Home » Portsoy Pool, Banff

Although the pool is no longer accessible, this interesting site offers a mix of sandy and pebbled beach with lots of rocky outcroppings to investigate.

Look out for many interesting fish species including juvenile cod, saithe, pollack and long spined sea scorpions.

The Portsoy harbour is nearby so remain close to shore and remain vigilant of boat traffic, making yourself visible with a high visibility marker/tow float.

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Facilities

Parking

Gallery

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How to get there

By road

Travel north through Portsoy, along Target Road onto Marine Terrace. Follow the road as it curves left towards the coast; parking is available at the end of the road.

From the parking area, walk west along the footpath for a minute to reach the beach, immediately next to the old tidal pool (no entry).

The nearest electric vehicle charging station is 2.6 miles east, within Cullen.

By rail

The nearest train station is Keith (18 miles away) and Elgin (27 miles away).

By bus

Bus services are provided locally by Stagecoach North Scotland.

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Driving

Public
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Cycling

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Local conditions

Here is the wind forecast and tide times for this snorkel site. It is your responsibility to assess whether these conditions are suitable for snorkelling.

Other considerations

More information

  • Visit the award-winning Macduff Marine Aquarium and check out their events programme in advance. The aquarium offers a great starting point to your snorkel adventure, promoting awareness, enjoyment and stewardship of the Moray Firth marine environment. The aquarium showcases hundreds of marine species you might encounter while snorkelling to help you with your identification skills
  • Have a positive impact on the community during your visit by getting involved in activities offered by East Grampian Coastal Partnership, a voluntary group of individuals and organisations passionate about maintaining and improving the sustainability and wellbeing of the coastline. Their Turning the Plastic Tide project champions beach cleans and more to combat harmful impacts of marine litter.
  • Contact Blue Coast Surf & Paddle, a Surf and Stand-Up-Paddleboarding (SUP) School based in Cullen offering wetsuit and snorkel equipment hire.
  • Suds Surf School are a Surf and Stand-Up-Paddleboarding (SUP) School based in Sandend offering wetsuit and snorkel equipment hire.

Wildlife warning

Please be a responsible snorkeller; do not touch, take or tease wildlife.

This area is home to internationally important colonies of breeding seabirds (April-September) and seals (harbour seals June-July, grey seals August-December). Please behave responsibly and stay distant, wildlife should be left undisturbed. For more information see sealalliance.org and nature.scot. Avoid disturbing ground-nesting birds and livestock; follow the Outdoor Access and Marine Wildlife Watching codes.

Stay safe

  • Please do not enter the old tidal pool.
  • The Portsoy harbour is nearby so remain close to shore and remain vigilant of boat traffic, making yourself visible with a high visibility marker/tow float.

Snorkelling can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is your responsibility to check the conditions present on the day and assess whether it is safe to snorkel.

Please read our top tips to being a safe and responsible snorkeller.

Look out for the following species on your snorkel...

Fish
Pollack
Plaice
Yarrell’s Blenny
Crustaceans
Shore Crab
Velvet Swimming Crab
Brown crab
Hermit crab
Molluscs
Blue-rayed limpet
Grey topshell
Flat periwinkle
Dog whelk
Nudibranchs
Orange-clubbed sea slug
Sea Slug (Eubranchus tricolour)
Sea Slug (Coryphella lineata)
Sea Slug (Polycera faeroensis)
Jellyfish and other invertebrates
Moon jellyfish
Sea gooseberry
Lesser octopus
Dahlia anemone
Starfish and urchins
Sunstar
Common urchin
Spiny starfish
Smooth starfish
Marine plants
Cuvie kelp
Sugar kelp
Bladder wrack
Thongweed

Species records

Visit the NBN Atlas to see all species records from this site

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Snorkelling can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk.

Information is provided free of charge; it is your responsibility to check the conditions present on the day and assess whether it is safe to snorkel.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust strives to provide accurate information but cannot accept responsibility for changes, errors or omissions.

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