Aberdeenshire has the highest density of castles anywhere in Scotland. From Balmoral Castle in the Cairngorms National Park to Drum Castle, Craigievar Castle, and Crathes Castle in the heart of the shire, to Fyvie Castle, Slains Castle, and Findlater Castle further afield, Aberdeenshire really is Mecca for travelers with an interest in these historic fortresses. This area is also home to Scotland’s most beautiful ruined castle: Dunnottar Castle.
Dunnottar Castle crumbles on a rocky headland off the coast just south of Stonehaven. As you approach you instantly get a sense for what makes this such a legendary sight: The castle’s ruins occupy the entirety of the headland’s raised, flat expanse while cliffs drop steeply into the sea on every side. This headland is connected to the mainland only by a narrow strip of land that today provides access for visitors but which proved extremely difficult to besiege in the past.
The best way to visit Dunnottar Castle is to start from pretty Stonehaven village. Until my visit this past May I had forgotten the cozy, welcoming feel of Stonehaven, and it makes the best starting point for a hike to Dunnottar Castle as there’s a path leading out of town from Stonehaven harbour. This path leads steeply out of town before hugging the coast and running south past the Stonehaven War Memorial and Strathlethan Bay.
Gorgeous views of the Aberdeenshire coastline greet you as you walk along the grassy clifftops. Stop and rest on one of the benches to admire the ruins of Dunnottar as they quickly grow nearer. In the early morning or evening this is a photographer’s dream.
We visited Dunnottar Castle in mid-June of this year. It was very windy so we were unable to cross over to the castle and could only observe from afar. However, it was still a stunning site and one of the highlights of our trip. We also loved Stonehaven Village, but were surprised at the lack of eateries. The town was very quaint and it’s a shame that more people don’t visit since it’s obvious that more tourism would help the local businesses. One other castle that we visited was Slains Castle. I have yet to see anything written about this castle and would love to see you do an article about it. It is a beautiful ruin and is completely open for exploration. We were dropped off by bus on the main road and told which way to walk. There were three of us and were the only ones there at the time so it was a very interesting experience. I’ve heard stories about Bram Stoker using the castle as his inspiration for Dracula’s castle, but not much more. Talk about a photographer’s dream — I must have taken 100 pictures. Every room and window and doorway is like living art. Then you have the wild North Sea as a backdrop which adds drama. We traveled from our home in Southern California and did a tour of Scotland starting at Edinburgh, then on to Aberdeen, Inverness then ending in Glasgow. Of all the places we saw, Slains Castle is the one that stands out the most.
Hi Phyllis. Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! Stonehaven is quite a nice little town — really my favorite on the eastern seaboard. Both the Marine Hotel and the Ship Inn are good places for food around the small harbor on the southside of Stonehaven.
Slains Castle is very spooky — I had the opportunity to explore and shoot some photos this past May, so you can expect a write-up on it here in the future!
I’m planning a trip at some point in the next year or two. We are specifically traveling to Scotland to visit Dunnottar Castle. Is there a safer time of year to visit that you can pretty much count on not being to windy to cross over to the castle? Thanks!
Not really, Mary. But I have to say, it’s really not very dangerous at anytime if you stick to the path. Have fun!
How many will cost travel to the castle? I’m from Mexico.
It’s mandatory the american VISA?
Thanks