only a dream away ..........

Cruden Bay

The Legend 

Legend has it that in the year of our lord 980 Vikings landed in Perthshire, Scotland. After defeating the Scots they pushed them through a narrow gorge. An old man out ploughing with his two sons saw the saw the Vikings and the hunted enter the pass. Arming themselves with their ploughing tools and yoke stood fast in the pass and slaughtered all who tried to pass.

This amazing act of bravery by the man and his sons rallied the Scottish people, they then led the Scots to victory!

The King was so pleased that he offered the man a choice of reward "As much land as a hound would run over or a falcon cover in her flight"

The man chose the latter and the lands covered several miles in Erroll in Perthshire, Scotland. He marked his new lands with boundary stones.

During the reign of King Charles 1st. The vast estate was sold and the man moved to Buchan. He took one of the stones with him and on arrival in a state of exhaustion exclaimed, "Hooch Hay" giving rise to the name " HAY"

Another version is that "Haie" was French for pass or a part of a plough.

Who knows the truth, but the story is interesting.