Forest bathing at Culbin Forest

Culbin is a big forest of pines planted over the dunes that stretch along the coast from Nairn to Findhorn Bay. Under the trees the old dunes are covered in moss and lichen, with open mossy glades, a pond and, on the seaward side, the saltmarsh and mudflats of the Gut. The forest is big enough to absorb a lot of visitors, so it suits slow, unhurried time.

Most visitors start at the Wellhill car park, reached from the A96 between Nairn and Forres. The Hill 99 Trail is the usual first walk, heading through the pines to a viewpoint tower that looks over the treetops to the coast, and the Gravel Pit Ponds Trail is shorter and gentler. Beyond those, an extensive network of gravel tracks lets you wander further in, and that is where it is quietest. Seasonal toilets open from April to October.