Places Rated: Scotland’s Moray Firth Coast

The November/December issue of Traveler features our annual “Places Rated” survey of destination stewardship, and this year 340 expert panelists rated 99 coastal destinations around the world. Here on the blog, we’re going to highlight some of these coastal destinations and are interested in adding your feedback to the mix. What do you think?

Scotland: Moray Firth Coast, Inverness to Peterhead
Rating: 76 — “Top Rated” category

A popular vacation spot for more than a century, this coast offers “outstanding cliff scenery” and maintains “a strong community feeling.”

Seasonal and year-round residents appear to live in relative harmony.

Tourism keeps “pretty coastal villages” economically afloat as Scotland’s fishing industry declines.

Why did the place earn this score? Read representative panelist comments after the jump.

“A wonderful region of Scotland. Beaches are fantastic, and the area welcomes visitors as one of their own. Largely rural. People work together for the greater good–fishermen tolerate canoeists; farmers allow walkers to pass over their land on footpaths, etc.”

“An undiscovered gem with pretty coastal villages, excellent beaches, and outstanding cliff scenery. Sadly, some town centers are deteriorating as supermarkets force local retailers out of business. Local restaurant food remains pretty mediocre despite the excellent seafood caught here.”

“A lot of self-catering accommodation and second homes. The area is attractive to walkers, cyclists, wildlife watchers, and surfers. It also offers whale and dolphin watching.”

Survey scoring system:
   74-84 Top Rated
   65-73 Doing Well
   55-64 In the Balance
   48-54 Facing Trouble
   34-47 In Trouble
   22-34 Near Catastrophic

See all 99 ratings and representative panelist comments online and share your thoughts below.

Photo: Jim Richardson