A Coastal Adventure At Aberdeen’s Greyhope Bay Centre
On Tuesday 5th March, Home Manager, Mel Shearer, led residents and members of the team from Hawkhill House Nursing Home on an outing to Greyhope Bay Centre in Aberdeen – a 20-minute drive to the tip of the coast with stunning views of the harbour, the beach and long stretches of coastline. Here’s Mel’s account of the day:
Engaging with Marine Wildlife, Heritage and the Environment
The visit was inspired by the fantastic things we’d heard about the Greyhope Bay project, which was set up as a charity in 2016. Its aim was to develop an area around an historic monument called Torry Battery to ‘connect and engage communities with the marine wildlife, environment, and heritage on Aberdeen’s doorstep’. This ambition was realised with the opening of the Greyhope Bay Centre in 2022.
We knew that it was an outdoor experience which also had a café and community space, and apart from a reputation for being the best dolphin watching spot in the UK, the centre is famous in Aberdeen for being the first in the city to operate off-grid, using hybrid energy and circular rainwater technology. We couldn’t wait to see it for ourselves!
Tea and Sea Birds in Aberdeen’s First Off-Grid Cafe
Our visit to the centre was planned around the regular ‘Greyhope mornings’, hosted every Tuesday between 10am and 12 noon. Guests enjoy tea and coffee and listen to talks from a range of contributors including local birders, marine wildlife experts, community and heritage groups and more. We loved hearing a Marine Officer talk about the remarkable sea birds in the local area and how we can help promote sustainability, but our group also liked the feeling of engagement with the local community – it made us proud to contribute in a small way to the centre’s mission, which is to encourage greater environmental awareness and collective action.
Feeling Inspired and Part of the Community
Visiting Greyhope Bay Centre was a memorable experience for many reasons. The talk on Aberdeen's sea birds was fascinating and it was nice being cosy indoors, while at the same time appreciating the fantastic view from the windows. Resident Alison reflected, “It was really interesting, I found out about things I’d never heard of before” and Thelma agreed, adding that it was “… an interesting discussion, I really enjoyed the experience.” Our team members enjoyed it too. Colin found it “… educational and a novel experience” and Lovell added, “it was interesting learning about the different types of sea birds”.
We also popped out for a group photo and felt the exhilaration of being in the fresh air, right by the coast!
More than anything, the experience reminded us how important it is to support those who strive to make a positive impact on both the local community and the planet. The Greyhope Bay Centre is a beacon of innovation and sustainability in the city and very much aligned to our values of environmental responsibility and community involvement.
We didn’t spot any dolphins on our visit, but we were hugely inspired simply by being out and about in the natural world, with so much to admire and appreciate - right on our doorstep!
Discover Hawkhill House Nursing Home in Aberdeen
Hawkhill House Nursing Home provides residential, nursing and specialist dementia care in a bright and comfortable environment, surrounded by lovely gardens. The home offers care that is tailored to individual needs, interests and preferences, and a team who are committed to delivering the very best. If you would like to learn more about the types of care and services available from Caring Homes, please visit our website page. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to learn more.
