Visiting Dunnottar Castle will not leave you disappointed. Perched on the craggy rocks of Aberdeenshire’s east coast, the castle looks like something straight out of a film set. It’s surrounded on three sides by the sea, and so there’s only one way in – you can just imagine how difficult it would have been to attack this castle! Nevertheless, it has been burnt to the ground a shocking number of times!
Steeped in History, Dunnottar Castle has witnessed many pivotal moments in Scottish history – Mary Queen of Scots and later King Charles II have both stayed here!
Before the castle was built, the site was already a place of worship. It was here that Saint Ninian is said to have converted the Picts of Dunnottar to Christianity. The buildings that you can see today mainly date from the 15th and 16th centuries, however the site was fortified well before that. There are some remains of a stone chapel built as early as 1276!
Some of the history is rather dark – during the Scottish wars of independence, enemies of William Wallace were forced over the cliff edges and those remaining were burnt alive in the chapel.
How to find it
You can either drive from Aberdeen (Dunnottar Castle is only 20 miles from Aberdeen International Airport), or you can take the train up from Edinburgh to Stonehaven (on the direct line between Aberdeen and Edinburgh) The castle is only 1.6 miles south of Stonehaven, so you can walk along the coastal route if it’s a nice day.
Nearby
The Stonehaven War Memorial is absolutely beautiful and accessible via a pleasant walk over the hills. You can see it from the castle. The memorial was built in 1923 to commemorate the First World War.
For more information, visit: https://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/
Read my other posts about Scotland here: https://www.calloftheworld.com/category/europe/scotland/
This is such a fascinating and informative post about Dunnottar Castle. I have always been interested in the history and legends of Scotland, and this castle seems to have plenty of both. I enjoyed reading about its role in the Scottish Wars of Independence, the Jacobite Risings and the preservation of the Scottish Crown Jewels. The castle also looks stunning perched on the cliffs overlooking the sea.