Dunnottar Castle: A Clifftop Escape Worth the Drive
There are day trips you do because you feel you ought to, and there are day trips you find yourself talking about for weeks afterwards. Dunnottar is firmly the second kind.
It's a ruined fortress on a headland near Stonehaven, and it is, frankly, one of the most dramatic spots on this stretch of coast. If you're weighing up a Dunnottar Castle day trip from Angus, let me talk you into it. Then I'll be honest about the bits you should plan around.
The walk down is half the point
You don't just arrive at Dunnottar. You walk to it.
The path drops down from the clifftop, and there's a moment where the whole castle comes into view, sitting out on its rock with the sea working away below. It stops most people in their tracks. (It stopped me, and I've been more than once.)
Take your time on the way down. It's steep in places and there are steps, so decent shoes rather than nice ones. The sea air up here is the proper kind, the sort that clears your head after about thirty seconds.
And the seabirds. The rock face is alive with them in season. Fulmars nesting on the ledges, gulls riding the wind, all that noise and movement against the stone. Take the binoculars. You won't be disappointed.
A castle with a good story
The ruins themselves reward a slow wander. Bring a bit of curiosity and you'll get a lot back.
Dunnottar has proper history behind it. It's famous as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's army back in the 17th century. Standing there, out on the headland with the water on almost every side, you can rather see why they thought it a safe spot.
There's plenty to explore across the site, and enough corners and views that you never feel hurried, especially if you've picked a quiet time. Which brings me to my main tip.
Go early, or go late
Here's the thing I'd whisper to any couple or solo guest: the middle of the day gets busy, and Dunnottar is far better without a crowd.
Early morning is my favourite. The light is soft, the path is quiet, and you get those views more or less to yourself. Late afternoon does much the same job, with the sun dropping and the whole headland going golden.
It suits the way a lot of our guests like to travel. No queues, no jostling, just a beautiful place and a bit of space to enjoy it in. One of those spots where turning up at the right hour makes all the difference.
The honest bit: it's exposed
I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't say this plainly. Dunnottar is out on a clifftop, and it can be blowy. Sometimes very.
Because of that exposed position, the castle can close at short notice in high winds, so it's always worth a quick check before you set off. It's also worth knowing that it's open to visitors daily from 1 April to 30 September, so time your visit for the season.
Layers are your friend up there whatever the forecast says. What feels mild in the car park can feel a good deal fresher out on the headland with the wind coming off the North Sea.
None of this should put you off. It's simply the nature of the place, and honestly it's part of the drama. Just go prepared and keep an eye on the weather.
Make a day of it
Stonehaven itself is worth a look while you're up that way, so you can easily stretch a castle visit into a proper day out.
Then do the sensible thing and come home to the quiet. Spend the day out on the cliffs with the wind and the birds, then settle back here in the calm of an adults-only park with nothing to do and nobody to bother you. Festival of fresh air by day, peace and quiet by night. That's the Foresterseat way.
If you're thinking of basing yourself here for a coastal trip, have a look at foresterseat.co.uk and get in touch. I'm always happy to point people towards the good bits.
Emma x