📌 Beach & cave near Pennan, Aberdeenshire
★★★
A car park reached from the road into Pennan from the west gives access to a trio of very different coastal features. For most visitors, the sheltered, sandy beach of Cullykhan Bay is the obvious highlight: small but perfectly formed. Immediately to the north, Castle Point is the site of an ancient fort. It boasts dramatic cliff scenery and excellent views east towards Pennan village, bay and headland. Cast your gaze further west from here and the gaping black mouth of Hell’s Lum (chimney) is an ominous sight: this collapsed sea cave marks the end of a tunnel that begins on the other side of Lion’s Head promontory, carved out by past storms.
🌍 Location
📌 Off the B9031 1 mi west of Pennan. Cullykhan Bay is at:
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NJ 838661
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.684487,-2.274148
❌ No public transport within 1 mi – nearest bus stop is on B9031 at Pennan turnoff (1.5 mi)
🚗 Car park at 🧭 NJ 836661 / 🛰️ 57.684188,-2.277031
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
💬 From the car park it’s a 5-min walk to Cullykhan Bay, or a little further to Castle Point & Hell’s Lum. The path to Cullykhan Bay begins from the far end of the car park, descending via steps to the beach (⬤ Easy). The path to Castle Point & Hell’s Lum begins from the other end of the car park (on the left as you enter), first descending to reach a junction. Continue ahead for Castle Point headland, where the path becomes rough & narrow with unprotected drops – care required (⬤ Moderate). Keep left for Hell’s Lum, slightly awkwardly fording / jumping a small burn. A steep “path” accesses the entrance area, with unprotected drops at the sea end – again, care required (⬤ Moderate / ⬤ Tough).
