A cliff path walk from Stonehaven harbour to Dunnottar Castle

A walk · Stonehaven

Stonehaven to Dunnottar – The Cliff Path to the Castle

About 3.2 miles on foot.

Dunnottar Castle stands on a great lump of rock in the sea south of Stonehaven, and the castle's own advice is to arrive on foot.

The coastal path starts at the harbour, climbs past the war memorial on the hill and then runs along the clifftops, with the ruin growing ahead of you. It's 1.6 miles each way, and you can turn round at the top of the castle steps or go down and in.

Time: About an hour and a half for the path there and back, 1.6 miles each way; about three hours if you go into the castle.
The path: Steep steps with a handrail up from the harbour, then a clifftop path close to steep drops in places. About 180 steps down from the clifftop to the castle, and more up into it.
Where to start: Stonehaven harbour: the council's free Backies car park by the Old Pier. The Market Square car park in the town is pay and display, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm.
Set off: From 25 October to 31 January, leave the harbour by 12.30pm to be at the castle before last entry at 2pm.
When to go: All year in daylight, but not in a strong wind. From 25 October to 31 January the castle closes at 3pm, with last entry at 2pm.
Dogs: On a lead near the cliffs, above all from April to August when seabirds nest. In the castle, on a short lead at all times.
Children: Steep drops beside the path beyond the memorial: keep children close. Under-16s must be with an adult in the castle.
Toilets: Public toilets on the Old Pier at the harbour. At the castle, inside only.
Before you set out: Last entry to the castle is an hour before closing. It shuts at short notice in high wind, snow or ice: look at its website before you set out.

The walk

Park at Stonehaven harbour, where the council's Backies car park by the Old Pier is free. If it's full, the Market Square car park in the middle of the town is pay and display from Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm. There are public toilets on the Old Pier. The path leaves from behind the harbour-front pubs and climbs steeply, on steps with a handrail and then a rising path, to the war memorial on the hill above the town. From there it keeps to the clifftop above a string of rocky bays, with the castle in view for most of the way.

Dunnottar is 1.6 miles south of Stonehaven by the castle's own figure, so allow 35 to 40 minutes each way. The path runs close to steep drops in places. Wear boots, keep children close and keep a dog on a lead near the edge, and in a strong wind go no further than the memorial. The castle is privately owned and charges to go in: £13.50 for adults, £12 for over-65s and students, £6.25 for children aged 5 to 15 and £36 for a family of four, by card only. It opens every day at 10am through the winter, closing at 5pm until 24 October, at 3pm from 25 October to 31 January, at 4pm in February and at 5pm in March, with last entry an hour before.

It's closed on 16, 25 and 26 December and on 1 and 2 January. It also shuts at short notice in high wind, snow or ice, so look at its website on the morning. Going in means about 180 steps down from the clifftop and more up again to the castle entrance, and all of them again on the way out. From 25 October to the end of January, leave the harbour by 12.30pm if you want to go inside.

If it rains

The clifftop has no shelter and the steps from the harbour are slippery when wet. In heavy rain or a strong wind, go only as far as the war memorial, or stay down at the harbour.