Hike Report for Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar Castle is located in United Kingdom. It has an elevation of 18 meters above sea level. It is located at the following coordinates: (56.9457, -2.19784).
This hike report was written by Douglas Twitchell, about a hike on Monday, August 15, 2011.
This report describes a hike on Coastal Trail
This report describes a hike on Coastal Trail
Directions to Coastal Trail
The trail is accessed from a side street near the Stonehaven harbor. Occasional street signs indicate the way to the trail.
Hike Report
Walking from Stonehaven Village to Dunnottar Castle along the coastal trail was a very memorable walk for me, because it was our very first outing on our honeymoon, after being married two days earlier!
The walk was pleasant, relaxing, and not strenuous. There was a bit of a climb to get out of Stonehaven, and then we had a nice view looking down over the harbor:
View of Stonehaven
Here's Laura along the trail, with the castle in the background.
On our way!
The coastal peninsulas are quite dramatic, both for their greenery and for their steep drop-offs.
Once you get to Dunnottar's peninsula, there is a bit of a drop down into a col and a climb up the other side.
Approaching the castle
Once you arrive at the castle, you can spend a good part of a morning or afternoon exploring the buildings and grounds. There is an entry fee of a few pounds, but it's well worth the money for the time spent exploring some Scottish history.
On the way back we took a side trail to a war memorial on the side of the hill, about halfway back to Stonehaven. Not nearly as interesting as the castle, but a nice detour on a special day.
The walk was pleasant, relaxing, and not strenuous. There was a bit of a climb to get out of Stonehaven, and then we had a nice view looking down over the harbor:
View of Stonehaven
Here's Laura along the trail, with the castle in the background.
On our way!
The coastal peninsulas are quite dramatic, both for their greenery and for their steep drop-offs.
Once you get to Dunnottar's peninsula, there is a bit of a drop down into a col and a climb up the other side.
Approaching the castle
Once you arrive at the castle, you can spend a good part of a morning or afternoon exploring the buildings and grounds. There is an entry fee of a few pounds, but it's well worth the money for the time spent exploring some Scottish history.
On the way back we took a side trail to a war memorial on the side of the hill, about halfway back to Stonehaven. Not nearly as interesting as the castle, but a nice detour on a special day.
Difficulty
I think most families park near the castle instead of taking their kids on the coastal trail, because it's somewhat lengthy (maybe 2.5 miles?). But there's nothing too challenging for children - it's mostly level walking with a few rolling ups and downs.
Images
Images on this page are the property of Douglas Twitchell, and may not be used without permission of the owner.
