A Quiet Day in Stonehaven

In planning our holiday I always knew that we would not have enough time in this area of Scotland and so the idea was to pass through and have a brief look around. Originally the location was going to be Aberdeen but as that is the jumping off point for the North Sea oil and gas wells, the town is not, so I am told, a tourist destination. So we ended up in Stonehaven instead, a short distance down the coast. So the question for the day was how were we going to spend it. Driving around the Cairngorms and visiting Balmoral Castle? Heading up to Aberdeen and having a look around? Or just having a quiet day in Stonehaven? Well, we chose the latter.

Our B&B from across the harbour - it is the building at the end on the left
NB: the tide is out

We spent the morning visiting the local tourist attraction which is Dunnottar Castle. It was about 1.5 miles out of town along a cliff-top coastal walk. A pleasant stroll (except for the hill leaving town) in the sun. The really nice thing about walking out to the castle is that you can see in the distance as you approach - perched on a rocky outcrop of land, protected on three sides by the sea.

 On the cliff-top walk to Dunnottar Castle - just visible in the background

 We didn't find any heather in bloom but we did find some thistles

Dunnottar Castle high on the cliffs

The castle is a ruin with the earliest parts dating from around the 13th Century with a lot of it built in the 16th and 17th Centuries. It had a notable role in Scottish history as the Crown Jewels of Scotland were moved there from Edinburgh Castle in an effort to protect them from the invading English army. When Dunnottar Castle finally fell to the besieging English, they discovered that the jewels had been secretly moved on. 

 The Smithy's workshop with the Keep behind it on the right

 The 16th & 17th Century quarters and the 13th Century Chapel to the right

The stone carving above the fire place in the Marischal Suite

After thoroughly exploring the castle, it was time to walk back to Stonehaven. Instead of climbing all the stairs back to the top of the cliff and the walking path, we took a more direct route across the bay. As is common for English and Scottish beaches, it was all shingles and they weren't the easiest to walk on. On the far side of the bay, we clambered up a rough track to the main path. Although we saved ourselves walking quite an extra distance, we probably used up the same energy... 

We got back to Stonehaven around lunch time so we enjoyed a well-deserved ice cream and a rest. In the afternoon, we walked into the main town to post some books home and to buy myself a couple of shirts (I was running out so it was either buy some or drive into Aberdeen to find a Laundromat and that seemed like too much effort). We had dinner again in The Marine Hotel as our first choice, The Ship Inn, was full.

 Lunch time and the tide is coming in

 Mid afternoon and the tide is full

 Downtown Stonehaven