Collieston to Old Slains – A Clifftop Path to a Lost Castle
About 2.8 miles on foot.
Collieston is a little harbour village tucked into the cliffs north of the Ythan, and the clifftop path that leaves it northwards is among the quietest good walks on the Aberdeenshire coast.
It winds past rock stacks and narrow inlets to the last standing corner of Old Slains Castle, on a headland above the sea. Allow two to three hours, and expect to have most of it to yourself in autumn.
- Time
- Two to three hours, Visit Aberdeenshire's time for a walk it calls moderate: about 4.5 km (2.75 miles) by Walkhighlands' figure, on a grassy clifftop path.
- The path
- A grassy clifftop path, slippery when wet, with steep lanes in the village.
- Where to start
- The car park beside the B9003 at the top of Collieston, which asks for a donation. The lanes to the harbour are steep and narrow.
- Set off
- From November to January, set off by 11.30am to be back in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight, on a day without a strong wind. From November to January set off by 11.30am.
- Dogs
- On a lead: unfenced cliffs, and animals in the fields.
- Children
- Unfenced cliffs all the way: one for children old enough to keep to the path.
- Toilets
- Public toilets by the harbour in Collieston, all year.
- Before you set out
- Unfenced cliff edges: not a walk for a gale. A private house stands beside the ruin.
The walk
Park in the car park beside the B9003 as you come into Collieston. It asks for a donation. The lanes down to the harbour are steep and narrow, so leave the car at the top and walk down. There are public toilets by the harbour all year, and no café in the village. The path heads north along the cliffs, and Visit Aberdeenshire calls the walk moderate and allows two to three hours for it.
Walkhighlands gives its length as 4.5 km. The coast here is all low grassy cliffs, rock stacks and narrow inlets, with seabirds on the water below. Old Slains Castle stands on a headland at the far end, though one tall corner of its tower is all that's left. A house stands right beside it, so look from the path and leave the people who live there in peace. This is the older Slains.
The big roofless castle that most people know is New Slains, further up the coast at Cruden Bay. Visit Aberdeenshire says the path is almost empty of other walkers in autumn. The cliff edges are unfenced, so keep back from them, hold on to children and keep dogs on a lead. The grass is slippery when wet, and it's no place to be in a gale. From November to January, set off by 11.30am.
If it rains
There's no shelter on the cliffs and the grass is slippery when wet. In rain or a strong wind, keep it for another day and settle for the harbour.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by Mike Bell via Google