So I thought I'd treat myself to a lunch at Christie's, which is now Simpsons in Fochabers. I haven't really eaten here before, so based on Simpsons being quite a big brand, I was setting my expectations high. However, they had run out of culling skink, so I couldn't get culling skink. No big deal. I'll have a ham sandwich instead. They didn't have any ham either. It they got me thinking, this is a Sunday. It's probably their busiest day of the week. And they've run out of these two headliners on their menu. Not a problem, I thought. I'll try the scampi. It was going to be more expensive, but I thought I'll treat myself. Unfortunately, when I was served the scampi, I thought they got the order wrong. I thought they'd given me a kid's portion. I got a hold of the waitress and I just asked her, "excuse me, have I been given a kid's portion?" And with a kind smile looked at me and said, "no, sorry, that's just the portion size." A couple of minutes after this, the chef came out and asked me what the problem was. I explained to her that I thought I'd been given a kid's portion, but no, it was an adult portion. I'm not complaining here. I just won't be back to this place to eat. I realise prices have increased but that should'nt mean you cut portion sizes - raise your prices instead of giving away half portions. Especially when its just putting a decent amount of chips and peas on a plate - that goes a long way.

Does look like it has had a major makeover and now looks great. Excellent selection of perennials

Was in cafe today, soup & sandwich 1 slice of bread £12 & burger & chips £12 1 bottle juice & 1 can juice total £30 never ever have I paid £3 each for a juice the prices & portions were ridiculous would not recommend to anyone. Absolute total rip off.

Wonderful selection of plants and gifts....but far too overpriced for the client who is facing yet another economic crisis. Luckily the food is excellent and the aviary a joy for eyes and ears! Left feeling cheerful, thank you. :->

Like most garden centers the food is a little expensive. The coffee is really good. I would not chose this place to go and have lunch or generally do shopping. When the play area is open it's worth a visit to keep kids amused.

Disappointed ..Was expecting more of a change to the appearance of the cafe/restaurant .Had the soup and sandwich deal expensive @ £23.98 for two of us. Never have i had a sandwich made with 1 slice of bread. I know there is staff etc to pay but come on!

I thought we would check out the new simpson? Well no change in the cafe still as bad as christies asked for a sml b/fast, that's a no had to have a childs, it was awful 1 sausage egg beans slapped on a sml plate with warm bread not toasted, my friend had a normal b/fast that was also on too sml a plate white warm bread & the breakfast wasn't great. Very disappointed so won't be recommending to friends. On a positive note the actual garden centre itself is very much improved 👌

Beautiful Caravan Park, wonderful grounds and facilities. Excellent location within easy reach of local amenities and great views.

What a brilliant place to park up for a few nights. Denise is extremely welcoming and helpful. The facilities are spotless and the setting is pretty and well kept. It was quiet and peaceful around our pitch and very near the facilities. Nothing was too much trouble even over the Easter weekend. We loved exploring the village and would highly recommend this as a place to stay. A reasonable £37 for us both per night for EHU, water etc on our pitch. Thankyou Burnside 😊

Been here 2 years ago and back again! So beautiful, calm and quiet amidst the natural tranquility. Woods all around. So many caravans around. Almost full. A nice stream of falls flowing under a small bridge. Will love come again!

This is a lovely campground with nicely spaced pitches. It has the nicest and cleanest bathrooms I’ve ever seen at a campground. The host was kind enough to allow us to register and stay even though we arrived after hours with no reservation. I would definitely stay again

I stayed here in a tent whilst walking the Speyside way. The pitches are very nice, i had a lovely spot by the river. It was very relaxing. The lady at reception was very knowledgeable and super friendly. I have stayed at campsites all over the UK and the facilities here are among the nicest/cleanest i have experienced.

This site is well located with quick access to the local village. It’s well equipped with a park and there are a number of forest walks in the local area. The facilities are generally good but there is work to be done in modernising the men’s facilities. The pitches are well located to capture the sun whilst being generally sheltered from the wind.

This is a wee gem of a site. Recently renovated excellent facilities and easy access to the village.

Speyfest was incredible, what a beautiful festival and with a heart for traditional folk music throughout 3 days with all kinds of events from bands live, workshops, art, celtic kirk service, food and the staff volunteers helping were amazing. The whole venue was perfect for those with accessible needs and I enjoyed it very much. I look forward to doing it all again next year. Meeting up with family and friends and just having fun 🙂 one of the best feelings for sure. What a beautiful weekend. I didnt want to leave 😭 to have it 8 miles away from home = perfect. I loved it

The Shetland guys were amazing and so were tidelines

Great weekend of Scottish music

Really enjoyed the evening I spent here. Great local festival, wonderful music. Great to see local schools being given the opportunity to perform.

