New Aberdour is a good choice for travellers who want to look beyond the beach during a coastal stay. Rock formations, sandstone caves and historical connections offer different points of focus when planning your visit. According to a tradition, St Drostan landed on the beach in 580 AD; Ceard’s Cove was intermittently inhabited until around 1914. These are two different historical connections from widely separated periods: the tradition of a saint and the history of settlement.

Rocky Beach and Geology

New Aberdour Beach is a popular rocky beach, sheltered behind a cliff edge. The coastal section near New Aberdour exposes the lower and middle Old Red Sandstone of the Turriff Basin. The unconformity between the lower and middle Old Red Sandstone sequences is also fully exposed there. An unconformity is the geological boundary between rock sequences. The term therefore draws attention not only to the type of rock, but also to the contact between the sequences. For a geological perspective, you can consider these two aspects separately: the exposed rock sequences on the one hand, and their fully exposed boundary on the other. As well as offering the general impression of a rocky coast, the coastline provides a specific geological point of interest.

Coastline and Sandstone Caves

Visitors can explore the coastline at New Aberdour Beach and walk through the impressive sandstone caves. These offer different points of focus: the shoreline as a landscape feature, or the caves as a specific walking activity. Both provide their own perspective on the stretch of coast and its sandstone.

Ceard’s Cove and the Tides

A visit to Ceard’s Cove requires planning around the tides. An access note, last updated on 22 July 2025, recommends taking the land route west from Aberdour Bay at low tide. Check the tide level when planning your visit. Ceard’s Cove was intermittently inhabited until around 1914. The approximate year and intermittent settlement give the cove a historical perspective alongside its coastal activities.

Well, Tradition and Memorial

St Drostan’s Well is a drinking fountain a little inland from New Aberdour Beach. It is named after the saint who is said to have landed on the beach in 580 AD. The well thus links a specific landmark with a tradition that places the beach at its centre. There is also a memorial to Jane Whyte at the western end of New Aberdour Beach. The two landmarks differ in location and significance: the tradition about St Drostan is central to the well, while the memorial is dedicated to Jane Whyte. This lets you explore the area’s coastal history from different perspectives, without conflating the tradition about the well with the memorial.

Discover more destinations: Ellon, Banchory, Stonehaven, Kintore, Turriff, Pitmedden, Aberchirder, Fraserburgh

For the wider travel overview: Aberdeenshire.