Tour
Dramatic Dunnottar Castle
Dramatic
and imposing, on its cliff-top perch, 15 miles south of
Aberdeen in the Grampian Region, Dunnottar Castle is a breath-taking
spectacle, chosen as the location for the film of "Hamlet"
starring Mel Gibson. Between the 9th and 17th centuries
the various fortifications were fought over many times.
For three centuries the castle was held by the Keith family
who were Grand Marischals of Scotland.
Notable
Events in Dunnottar's Past
In
1297 William Wallace burned alive an English Plantaganet
garrison which was holding the castle. Much later, in
1562 and 1564, Mary Queen of Scots visited Dunnottar.
The safe keeping of the Scottish Crown Regalia during
the siege by Cromwell's Roundheads in 1650 is a famous
historical event.
An event of a different kind occured in 1685, when 167
Covenanters were imprisoned in terrible conditions. The
Whigs vault where these men and women were kept can be
seen today as it was then. After the Rebellion of 1715,
the property was fortified and soon fell into disrepair.
Beginning in 1925, however, an ambitious programme of
restoration was undertaken by the first Viscountess Cowdray.
This work is responsible for the present state of the
castle, now maintained by the Dunecht Estates.
Other
places to visit in this NE region of Scotland include:
Aberdeen
'Granite
City', whose speckled grey buildings overlook bustling
fishing port and docks. Art gallery focuses on 18th
to 20th-century painting and sculpture. Provost Skene's
House, built 1545, has fine painted ceilings and local
museum. Science and technology discovery centre.
Balmedie
Beach
Shifting
dunes border miles of sandy beach, safe for swimming,
from River Ythan to River Don. A dozen burns trickle
across sands, where birds and plants live.
Bridge
of Dee
Graceful
seven-arched bridge dates back 400 years. Scene of historic
battle in the 17th century.
Brig
o' Balgownie
Massive
bridge, completed in 1329, spans 62ft in single arch.
Bridge crosses deep pool of river and is backed by woods.
Closed to motor vehicles.
Brimmond
and Elrick Country Park
Park
set in rolling countryside of hills and moorland. Guided
and marked walks, and picnic area.
Broomend
of Crichie
Bronze
Age enclosure, over 100ft wide, with external bank and
enclosed ditch. It surrounds central stone, a later
addition, carved with Pictish symbols.
Camphill
Village Trust
Community
for people with special needs has workshops producing
goods such as soft toys, furniture, metalwork and weaving.
Shop sells wholemeal bread, cakes and coffee.
Catterline
White
cottages perch on cliff tops descending steeply to a
craggy bay. short walk along coast leads to Trelong
Bay, where kittiwakes and fulmars nest in grass-covered
cliffs. Remains of ancient church survive from 12th
century.
Collieston
Grey-stone
houses stand above caves once used by smugglers. Sheltered
harbour supported thriving fishing industry. St Catharines
Dub, a rocky headland, takes name from Spanish galleon
wrecked there in 1594.
Cove
Bay
Road
from village approaches harbour set in cliffs. Fishing
boats moor here and salmon nets are hung to dry.
Crombie
Woollens Visitor Centre
Mill
by River Don in Aberdeen has award-winning museum and
visitor centre. Cloth, wool and ready-made clothes for
sale. Fishing and riverside walks.
Cruickshank
Botanic Gardens
Gardens
have extensive collec-tions of shrubs, alpine plants,
heather and succulents. Rock and water gardens.
Cullerlie
Bronze
Age stone circle, 30ft across, with eight boulders around
its circumference. Within circle are number of excavated
burial chambers.
Downies
Rough
road from village leads to cliff-top walk, where views
look over to Cammachmore Bay. Steep path descends to
rocky cove.
Drum
Castle
Antique
furniture and paintings enrich castle's interior. Home
of Irvine family since 1323, its original keep adjoins
Jacobean mansion, built 1619. Extensive grounds border
old forest of Drum, where rhododendrons bloom beneath
ancient oak and yew trees.
