Best Hidden Gems in Moray
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best hidden gems in Moray are Sueno's Stone, Spynie Palace and Burghead Well.
Moray runs along the southern shore of the Moray Firth in north-east Scotland, a quiet county of old towns, firth and farmland where deep history lies close to the surface. Its hidden gems reach back more than a thousand years, to the age of the Picts and the medieval church, and three in particular reward the traveller who seeks them out.
On the edge of Forres stands Sueno's Stone, the tallest carved stone of its kind in Scotland, its faces crowded with a ringed cross and rank upon rank of warriors. A couple of miles north of Elgin, Spynie Palace rises in ruin, the old stronghold of the bishops of Moray, crowned by the great mass of David's Tower.
And at Burghead, on the coast, a strange rock-cut well lies hidden beneath the modern town, deep within what was once a great Pictish fort. Here are three of the best hidden gems to seek out in Moray.
Sueno's Stone
Photo: Nigel Brown via Geograph.org.uk
Sueno's Stone is the tallest and most elaborate carved stone of its kind in Scotland, standing over six metres high on the edge of the town of Forres. Carved from a single slab of sandstone more than a thousand years ago, in the Pictish or Pictish-Scottish age, it has a great ringed cross with panels of interlace on one face and, on the other, rank upon rank of carved figures showing what seems to be a battle.
To protect it from the weather it now stands inside a glass and steel case. It is a free, open site cared for by Historic Environment Scotland.
Spynie Palace
Photo: Des Colhoun via Geograph.org.uk
Spynie Palace is the ruined stronghold of the bishops of Moray, standing a couple of miles north of Elgin, once beside a sea loch that has since been drained. Its great survivor is David's Tower, a massive stone tower house of the fifteenth century, among the largest in Scotland, which can be climbed for wide views over the countryside and the Moray Firth.
Around it stand the walls of the courtyard and other buildings. Bishops lived here for centuries, and kings and queens visited, before it was abandoned.
Cared for by Historic Environment Scotland, it is a fine ruin to explore at your own pace.
Burghead Well
Photo: Darren Haddock via Geograph.org.uk
Burghead Well is a mysterious underground chamber cut deep into the rock at Burghead, within what was once a great Pictish fort. A flight of steps carved from the solid rock leads down into a square stone chamber, dim and cool, with a tank of clear water at the bottom fed from below.
Rediscovered in 1809, no one is quite sure what it was for: some think it a Pictish shrine or holy well, others an early Christian baptistery, and the truth is lost. A visitor fetches a key to go down into it.
It is an eerie, ancient place, quiet and dripping, out of sight below the streets.
FAQs
What is Sueno's Stone?
Sueno's Stone is the tallest and most elaborate carved stone of its kind in Scotland, standing over six metres high on the edge of Forres. Carved more than a thousand years ago, it now stands inside a glass and steel case to protect it from the weather.
How do I get into Burghead Well?
A visitor fetches a key to go down into the well, then descends the rock-cut steps into the chamber below. It is an eerie, dripping place cut deep into the rock, so take care on the steps in the dim light.
Are Moray's hidden gems free to visit?
Sueno's Stone and Spynie Palace are cared for by Historic Environment Scotland, and Sueno's Stone is a free, open site. The Burghead Well is reached by fetching a key, so plan ahead before you arrive.
Conclusion
Moray packs a great deal of deep history into a small, quiet county. In a single trip you can stand before the carved warriors of Sueno's Stone on the edge of Forres, climb David's Tower amid the ruins of Spynie Palace north of Elgin, and descend the rock-cut steps into the eerie chamber of Burghead Well.
Two are free and open sites in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, while the well is reached by fetching a key, so a little planning helps. Each carries you back to the age of the Picts and the medieval church, when this corner of Scotland was a place of power and faith.
Whether above ground in the light or down in the dripping dark, these are the best hidden gems to seek out in Moray.
