Text reproduced by kind permission of www.eurobirding.co.uk

This is a large and shallow loch close to the Grampian coast and separated from the sea by sand-dunes, in fact, it is the largest dune slack pool in Britain. The loch is fringed by freshwater marshes, saltmarsh, fen woodland and farmland. The size and eastern coastal location of this loch make it an important migration staging post and wintering area for waterfowl with more than 30 000 birds present at times. It is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The area is most famous for wintering Whooper Swan but other waterfowl also occur especially Barnacle, Greylag and Pink-footed Geese, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Goldeneye. Smaller numbers of Mallard, Pintail and other dabbling ducks as well as Sawbills can also be seen here. Snow Goose is recorded annually. Around 300 Mute Swans moult on the loch in late summer.

In addition there are breeding species including Great Crested Grebe, Eider and Shelduck and Water Rail, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting nest in the reeds. Colonies of Sandwich and Common Terns now nest on an artificial island in the loch. Passage periods bring Marsh Harrier and waders such as Greenshank and Wood and Green Sandpipers to the loch. Rarities are frequently seen and have included Pied-billed Grebe, Great White Egret and Caspian Tern.
Both Badger Meles meles and Otter Lutra lutra occur on the reserve and Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus are common. Botanical interest lies in the marshland plants which include many pondweeds and the very local buttercup Ranunculus reptans, and those of the dunes such as Scots Lovage Ligusticum scoticum, Grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris and Field Gentianella campestris and Autumn Gentians Gentianella amarella. Orchids present include Lesser Butterfly Platanthera bifolia and Coralroot Corallorhiza trifida.

The loch lies between the sea and the A952 Peterhead to Fraserburgh road near the village of Crimond. Access is across Ministry of Defence land and is by permit only. There are hides overlooking the bays and islands of the loch and a boardwalk through the fen woodland from the information centre.

Strathbeg and Rattray - a brief history by Derek Jennings:

Geology
SSSI notes- 15000 to the early 1700’s
For hundreds of millions of years Buchan has been a hinge zone between the highlands and the subsiding North Sea basin. Strathbeg area escaped the mountain uplift which caused deep valleys to be cut further inland. During the last ice age ice from three different directions met in this area, blanketing the land with glacial deposits. The late glacial rise in sea level reached 15m, at this height the sea cut cliffs in the soft glacial deposits forming a raised shorelineAt 6000 years ago the post glacial sea rose to nearly 5m cutting new cliffs which now form a raised shoreline inland of the loch and reaching to Savoch. At the same time the sea level rise drove the offshore sand and shingle onto and along the coast Southward. This is called longshore drift which starts from a projection on the coast mostly gravel eroded from Inzie head near Cairnbulg and begin their development to leeward of the dominating wave and storm direction forming a long shingle spit beginning at a point near Lonmay castle site. The spits ridges gradually enclosed the bay of Strathbeg forming the Loch.
During the last 6000years the present Strathbeg coastline was formed. As the sea level began to fall offshore, sand became exposed to dune building winds, however Strathbeg remained a tidal inlet because ebb tide currents maintained an outlet channel at Rattray.
Historical evidence indicates that Strathbeg was a prosperous harbour until 1720 although in 1654 sand had temporarily filled the outlet enough to prevent the passage of boats. Around 1720 easterly gales eroded sand from the beach and dunes to form a bar permanently blocking the outlet. The tidal inlet flooded to become the loch of Strathbeg.
Old maps suggest that the Strathbeg dune system has grown considerably seawards in the last 250 years.

Loch of Strathbeg
The loch 550 acres at the centre of a 2300 acre nature reserve.

Prehistory
RSC’s 3000bc to 2000bc One massive Recumbent stone in the south west quadrant where the uprights of the stone circle are normally larger. On either side of the recumbent there is normally a pair of large upright flanking stones. These RSC’s may have been designed to aid observation, from the stone circle of the setting moon against distant horizons at particular times of the year. This may be the way prehistoric farmers kept track of the seasons and regulated their ceremonies.
They were also used for cremations urns with human ash have been found within the circles. The regional variations in RSC’s give an idea on how society of the time was organised. It is a large area in which at least the religious beliefs were similar and each group had their own ceremonial site. .
In these times the loch would have provided an abundance of wild fowl, eels, seals and fish. Rattray in prehistoric times must have been the best place in Buchan to live
During the archaeological excavation at Rattray a prehistoric field system was uncovered dating 1500 to1000bc they discovered that here was an open grassy plain with scrubby willow and hazel. Evidence of prehistoric cultivation was also found in the form of Ard marks. The site is also of interest because a wattle hurdle found at the edge of a field had been charred and detail of its construction survived. As there was no sign of post holes for stakes this may have been a walkway possibly ceremonial or because the ground was very boggy. Fragments of pottery found suggest the fields were fertilised with household waste.