Fantastic event, such a community feel and amazing music

The music is extremely loud, especially at night. Though I live several streets away, I could hear the music rattling my windows at 1am. That may be okay for some, but it’s a nuisance when you’re trying to sleep. Many of the people who attend Speyfest have absolutely no respect for people who live in the village. I could hear many of them walking down the street in front of my house at 1AM, talking loudly and shouting to one another. One of them stopped right in front of my door to make a phone call, and proceeded to talk loudly. They were so loud I could hear them all through my house.

Been several times and it's a wonderful weekend of music. The facilities are great with a good selection of food and a decent bar with a choice of beers. Can wait for the next one.

Was very surprised by the collection here. The staff were very helpful and friendly. I particularly liked their WW2 collection my grandfather served with 61st Highland Anti Tank Regiment 51st Highland Division and he was camped at Mostodloch Late 1940

Staff was lovely an polite, very friendly made you feel welcome. With some lovely pieces of history stored there

Easy access to all exhibits. Staff really helpful and informative. All round great place to visit

This place is fantastic .So much interesting stuff .A wee gem of a place.And great that it is free too

A nice place.

Brilliant. So much packed into the space. Lovely Duke of Edinburgh's Award corner, very appropriate as the Award began in Moray. Ladies on the desk were very welcoming. Will definitely go again.

Great little museum 5 mins from home. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Free entry but do have a donation box

Great ice creams, waffles and coffee. Great service.

It was such a relief to enjoy a milkshake after a game of cricket on a super sunny day. They serve some tasty ice cream and milkshakes. I had a Mars bar milkshake and it was good. You can also get some good handmade biscuits from this ice cream Parlour. Parking can be a bit difficult during busy days.

Lovely place, friendly staff and a wide range of ice creams to choose from

Visited this ice cream parlour while on holiday in the area. Shop was nice and clean , staff were friendly and ice cream was nice. The only let down was the staff member went from serving on the till straight to handling the flakes for our cone. No Tongs , no gloves and no handwashing hence the 3 stars.

Greatest ice creams going. Also cake coffee etc. Ice cream flavours change often but always worth the trip.

great ice cream shop, the workers are amazing and let me charge my phone

Staff were friendly and welcoming from the moment we walked in the door and while serving. Hot waffles and ice cream were amazing! Both loved our visit and will tell more people to come here. Thank you so much!

This garden is a very enjoyable experience. We paid £10 for entrance. It is an oasis of peace and quiet. One thing to note was the nesting oystercatchers, lovely to see them. There is plenty to see and enjoy and there are seats to have a rest. We made a booking for the cafe and it was excellent. It seemed relatively new and was fairly busy but it was a Saturday. There is also a souvenir shop and the lady on duty was very friendly. You can walk the estate but keep clear of the private castle. We really enjoyed our visit and will visit again.

Sadly the cafe was closed. However the grounds and gardens were excellent. Perhaps a little steep £10/person for entry but we enjoyed it none the less

Interesting history of development of garden, good to see different styles of planting, both honouring the past but challenging the future. Dogs welcome. Would like to have seen a few more plants on sale and I would like to return to see how the garden continues to develop.

Wow,what a find this place was.Even driving up to it was nice.The entrance was extremely inviting.We arrived at the car park and thought i wonder what lies beyond.....Beautiful gardens,lovely staff and just a nice way to spend an afternoon.Unfortunately we visited on a day the cafe was closed so couldn't sample to food but it gets great reviews.Definately worth a visit on a nice day as in regards to the garden it's pretty much all outside.

Great wee place to relax after a walk in the local area , on the day we visited it was almost 30deg so opted to sit in the courtyard as the fans in the main room were struggling to cope so we had a wonderfully sunny cullen skink and cheese and chutney sandwich combo with the locally sourced appleade to wash it down

Asked for a weak latta, perfectly presented with a delicious blueberry bakewell. Gardens were in bloom, lavender smells amazing, bees were busy too. Loved stroll on a very hot, sunny afternoon.

Been coming here as a local for a few years each time the family visit Moray. A bit pricey for the entrance, but a lovely impressive garden and a cafe on site. Won't be returning now sadly as it's been a few times now I've found the older posher lass actually quite rude and condescending. This time it was accosting us for (correctly!) following the directions on the satnav to the car park. Not really worth flagging down and shouting at your customers for what Google says, but that's just one opinion, evidently. Definitely feels much more like a 'business' than a garden, where the landowners are annoyed they've chosen to have customers 😂 it's a shame really, it's been a nice spot for us locals over the years but there's plenty other beauty spots in the area where you feel welcome.

