📌 Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
★★★★
As a defensive site Dunnottar Castle’s location is the definition of perfection, squeezed onto a rocky headland almost completely cut off from the mainland and surrounded by sheer cliffs. The castle is a true Scottish icon amidst spectacular coastal scenery: little wonder it appears in countless calendars. After admiring the ruin from the mainland (for free), you cross the ravine via a short path, tunnel and hundreds of steps to emerge in the heart of it all. The headland turns out to be more extensive than at first appears so there’s a surprising amount to see, built at various times from the 13th century onward: a standalone keep, chapel, several ranges and more even more cellars. If we’re being picky then a few more interpretation panels wouldn’t go amiss (perhaps they’ve been improved since our last visit), but tourists still pour in from all around the world regardless of the visitor experience. Walk here from Stonehaven for a fine, full day out.
🌍 Location
📌 Off the coast road 2 mi south of Stonehaven
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NO 881838
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.945974,-2.196927
🚌 Bus stops on A92 at castle turnoff to south (1 mi)
🚗 Car park (gets full) at 🧭 NO 876838 / 🛰️ 56.945264,-2.205600
📝 Key info
⌚ Daily
🎫 £11.50 adult / £5 child
💬 From the car park it’s a 10-min walk (each way) to the castle along a clear path, with lots of steps to get into the castle itself.
