Local Information

The former royal burgh of Forres is one of Scotland’s oldest and most attractive towns and is situated on the beautiful Moray coast, approximately 25 miles northeast of Inverness and 12 miles west of Elgin.

Well known for its stunning colourful floral displays, Forres has won many accolades including the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions.

Forres is one of Moray’s largest towns, and is surrounded by pretty villages, fabulous beaches, distilleries and historic castles and monuments.

Woodroffe Grange is located west of Grantown Road and adjacent to the historic Knockomie Hotel.

Transport

Forres is located on the main A96 route from Inverness to Aberdeen.

Distance to Forres town centre: 1.4 miles

Distance to Elgin: 12 miles

Distance to Inverness: 25 miles

Air

Inverness Airport: 19 miles

Aberdeen Airport: 73 miles

Rail

Forres Train Station: 1.7 miles

Bus

There are regular bus services in the Forres area and travelling further afield to Lossiemouth, Elgin, Inverness and Aberdeen.

Education

There are four primary schools and Forres Academy − a secondary school that serves the town and surrounding areas.

The academy features a large library, games hall, two gyms, swimming pool, assembly hall and five areas of playing fields which provide hockey, football, rugby and cricket pitches.

Health

Doctors

There are several doctors surgeries including Forres Health & Care Centre and Culbin and Varis Medical Practice.

Hospital

Hospitals are located at Dr Gray’s, Elgin, and Raigmore, Inverness.

Dentists

Forres Dental Centre is located on Falconer Avenue, Knockomie Braes, Forres.

Other dental practices include Orchard Road Dental Practice and Bishopmill Dental Centre on Lossiemouth Road.

Leisure

Restaurants and Bars

Neighbouring Woodroffe Grange is the Knockomie Inn Hotel (pictured) which serves produce from Scotland, Speyside and the Moray Coast including meat, game, fish and poultry.

Meanwhile, Forres itself hosts a range of eateries including award-winning four-star restaurants and cosy, village gastropubs.

Moray has more than 50 whisky distilleries and the Speyside region has more distilleries than anywhere else in the world. Forres is also the start of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Trail. Therefore, local hotels, bars and restaurants, have extensive collections of Speyside malts.

Sports, Leisure and Attractions

There is no shortage of leisure opportunities in the area, thanks to the spectacular Moray Coast, which is world recognised and was even voted one of the top 12 coastlines of the world by National Geographic Magazine.

An uninterrupted sandy beach stretches from Findhorn Bay to Burghead, and the coastal waters are rich with wildlife and you can regularly see bottlenose dolphins, porpoises, whales, sea birds and seals.

For keen golfers, there is Forres Golf Club, which has hosted the Scottish Professional Championships among others, and a few miles away is Kinloss Country Golf Club, a nine hole course boasting stunning views over the Moray Firth towards the Black Isle.

For indoor activities, then Forres Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre offers a heated swimming pool and fitness centre. It also features a fitness room with cardio and weight training equipment, sauna, steam-room and showers.

If you are into walking, then you won’t be disappointed as there is a wealth of walks around Forres and the surrounding area. Some of the popular locations for walking are Findhorn Beach, Randolph's Leap, The Moray Way, Culbin Forest, Cluny Hill and Grant Park, Sluie Walk, Sanquhar Loch and The Dava Way.

Similarly, mountain biking is a popular pastime, with many cycle routes located in both Forres and the wider Moray area including a new cycle path from Forres to Findhorn.

The National Cycle Route runs through the south side of Culbin Forest and spans over into the Highlands.

Shopping

A Co-Op convenience store is located close to Woodroffe Grange, and a large Tesco supermarket is located on Nairn Road in Forres.

Forres town centre offers a variety of shops including small independent outlets, along with bakeries and butchers. There is free parking on and off the high street.

On the outskirts, Mackenzie and Cruickshank garden centre is open seven days a week and is a popular retail and catering destination.

A few miles out of Forres is Brodie Countryfare, which offers a wide range of food, clothing, art, homeware, toys and a large restaurant. Also a short drive from Forres is Logie Steading, a converted farm building offering retail outlets, cafe, art gallery, book store and more.

Other major shopping centres are located in Elgin, 12 miles away, and Inverness, 25 miles away.