THE LURE
A 45 minute drive north of Aberdeen, Fraserburgh feels remote yet accessible, wild and welcoming, but whatever the weather you'll always get a warm welcome and a range of conditions, with big waves one day and stunning flat water the next. This is the place of extreme varieties and no two days are the same. Almost 24 hours of daylight in summer, barely six hours in winter, if you're sick of working on top of hundreds of people, head up here to get away from it all with vibrant traditional towns, tranquil villages, beautiful coastlines, dramatic mountains and superb kitesurfing opportunities.
THE SET-UP
Fraserburgh is situated on the northeast corner of Aberdeenshire with four beaches covering 270° within a five minute drive. The prevailing winds are either west to northwest or south to southeast depending on the time of year. Approximately 3.5 kilometres long, Fraserburgh Bay works in west through to northeast. Depending on the swell the whole bay offers beach break conditions, though the town end can often serve up some meaty left handers. The swell size and direction really dictates where is best on any given day. The east end of the beach, known locally as 'Philorth', can offer a good mix of moderate to good swell for wave riders, or butter flat shallow water depending on the state of tide.
St. Combs village is situated at the northern end of a stretch of beach that runs over 14 kilometres along Rattray Bay towards Peterhead. Working in north through to southeast winds, there are many natural lagoons offering flat water at certain tide states, but the exposed nature of the bay means much of the tide is open to waves whenever a good swell is running. Depending on the tide these waves can be clean overhead barrels breaking off the sandbar or pounding shore break. Local knowledge is key, but you can find whatever conditions you like here. Contact Synergy for all the info.
WIND, WEATHER AND WATER
The locals here are made of tough stuff and kite here all year. Winter is better for big swells and strong winds while the summer tends to be flatter and with a little more gentle wind. Strongest winds are generally found October to March, although storms are possible any time of year. April to September is best for learning, and if you can already kite you should bring all your gear. You could see everything from 90mph to 5mph winds in a week. It's worth noting that the highest recorded wind speeds for each month are usually four times higher than the average. You may be surprised to know that in the summer the temperatures can get up to 28°C / 82°F, although the averages are 12 - 18°C / 54 - 64°F. Winter months in contrast can be as low as -20°C / -4°F , with the averages being 4 - 12°C / 40 - 54°F. Water temperatures are 15°C / 59°F in summer, dropping to 10°C / 50°F in winter, so you'll wear your five mill full length suit all year, with boots and gloves from October through to April.
SCHOOLS
SYNERGY KITESPORTS are situated at the western end of Fraserburgh Bay, just a five minute walk from town and teach all levels from March to September at a max ratio of 2:1. Shop, powerkite, kitebuggy and kitelandboard lessons year round. Ozone, Peter Lynn, CrazyFly and Pro Limit gear available for purchase or rent as well as SUP, kayak and surfboards. Toilet, showers, changing rooms, wifi, cafe and free parking.
www.synergykitesports.com
info@synergykitesports.com
+44 (0) 1346 510 222
ACCOMMODATION
Fraserburgh itself has a number of hotels and B&Bs as well as a campsite right on the beachfront. Some of the surrounding smaller towns and villages also have accommodation, including hostels and even a Hobbit House. With Aberdeen back up the road the area as a whole offers something for all budgets and tastes.
NO WIND
Aberdeen is the oil capital of Europe with nightlife, shopping and everything you would expect in a big city, and yet the beach is just a ten minute walk from the city centre, while rural Aberdeenshire is rich in agriculture, fishing, golf, whiskey tours, castles and much more. The area as a whole has less than 3% unemployment and repeatedly wins awards for the best quality of life in the UK. The warm, friendly atmosphere and pleasant relaxing vibe may cause you to stay for some time! Activity-wise: SUP, kayak, surfing, coastal walks etc.
GET AROUND
In Fraserburgh itself everything is within walking distance. The beach is just a five minute walk from the town centre, while some hotels out of town are a five to ten minute drive from the beach. There are good bus links to Aberdeen and surrounding areas and taxis are widely available. Lots of hire car options if you want to fly up.
CURRENCY
GBP (£): €1 = £0.83 / $1 = £0.61 ATMs everywhere and all cards widely accepted.
FOOD AND DRINK
Within a five minute walk from Fraserburgh beachfront there are lots of supermarkets as well as smaller food stores, restaurants and take-aways. Many restaurants and take-aways serve locally sourced produce. Rural Aberdeenshire is of course famous for its Aberdeen Angus beef as well as fresh seafood landed daily at Fraserburgh. Aberdeen is an amazing city for restaurants, bars and accommodation, so head back there if you wish to mix city and rural experiences.
AIRPORT
Aberdeen (ABZ) 42 miles away / 40 mins by car; Inverness (INV) 92 miles / two hours; Edinburgh (EDI) 164 miles / three hours; Glasgow (GLA) 194 miles / just under four hours.