 Romans
In Ptolemy’s map Rattray may be Taizalon in the 1st century AD the roman general Agricola asked his fleet to explore the East coast of Scotland. Strathbeg may have been a base for supplying his army which fought and conquered the Picts at Mons Graupious AD84. .
The fleet passed the winter at a place called Trucculensis (Tacitus –Agricola’s biographer). A likely place could have been the sheltered harbour at the loch of Strathbeg.
The romans may have been attracted too by pearls, the loch was abundant in freshwater mussels. But it is more likely they came there for the more lucrative prize of slaves.

Rattray

The oldest building at Rattray is St Mary’s chapel. It was built by William Comyn in 1220, the building could not be much older than this because the style of arch in the east window was not introduced into ecclesiastical buildings in Scotland till near the end of the twelfth century. It was near the castle. These chapels were called oratories to which the lord and his family could retire in quiet to say their prayers. It was also built for the laird and his family to be buried in and provision was made for having masses sung daily and weekly for the ‘weal’ of his soul and that of his family, his ancestors and successors in all time. (chapels called Chantries).
The Comyns a Flemish family(from the town of Comines in Flanders) came to Britain with William the Conqueror. -Comyns = 32 belted knights, 4 earls and one lord.
For 200 years the Comyns did a great deal for the civilisation of North East Scotland. William married Marjory daughter of Fergus the last Celtic Mormaer of Buchan he became the Earl of Buchan.
-Castles included = Rattray, Inverallochy, King Edward, Dundarg, Dunotter, Cairnbulg, Pitullie, Pitsligo, Old Slains and Lonmay castle of which there is no sign but was known locally as ‘the Auld Places’, it was 1 ½ miles SE of St Combes.
William founded the Abbey of Deer possibly to supply parish priests to the churches of his earldom. The abbey was built by Jordan Comyn(who may also have built the chapel of Rattray) he was given Inverallochy for his work. The dressed red sandstone for the windows were shipped by sea from the quarries at Dundarg.
During the war of independence which broke out after the death of Margaret of Norway. The Comyns were in opposition to the Bruce’s.
-Red Comyn was murdered by Robert the Bruce in the Grey Friars in Dumfries (1306)
1308 Robert the Bruce beat John Comyn at the battle of Barra near Inverurie. He marched on Buchan (harrying of Buchan.)In 1308 he finally defeated the Comyns, they were stripped of their titles and land John Comyn fled to England and RTB divided the Comyn estates in Buchan among his friends.
The lords of Buchan had power of pit and gallows, the former for drowning women and boys and the latter for hanging men – gallows hill is quite close.
Serfs were expected to perform heavy duties eg. Bringing home millstones from as far Pennan, casting and driving peats drawing stones on sledges for building castles and churches and all were bound to the soil.
-Comyn’s have come full circle from 13th century to present to be lairds of Rattray.
Their houses were built of layers of stones and sods their walls were well rounded and were sloping inwards the roof could have been made of sods or reeds. The fire was in the middle of the floor well away from the combustible walls. They would have enclosed gardens, small corn fields and a muir that was common to all. These house were sometimes called blackhouses there is still the ruins of one to be seen at Rora.
The boats would have been pulled on to the shore and the fishermen would also have mended their nets here, one field is still called Shore Wynd.
1564 Rattray was made a Royal Burgh. At this time it was in the hands of William Keith but Andrew Hay of Errol who was proprietor of Haddo coveted it. The Burgesses of Rattray had the right to set up a market cross and hold a weekly market on a Tuesday and two fairs yearly in August and September. The Burghs Bartholomew fair continued to be held until 1869.
In the 1696 poll book there were five tenants in Seatown now called Botany living there was a form of banishment.
Seatown ( now botany) the site of the harbour inlet.
The Statistical account of 1794 states that up to 1720 the Loch of Strathbeg was small but then a furious East wind blew away a sand hill which completely blocked the loch. A small vessel laden with slates was land locked and never got out, the slates were used on the roof of Haddo and the manse of Lonmay. The damming of the loch greatly increased its size.
During the sand storm of 1720 the inhabitants of Rattray castle ‘a godless crew’ were playing cards on the Sabbath, they were buried alive. 100 years later a local farmer digging among the ruins found the room but the bodies crumbled before his eyes.
Because arable land was at a premium in this area an attempt was made to cut a canal with an outlet near Cairnbulg. ( a Mr Sellar got a lease rent free for as much of the loch that he could drain a complete failure the first year because he failed to take in his crop and the land flooded and he die before he could repeat the planting). The Savoch wind pump on the edge of the loch dates from 1791 and was one of a few built to drain the loch. What survives is a circular tapered tower 18’ high with shafts and gearing but no sails.

