Hackley Bay Aberdeenshire: Background

A Hidden Gem on the Aberdeenshire Coast

There are places that seem to hold stories in their very soil and stones. Hackley Bay is one of them. This stunning cove is a reward for those who walk the coastal path from the Forvie National Nature Reserve towards the village of Colliston. It’s a landscape I have felt compelled to capture for some time.

The bay is a place of dramatic contrasts. It faces the North Sea and is sheltered on three sides by impressive cliffs. These cliffs are a bustling home for nesting seabirds, especially the characterful puffin during the breeding season.

Its seclusion also fuels the local lore that it was once a smugglers’ cove—a perfect, hidden spot for landing illicit goods.

A Landscape Layered with History

This sense of the past is deepened by more recent history. During the Second World War, this entire stretch of coastline was a critical training ground for Allied forces preparing for the D-Day landings in 1944.

When springtime arrives, this rugged backdrop is softened. The clifftops, or ‘braes’, come alive with a carpet of wildflowers, adding a delicate beauty to the scene. It is this unique blend of raw nature and layered history that makes Hackley Bay so captivating.

My Approach: Painting the Scene

For a subject with such splendour, I felt that watercolour was the perfect medium. The light and weather on the North Sea coast can change in an instant. To capture the precise sense of peace and magnificence I wanted to convey, I worked from a photograph taken on a day of serene calm.

My composition looks north towards the distant outline of Colliston village. In the painting, I focused on creating a harmony between the key elements:

• The Sea and Sky: The water was calm, which allowed me to connect the soft blues and viridian greens of the sea with the gentle, cloudy sky. This creates a unified and peaceful background for the entire piece.
• The Land and Cliffs: I used a palette of light ochre for the sunlit sand. This provides a warm contrast to the varied browns and raw siennas of the cliffs. These earthy tones ground the painting and give it a sense of rugged permanence.
• The Foreground Detail: In the front of the piece, the texture of the marram grass helps to draw you into the scene. My hope is that it makes you feel as though you are standing on the clifftop with me.

A Painting to Inspire

This was a truly rewarding subject to paint. I feel the finished watercolour captures the natural splendour of this special place.

I hope you enjoy it, and that it might inspire you to take that beautiful walk yourself one day.

My artistic journey along this coastline continues. You can find paintings of the quaint Colliston Village and the more unforgiving Buchan coastline using these links.