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This area includes Lossiemouth, Hopeman,
Burghead, Cummingston and Roseisle.
Lossiemouth
Lossiemouth
was developed as a new port for Elgin after the original port of Spynie
was cut off from the see when large deposits of sand and shingle were
formed by the River Lossie. Although the Loch of Spynie was renowned
for its beauty, it no longer served as a shipping port and a new harbour
was created at the mouth of the River Lossie. In the nineteenth
century, when the herring industry was at its peak, the present harbour
was built to cater for the increased fishing fleet. Designs for new
types of fishing boats were also built in Lossiemouth; firstly, the famous
'Zulu' class fishing boat was created and built by a local fisherman in
1879. The first of the seine-net fishing boat was also designed in
Lossiemouth after the First World War.
Colonel Brander of Pitgaveny, formed a new
town to the west called Branderburgh, which grew in time to join Stotfield.
Burghead
A
feature of Burghead is a promontory, which juts out into the sea.
This promontory has been occupied since prehistoric times, and was once a
major centre in Pictland. The promontory is crowned by the remains
of a Pictish fort and incorporates a rock-hewn chamber known as "The
Burghead Well'.
Burghead is also famous for its mid winter
Yule fire festival known as the 'Burning of the Clavie'. The
festival takes place on the 11th January (Old Yule Night) each year and
attracts between 2,000 to 3,000 visitors. The Clavie crew is lead by
the Clavie King and they each take it in turns to carry through the street
a blazing tar barrel or Clavie. This is made from a whisky barrel
and set alight with a burning peat, which is collected from the same house
each year. After the Clavie has been carried around the streets it
comes to rest on Doorie Hill near the Fort and large amounts of oil, tar
and petrol are thrown over the barrel and the hillside. The Clavie is
internationally known and many ex residents of Burghead return for this
night to try and get a piece of the barrel as it is supposed to bring you
luck for the rest of the year.
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