Coastal walk to a brooding castle
A coastal path leads from a tranquil harbour to a brooding clifftop castle jutting into the sea
PERCHED ON A rocky outcrop jutting into the North Sea in Aberdeenshire stands the dramatic form of Dunnottar Castle. Once home to one of the most powerful families in Scotland, this haunting fortress has centuries of history, conflict and power hidden within its walls.
A coastal walk from nearby Stonehaven’s picturesque harbour to this brooding castle is a heady combination of contrasts and colour. It takes in a relaxed seaside town, a poignant war memorial, swirling seas, bold, brash seabirds, sweeping bays, rugged cliffs and the ruins of the castle, stark against the autumn sky.
Walking to the castle and back takes approximately an hour on a gently undulating coastal path that meanders through farmland and along staggering clifftops. Additional time can be allowed to pause for thought at the memorial, and for those opting to enter and tour the castle, at least another hour should be added to do this splendid property justice.
The starting point of the walk is the quaint harbour front of Stonehaven, where coastguard vessels and small fishing and pleasure boats bob at anchor or chug in and out of the harbour walls. The walk commences past the harbourside bars on the right hand side, keeping the water on
“On fair Kincardine's rocky coast, There's few that dinna ken yet, Dunottar's Castle, bauld and strong, Stands tow'ring o'er the main, yet”
Carolina Oliphant, ‘Dunottar Castle’
the left, where a discreet brown tourist sign can be found pointing up Wallace Wynd, towards Dunnottar Castle; a distance of 1½ miles.
Taking this lane and veering left uphill, the route follows a dirt track, with wild grasses and residential gardens flanking the path. The track gives way to a pavement hugging a quiet road; an area known locally as the Bervie Braes. Ascending, the harbour, town and seascape suddenly come together to reveal a simple but stunning viewpoint, where a blue metal bench offers welcome rest as seagulls career and shriek overhead.
A stone plinth shares information about the town, from market days to its annual folk festival in the summer. The town is also host to an ancient New Year’s Eve fireballs ceremony, where people ward off evil spirits by swinging blazing balls above their heads.
As the road swerves to the right, walkers continue to hug the coastline on the left and follow a track cutting through farmland. As the hubbub of the town is left behind, the crash and power of the open sea invigorates and awakens the senses. This is an opportunity to spot seals or dolphins at play in the whipped-up waves of the North Sea. The dolphins sighted near Stonehaven have often ventured south from the Moray Firth, where they are present all year round. They are notably described as the plumpest dolphins in the world, because extra layers of fat are required to withstand the chill of these unforgiving waters.
Memorial to the fallen
Vistas of the jagged coastline and glimpses of the dramatic castle lie tantalisingly ahead; the ruin’s outline silhouetted against the sky. The eye is also drawn to a handsome temple surrounded by a tumble of large rocks, set a few feet uphill to the right of the path.
This temple is Stonehaven’s war memorial, referred to as the Blackhill Memorial. Its clifftop vantage point means it can be spotted on the approach to the town from the north, and it can be seen from many locations throughout the town, making it an ideal place for a memorial, ‘Lest Ye Forget’. Scots had accounted for approximately a fifth of the UK’s war dead during the First World War, including 200 men from Stonehaven.
This commemorative piece was designed by Stonehaven architect John Ellis, who was appointed in 1921. Lady Cowdray, a significant landowner, donated the Blackhill land for the memorial and contributed a further £300 to support the project. Built in 1922, the memorial was proudly unveiled in May 1923.
The octagonal sandstone temple has the key battles of the First World War inscribed across the outer entablature, including Mons, Jutland, Marne, Somme, Vimy, Zeebrugge, Gallipoli and Ypres. The names of the fallen are inscribed on an upright plaque standing pride of place in the centre of the memorial. The Second World War is also remembered, with battles highlighted around its base and names etched on stone tablets. The ruinous nature of the temple has little to do with erosion or the passing of time. It was poignantly designed to look ruined and incomplete to symbolise the many lives cut short, the destruction of war and the families left in ruins.
Lichens leave their delicate web as they march their slow progress over the sandstone. Wooden benches allow visitors to stop and take a moment to remember as the waves crash in the distance.
Clifftop path
From the memorial, the walk continues along the path, fenced off from surrounding farmland, with wild grasses on either side. Crossing a small bridge over a babbling burn, before exiting through the farm gates to access the cliffs, this is a raw, yet simply beautiful location, with the tang of the sea salt in the air.
The clearly marked path zigzags and undulates right and left, following the line of the cliffs. It is virtually impossible to stray from, but there are multiple sheer descents to pay healthy caution to, so it is important to stay on the path, keeping a
close eye on young children and pets.
