Walk: Dunnottar Castle & coast – Stonehaven’s crown jewels

📌 Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
★★★★

The unlikely headland ruin of Dunnottar Castle is located about a mile south of the pretty fishing town of Stonehaven. The erosion-prone, rocky coastline in between must be one of the most photographed parts of Scotland’s east coast, such is the popularity of the clifftop jaunt to the castle, where the Scottish crown jewels were once concealed from Oliver Cromwell’s army in the 17th century. Quiet roads to the west link the castle to the lesser known local’s haunt of Dunnottar Woods. Demolished Dunnottar House is the story linking the two parts of the walk: this country house was constructed in the 1700s to replace apartments at the castle; the forest follies you pass on return were built by its owners.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at Stonehaven harbour, off High Street, 5-min walk southeast of Stonehaven town centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NO 878855

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.961002,-2.201667

🚌 Bus to Stonehaven | 🚆 Stonehaven (1 mi)

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 8 km / 5 mi | ▲ 190 m | ⌛ 3 hr

Features: 🏠 Stonehaven ★★; ✞ Stonehaven War Memorial; 🏰 Dunnottar Castle ★★★★; 🌳 Dunnottar Woods & follies

⬤ Moderate | Steep ascent then clifftop coast path to castle, (mostly) quiet road middle section, then paths for return through Dunnottar Woods with some mud. Check the map in the car park as you enter Dunnottar Woods to choose your return route

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Stonehaven War Memorial by coast path – Dunnottar Castle – Mains of Dunnottar – East Newtonleys – car park at top of Dunnottar Woods – Dunnottar Woods & follies – Stonehaven – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Gulls, shags, dippers, greylag geese flying overhead. Cows in nearby fields, rabbits.

Weather: Mostly sunny with a moderate wind, 16°C.

October 2024