Biblical Gardens
- Cooper Park
- Elgin Museum
- Gordon MacPhail
- Johnstons of Elgin Woollen Mill
- Ladyhill
- Millbuies Country Park
- Swimming
- Ice skating
- Golfing in Elgin
Elgin Cathedral
Elgin Cathedral is one of the iconic buildings in Moray and makes an impressive sight as well as a great place to visit. Parts of the Cathedral date to the early 13th Century. Although partly ruined, it’s still possible to climb one of the towers and enjoy views out over Elgin.
The Biblical Gardens
You can walk around the gardens identifying plants mentioned in the bible and look at the statues depicting scenes from the parables.
Designed around the shape of a Celtic cross, the Biblical Gardens sit behind a wall to the side of Elgin Cathedral near Cooper Park. Free admisssion.
Cooper Park
Cooper Park is a short walk from the centre of Elgin and remains an important part of the community. Activities include boating on the pond and playing tennis. You can also enjoy watching cricket in the summer months.
Glen Moray Distillery
Glen Moray Distillery is about 20 minutes walk from the town centre. It’s possible to tour Glen Moray to learn more about the production process and whisky history. Each tour ends with a whisky tasting in the visitor centre. If time is pressing or you want to explore the range more, Glen Moray has good value tasting options. It is one of the few distilleries in Moray Speyside to have its own cafe.
Elgin Museum
Visit Elgin Museum to see informative displays giving an overview of Moray including agriculture and commercial history. Of particular note are the Pictish stones and ancient Coracle (small round boats) used for fishing.
Elgin Museum can be found at the east end of the High Street beside the old market cross.
Gordon & MacPhail
One of the most famous names in Speyside Whisky, the shop is a treasure trove of whiskies. You’ll find distillery offerings as well as whiskies bottled by Gordon & MacPhail themselves. In the fairly recent past, they acquired Benromach Distillery in Forres and brought it back into production.
Art Exhibitions – in Cooper Park Library
The library acts as an occasional Art Gallery with frequent exhibitions by local artists, woodworkers and photographers throughout the year. Elgin museum also has temporary exhibitions. The main art gallery is Moray Art Centre in Findhorn.
Johnstons of Elgin Woollen Mill
Moray Speyside has a long history of textile production and Johnstons has stood the test of time producing high quality garments for over 200 years. As well as a cafe and shop, Johnstons also offer tours around the mill.
Ladyhill
Walk up Ladyhill to see the column dedicated to the fifth Duke of Gordon. Ladyhill dominates the western part of the town. It is worth the steep climb up steps (from opposite the Postal Sorting Office) for the view over Elgin. There’s a more gentle path now from Hill Terrace. There are just a few remains of Elgin castle on the top of the hill.
Millbuies Country Park
Millbuies Country Park is one of Moray’s hidden gems. There is a walk around a tranquil loch with a mix of pine and deciduous trees and wildlife. The loch is stocked with rainbow trout and it is possible to spend the day fly-fishing from a rowing boat.
Moray Sports and Recreation
Elgin has two sports centres. Moray Leisure Centre is situated behind Tesco. It has a swimming pool, ice rink and gym facilities. Moray Sports Centre situated near Linkwood Distillery has gym facilities, Both leisure centres have fitness classes
Moray Motor Museum
Visit Moray Motor Museum and see a range of vintage cars including a 1929 Roll Royce Phaontom 1, a 1936 Jaguar SS100 and 1954 Lagonda V12 to name but a few. The motor museum lies near Cooper Park Pond, just over the River Lossie.
Elgin Golf Club
Play golf at one of Moray’s best known golf courses. Originally established as a 9 hole course in 1907 it was extended to 18 holes in 1924. Facilities include a practice putting green and long and short game practice areas.