Dunnottar Castle

Visited in April 2018, Dunnottar Castle was one of our first forays into old abodes in Scotland.

The castle is located a couple of miles to the south of Stonehaven, and just off the A92, which is the road that connects the town, Angus and Dundee (hugging the coast). The castle is also easily accessible from the A90, which is generally a quick road to drive.

The name Dunnottar translates from the Gaelic Dùn Fhoithear, or ‘Fort on the shelving slope’. The earliest written records of the site date back to around 681AD, but the remaining buildings were erected in the 15th and 16th century. Strategically situated on the east coast, and well placed for defence, the castle has been prominent in Scottish history, up to and including the Jacobite rebellion.

Undiscovered Scotland provide a detailed account of the history of the castle, plus the importance of its geography.

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/stonehaven/dunnottarcastle/index.html

The site has been owned by the Cowdray Family since the 1920s and remains in their possession but run as a visitor site. Their website is https://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk and has up to date information on tickets and opening times. At the time of writing, adult tickets were £8 while children were £4.

There is a large car park close to the castle (marked with a red pin on the map above) with toilets and food vans on site. While the paths leading up to and within the castle were all well maintained, the path to the site itself is not suitable for wheelchairs, buggies, very small children or those with mobility issues, given the 200 odd steep steps. It’s almost as if the original builders did not anticipate Dunnottar’s later life as a tourist attraction.

A personal point of interest are the large stables within the castle grounds – I would have been very interested to see how the horses and ponies navigated the route up and down!

Dunnottar is a must-visit for anyone with an interest in Scotland’s castles. It’s the perfect mix of history, geography and stunning scenery, which the owners have capitalised upon as a well-run visitor attraction. If you have time, nip down to Stonehaven. We can recommend the Bay Fish and Chip Shop (award-winning!) and Aunty Betty’s (for ice creams as big as your head).