Dunnottar Castle
A castle ruin on a cliff promontory overlooking the North Sea. It is one of Scotland's most photogenic castles and the top attraction around Aberdeen.
Dunnottar Castle stands on a huge rocky headland, surrounded by the sea on three sides, about 3 kilometres south of Stonehaven. Most of the surviving buildings date from the 14th to 17th centuries. During Cromwell's siege, the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden here. The castle was also a filming location for the 1990 film Hamlet. From the car park, a cliff path leads down, and then about 160 steps climb up to the castle. You can see the tower house, the chapel and the Whitehall ruins. The most classic photo spot is the clifftop path in front of the entrance. Tickets cost about 10 pounds and can be bought online. The castle is open most of the year, with shorter hours in winter. It may close in bad weather. You can walk about 45 minutes from Stonehaven harbour along the coastal path, or drive for 20 minutes (about 40 minutes from Aberdeen). The steps are steep, so watch out for the wind.
Opening hours
About 9:00 AM–5:30 PM (shorter in winter; may close in strong winds)
Nearby sights
- Stonehaven
- Fowlsheugh RSPB Reserve
- Gordon Highlanders Museum
- Drum Castle
- Duthie Park & David Welch Winter Gardens
- Union Street & Castlegate
- Aberdeen Art Gallery
- Kirk of St Nicholas