Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven

Great walk from centre of Stonehaven to this historical gem. Walk along the coastal path, well signposted, and take a breath before descending the steps down then up to the castle. Be careful, not for the unfit. Reasonable entry fee then explore and take in the history of the place. Return same way. Don't be tempted to do a circular route by walking due west away from the castle. This walks alongside a roadway.

You have to get there for sunrise. No questions about it it was the morning I've ever seen. The sunrise is spectacular and changes literally second by second. Now getting down to the Castle is not for the faint-hearted or out of shape. It is a massive track many stairs then up just as many stairs steeply. And that just gets you there then you need to climb all over the castle and more steps. And then remember that crazy trip you had to take to get here, well now you get to do it and reverse to go back and when you think you're finally done it's about a quarter of a mile walk back to the car park. That's the warning. That being said it is so worth. Amazing ruins, great scenery on the water, a 900 year old in the middle. We went to 11 castles in Scotland. This was probably our favorite.

Driving back to Edinburgh we stopped in for a quick look. Looks like a super cool place to explore. Next time I'll take the full tour. Great place to take photos. It's like something out of a fantasy novel and I'm sure it has been inspiration for many.

Ruins of a great castle with a long and colourful history in a stunning location. I would recommend parking somewhere in the harbour at Stonehaven (parking is free everywhere - yes, FREE) and walking to and from the castle via an amazing coastal route, if walking is no problem. Highly recommended day out, especially with children!

Very interesting Castle with amazing views along the coastline. We walked to Dunnottar from Stonehaven, which is around a 30-40min walk, but not particularly challenging so suitable for most (not kids buggies though). There's the option of a visit to the war memorial along the way too. The castle itself has a really interesting history and is well worth the reasonable admission fee.