This may be an award winning place but my god this place needs re-evaluated no seating no tables nothing ready Which might be a good thing in this climate Unfortunately I have not tasted the food as yet but by the looks of things going out there's not much going to be worth reporting As sad as things are The haggis is sliced from a 3lb block

Have visited fochabers fish bar a number of times and everytime the fish has been cooked beautifully. Really nice crispy batter with homemade tartar sauce.

I don't think I've had a better fish supper.... Just amazing. Fish was cooked perfectly, melt in you mouth stuff, batter was perfectly crispy and not too thick and the chips were superb, I will be back soon and I'll be telling everyone about it. 😋👍

Good fish and chips quite a wait but efficient numbering system so you can go for a walk and come back in 25. Worth the wait

Freshly cooked fish and chips, only had to wait 5 mins this evening. Social distancing measures in place and staff were very friendly and efficient. The establishment was spotless as usual. Food was delicious, highly recommended.

Probably the best fish and chips in Moray. Always go here when I'm in the area 👌 Cooked fresh.

The fish and chips were delicious, fresh fish, crispy light batter and great chips. Nice touch with the lemon wedge and pot of tartare sauce. Good service and friendly staff. I highly recommend and will certainly be visiting again😋

Stopped in to Baxters (on our way up to Findhorn). Wonderful to see where it all started - the museum is such a treat and you can pick up all sorts of goodies in the shop. We had a bowl of really tasty soup and an enormous fresh scone. I can highly recommend a visit.

Used to love this place when I visited from Canada. Drove up from Aberdeen and online said it was open today, not until I drove out for the day with family did I find they have signs up that the restaurant and gift shop are closed. What a joke they can’t update google in 2023. Easy to see big business does not care about us anymore. Do yourself a favour and go to Dean’s Shortbread down the road in Huntly they are open 7 days a week. And the pancakes are better than what Baxter’s used to be.

Brilliant breakfast again at Baxter's Cafe. Always a nice treat! Food once again was tasty and filling! Great price, with quick service. Also stopped by the shop to get some treats for the family (Whisky and sweeties!!!).

Really e enjoyed our visit here, great cafe and food. Interesting visit and you can purchase from the whole Baxters brand.

Not worth the time. Online info is incorrect. They are closed and we made a wasted trip! Perhaps Baxter’s should update their info online!

Nice for a day out . Lovely shops and cafe with lots of free tasters on offer . Chutneys on oatcakes were very nice. I will need to come back for more.

Great place to have breakfast. The food was very reasonably priced and it was extremely pleasant to look around all the shops afterwards. I would highly recommend. What a fab place.

Went to cafe. Ordered two cakes and two drinks. Simple you think. Wrong drinks and unbelievably the wrong cakes!! None of which is particularly important except it cost £16 for this privilege and more unbelievable I was asked if I wished to add a tip !!!! 🤷‍♂️ So beautiful place but atrocious service and what cakes we got were absolutely tasteless.

We've had multiple "teas for two" events throughout Scotland. The tier level pastries offered here could have been of fresher quality. A little on the dry side, but still tasty. Be sure to arrive in summer during peak flower blossom season.

I am not sure how their prices have escalated out of affordability? Over the weekend we enjoyed two coffees, a slice of carrot cake and a fruit slice, to the cost of £17.15, which appears to increased by around £3.00 over the last three months, which incidentally is still more expensive than other local establishments. Previously I have sent GC emails regarding the poor service we had received, when a waitress ignored us for 15 minutes despite, telling us she would be with us shortly. For the period of ignoring, the waitress spent her time hobnobbing with three female customers. Despite sending various emails to various of GC addresses, it was not given the courteous of a reply.

Visited for the West Highland Games, a very enjoyable occasion watching all the regular Scottish games but inclusive of a Jousting tournament (including the unseating of knights but all done in a safety conscious way).

Really beautiful gardens. Lots of inspiration!! Gorgeous, reasonably priced flowers and veg for sale. Extremely good tea rooms with excellent service.