Lighthouse
Lighthouse was built on the Ron rock of Rattray head1895 By David Stevenson of the famous Stevenson family of lighthouse builders. There are about a dozen rock masses. The Briggs are so called because at one point the water rushes through channels like rivers through a bridge. Between the years 1871 to 1873 24 boats were lost on average 2 every year.
The lighthouse is seventy feet high and twenty two feet wide at the base it stands on a cylinder of mason work 45 feet high above sea level and 65 feet wide at the base. The total height of the tower and base is 113 feet above the rocks on which it stands.
It can be seen for about 18 miles.

Large Houses
Cairness – James Playfair 1791-97 for Charles Gordon of Buthlaw on the back of income from Jamaican plantations The finest Neo Classical mansion in Scotland if not Britain. This is a house full of mystery and magic. In 1784 Charles Gordon of Cairness Laid out the New Toon of Cairnbulg. Charlestown across the mill water was founded by Inverallochy estate in 1800. General Gordon returned from Greece with his manservant ‘John Turk’ who roamed the countryside and was a larger than life figure.
Ghost present occupiers say turns lights on and off.
Logie – 18C only the cellars remain.
Craigellie – 1840 John Smith Italianate design.
Crimonmogate – 1825 Archibald Simpson – Neo Classical. Today many original estate buildings survive. (www.cmg-events.co.uk)
Rattray house - 18c Regency. Mid 18c wing to the rear retains its original hall. Owned today by ancestors of the original Comyns of Buchan.
Haddo house – mid 18c Old Scottish lairds house.
Laings Haddo doctor wrote about Peterhead Spa.
Haddo ghost Peterhead painters.
Smugglers tunnel everyone was at it from the villager local fisherman and even the laird for his brandy and tobacco, and lace and silk for his wife.

Churches and Chapels
St Fergus church -1868 James Mathews ‘T’ Plan, the bellcote 1644 retrieved from the old kirk in the links.
Crimond Parish church – 1812 probably by Robert Mitchell, gothic windows and slender spire. The clock has a curious 61 minutes to the hour, it was donated to the church by the Laings of Haddo, there is a roundel in the front of Haddo house where the clock may have been.
Old Crimond parish church -1576 has good armorial panels 17th and 18th century monuments and an obelisk.
St Combs church – medieval abandoned in 1607.
Lonmay Parish church – 1787 ‘T’ plan Georgian Box kirk.
It replaced the old parish church which was built in 1607 a portion of the south wall is standing in the churchyard. (this old church replaced the one at St Combs.) The old church was burnt down by soldiers after Culloden.

Crimond Airfield
Crimond's claim to fame is that it was the Admiralty that discovered it instead of the Air Ministry Aerodromes board. The name was later changed to Rattray after the name of the headland. Work on the airfield was started in March 1943, The airfield had four runways instead of the traditional three.
The site was commissioned for use on 3rd October 1944 as HMS Merganser, the airfield had been in use since the previous July by 774 Squadron for Telegraphist Air Gunner training. Several Barracuda Training units were resident due to the need for Observer training schools.
In May 1944, 714 Squadron moved in from Fearn for Torpedo Bombing Reconnaissance training, 717 Squadron arrived in November to perform a similar role. Due to the Barracudas required handling, crashes were frequent, four barracudas were wrecked and other damaged by hitting towers, aerials and other aircraft.
Two squadrons were formed at Rattray in 1945, these were 817 & 818 Squadrons, and these moved away in the first half of 1945. During this time 753 Squadron from Arbroath was operating aircraft for Observer training. 753 Squadron disbanded in August 1946. Rattray was closed on 1st September 1946 when it went to care and maintenance.
Today, 900ft Radio Masts are visible on the old runways, large parts of the outer perimeter are used for Oil Industry storage and at weekends there is a car racing circuit.
This coastal area abounds in pillboxes and tank defences.