A series of little bays beckon, with tempting pebble and sand beaches below. If there is a manageable route down a steep incline to reach the shore, then it is clearly apparent. Such paths can be followed with common sense and care, but are best avoided in wet, muddy and slippery conditions. If a path is not obvious, it is inadvisable to improvise an independent route, however beautiful and appealing the sheltered beaches may appear.
The castle atop its rocky outcrop grows closer with every step, and several simple wooden benches allow opportunities for photography and painting this beautiful landscape, as well providing picnic stops. This setting has captured the imagination and attracted admiration for thousands of years. It is claimed that Saint Ninian, an early missionary, built a place of worship on the outcrop as far back as the 4th century. The rock itself dates back to the Silurian period: a ‘Pudding stone’ red conglomerate of stone that withstands the lashings of the sea with relative ease.
Mighty fortress
At first glance, this outcrop appears to be a small, private island, but it is actually
linked to the mainland by a slither of land that descends sharply via a steep staircase of stone steps, down to sea level. Here, it is possible to spend time on the beach, to the left of the castle, or ascend a further flight of stone steps that reach a door set into the castle wall. From this vantage point, it is clear to visitors how virtually impregnable this fortress was. The castle walls are approximately 30ft (9m) high and are built into the outcrop, giving the impression of growing eerily out of the rock itself.
Despite this, several attempts were made by armies to take the castle. In the 9th century, Vikings attacked, killing King Donald II of Scotland. In 1297, William Wallace’s forces captured the castle, which contained an English garrison seeking refuge within its church. Both church and soldiers were burned to the ground. By the 17th century, those who managed to broach the great door discovered four cannons pointing directly at them, loaded with grapeshot. It was a notably difficult castle to conquer. As such, Dunnottar was a site of power.
Home to the Keith family, Sir William Keith was elevated to first Earl Marischal of Scotland by James II of Scotland, and Sir Robert Keith fought alongside Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn. Illustrious guests have included Mary Queen of Scots, who visited in 1562 and returned in 1564 with her son James; the future James VI of Scotland and James I of England. He, too, returned, as an adult, in 1580.
The castle has also witnessed some particularly dark history. On 24 May 1685, 167 prisoners, who were Scottish Presbyterian Covenanters, were transferred from Edinburgh to the Whig’s Vault at Dunnottar. Apprehended for attending open-air religious services, known as conventicles, these pious individuals refused to accept King Charles II’s supremacy in religious matters. They were held at Whig’s Vault until the end of July; several dying in the harsh conditions. Attempted escapees were brutally tortured.
Due to the riot of history surrounding the castle, it has its fair share of ghostly rumours. The apparition of a young girl in green plaid is said to wander the bakery and brewery; a Scandinavian, or Viking, soldier haunts the guardroom, and, by night, cries of pain are said to echo around the castle walls.
The Keep, or Tower House, is the oldest part of the castle, built by Sir William Keith in the 14th century. It was exceptionally grand for its day, featuring a great hall, a private chamber for the Earl and bedrooms upstairs. The smithy, stables, cistern, cellars and an expansive
“Rocks, torrents, gulfs, and shapes of giant size And glitt’ring cliffs on cliffs, and fiery ramparts rise”
James Beattie, ‘The Minstrel; or The Progress of Genius’
storehouse reveal a more practical side to life in the castle, ensuring the transportation of the Earl and the feeding of all staff and the prominent family. An on-site brewery ensured that the cistern’s drinking water could be transformed into ale. At the smithy, a vast fireplace and tall chimney are still standing. This is the site where much of the metal for the estate was forged; from horseshoes to armour.
An expansive quadrangle was built between 1580 and 1659. This was completed by the 5th Earl, who brought the latest trends in domesticity and stylish living to the north-east of Scotland. A chapel tended to the religious requirements of the family. Ruins of a 35ft (10.7m) ballroom can be discovered on the left of the quadrangle. A dining room and restored drawing room reveal a rich social life, and it is also possible to step inside the Countess’ Suite, and the Marischal’s Suite that welcomed King Charles II in 1650. These living spaces would have been bedecked with intricate tapestries and lit by candles held in elegant sconces. Such grandeur is in stark contrast to the dingy and damp vaulted cellar, known as the Whig’s Vault. This vault is a favourite with visitors, envisioning prisoners held in squalid conditions as luxury and finery were enjoyed just yards away.
Walking back through the great front door, leaving those impenetrable castle walls behind, the route meanders back onto the coastal path and steps retraced, before gently returning to the harbour to enjoy a quiet refreshment in Stonehaven before the sun sets.