Beautiful place and the food looked lovely - however we had a terrible experience with service. We visited with 2 young kids after a walk and planning to have coffee & cake (it was 11.45am). We sat at a table outside and ordered but there were so many wasps there. We asked the server how bad the wasps were to which she responded “I’d say considerably.” Rain also came on. Despite there being lots of tables still available, they were quite reluctant to let us sit inside because we weren’t eating lunch and it would be getting busier. However with 2 little children we didn’t want to be out with the wasps, so they did give us a seat. All good, and we wouldn’t be too long anyway. However this is the worst bit!! As we were leaving I took my daughter to the toilet. I didn’t have a nappy on me but we were just leaving so I did her vest up but left her dungarees unbuttoned since I was literally heading out, about to put a nappy on her in the car (and if you have toddlers - you know those poppers are a nightmare to do up). Hardly running about naked. As we walked out I went to say thank you to the server at the bar, but she was pointing to my daughter, looking grumpy and speaking to the other server. So unwelcoming!!! THEN as we were leaving a group of people, some of which had disabilities, went to go in for coffee and cake. We overheard them being told they couldn’t come in if they weren’t having lunch. All felt so unwelcoming and actually rude. Shame as it’s such a beautiful looking space.

Went there for a Christian conference. The Gordon Estate is very suitable for such an event. Lots of space, also for camping, nice café. Great experience at the Refuel gathering.

We enjoyed our time, but didn't feel like there was much here to look at (in terms of animals) compared to other experiences. We've been to a lot of farm parks so it's hard not to. There were loads of toys and things to play on and with and I love the sheltered areas. Outside near the hut that you sign in, they have what I describe as a large garden with plenty to play on. I love the self serve shop and the little book swap cupboard which is a really great idea. I'd love to see this in other places. Our day was maybe slightly dampened by the strong wind we experienced, but it was still a good day out.

This farm experience is fantastic fun. My 6 and 3 year olds had a great time (in spite of the horrible weather). We fed the animals, played indoor games, had a go at archery, enjoyed a craft and reading session on combine harvesters, visited the new baby pigs and enjoyed jumping on the hay bales in the field. There were a huge variety of games to play indoors and outside and they were really educational about the food we eat. I highly recommend this for young children! I also learnt a lot about moisture in harvested grain!

Great visit to the farm with our 5 year old twin grandsons and our 13 year old grandson. Great play areas and animals to feed. The archery was great for older child (and grandad) and they all loved the hay bales!

4 hours of play for £20 (one adult, one child) is money well spent. There are 6/7 separate large areas that are interlinked and provide lots of space for the children to play/run and interact with others. Clean toilets, lots of handwashing areas and a honesty shop for drinks/snacks. It’s a well thought out play space and well maintained.

Great fun for my 9year old and 1year old, actually it was great fun for me too! Lovely feeding the animals.

Loved our visit to the farm! Amazing how much is available for little ones. My kids had a blast seeing the animals and feeding them aswell as exploring all the play spaces. Byres have role play set up, ride on tractors, sand areas, mud kitchen and more. Definitely recommend and the muddy movers term time is perfect for those not in school yet.

We had a fantastic day at Byres Farm with our almost 3 year old and friends with their 2 & 1/2 year old. The little ones loved seeing and feeding the animals. There's several play areas and lots of different toys. The archery was a hit with the big kids to! The owner was really welcoming and the coffee and 'fine pieces' were fab! We'll definitely be back for another visit.

Had a great 2 night stay at really reasonable price. The staff were all so welcoming and the full breakfast was great. Rooms clean, comfortable and good showers. Big thanks to barman for his chat and advice on where to visit. Also very dog friendly.

Comfortable accommodation, fantastic food and absolutely wonderful staff who could not do enough for guests. Very dog friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will return.

Staff nice and friendly. Local people friendly. Location excellent for exploring the surrounding area. Food ok and not to badly priced. The rooms well certainly the one I was in, was in desperate need of updating. But that is my only complaint.

Scottish hospitality at its best! Great place to stay, staff are fantastic and welcoming. Food at dinner and breakfast was great, and had a good night’s sleep in a comfy, clean room! Super dog friendly too.

I attended a wake and found the place to be very nice. Staff were friendly and attentive. The room and bar we were in were perfect for the day. Thank you 👍🏽

Arrived at the hotel… no front of house staff available. 15 mins later I was given the keys to Room #8. I entered my room and was shocked to see a big sink in the bedroom, checked out the en-suite and hit by a massive poster above the lavatory explaining that the toilet is on a “Saniflo” system and could cause flooding if anything other than human waste is flushed down the toilet. Upon further inspection the skirting boards, window sills and bathroom flooring were black with washed in dirt. The walls were crumbling like signs of damp and the ceiling right above the bed was cracking. Seriously it was like a scene out of a horror movie. I checked straight back out and into a travelodge in Elgin which in comparison was like staying in Paradise. I’m far from a snob but seriously I wouldn’t even home a dog in room #8

We came here for some warm food and good energy. We we're welcomed and shown our seat next to the fireplace, it was lovely and welcoming, the decor is outdated but it doesn't reflect the food at all, nice and fresh. Bonus!!! It doesn't smell like an old pub. We will be back for sure.