Dunnottar
Castle
Steep
path from beach climbs solitary rock, crowned by dramatic
castle ruin. Cromwell's troops captured this Royalist
stronghold after months of siege in 1652. Little-changed
dungeon housed 167 covenanters in 1685.
Duthie
Park
Park
of 50 acres has floral displays in all seasons, including
spectacular 'rose mountain'. Children's play area includes
trampolines.
Dyce
Incised
symbols and carved relief work cover two Pictish stones
in St Fergus churchyard, to the north. Standing stone
circle, 60ft in diameter, lies 2 miles west.
Findon
Good
walk from village leads through fish-farm research station
to two rocky coves, and on round cliffs to Portlethen
village.
Fowlsheugh
Nature Reserve
Two
miles of cliffs echo with the calls of kittiwake and
guillemot pairs that arrive for summer breeding season.
Path to reserve leads from Crawton village.
Glenbervie
Robert
Burns memorial cairn lies in scattered parish surrounded
by wooded hills. Nearby churchyard holds ornate tombs.
Gordon
Highlanders Regimental Museum
Museum
has many relics of regiment, first raised by Duke of
Gordon in 1794.
Haddo
Country Park
Woodland
walks span 180 acres rich with wild flowers and plants.
Picnic areas and playground.
Haddo
House
Fine
gardens enclose mansion, designed by William Adam in
18th century for Earl of Aberdeen. Antique works of
art, books and ceramics adorn rich interior. Nature
trail skirts forest clearings, where roe deer graze.
Hallforest
Castle
Ruin
of powerful fortress dating from 14th century can be
seen from road. Old residence of Keith family, Earls
of Kintore.
Hazlehead
Park
Largest
park in Aberdeen, contains extensive woodland and well-tended
rose, heather and azalea gardens. Children's corner
has chickens, lambs and rabbits. Walk-in aviary. Adventure
play-ground and bumper-car track. Impressive maze has
over a mile of twisting paths.
Hill
of Barra
Site
of Battle of Barra fought between Robert Bruce and John
Comyn in 1307. Comyn is thought to have camped in Pictish
fort on hill. Fine views from hill over the Garioch
basin.
Inverurie
Town
museum displays local archaeological and geological
finds, including arrowheads, stone axes and flint knives.
In cemetery is SOft mound, the Bass, site of Norman
castle. Brandsbutt Stone bears Pictish symbols. Seventeenth-century
Scottish poet, Arthur Johnston, was born at Caskieben
Castle -- now part of Keith Hall.
Kinkell
Church
Ruin
of parish church, built in 16th century, retains ornate
details. Unusually designed sacrament house dates from
1524.
Kintore
External
stone stairs enhance elegant town house, built 1737.
Old bell chimes in house clock tower with original slate
roof. Early Pictish stone stands in churchyard. Well-preserved
Balbithan House lies in quiet dell to the north-east,
across River Don.
Kirkton
of Maryculter
Nursery
rhyme and fairy-tale characters greet visitors, young
and old, to make-believe garden world of Storybook Glen.
Tropical palms and waterfalls enhance landscaped gardens.
Muchalls
Picturesque,
white-painted village, dating from 19th century. To
north, coast has spectacular rock formations including
stacks and deep caverns.
Muchalls
Castle
Fine
plaster-work distinguishes Great Hall of 17th-century
castle. Smugglers' tunnel, now blocked, once led to
Gin Shore Cove.
Old
Slains Castle
Ruined
tower remains from Earl of Erroll's fortress, set above
shingle beach. James VI had it destroyed in 1594 after
learning of the Earl's plot to land Spanish troops on
Scottish coast.
Pitmedden
Garden
Formal
gardens established in 1675 with central fountain, pavilions
and sundials, all laid out in four great rectangles.
Box hedges form elaborate designs and Latin mottoes.
Museum of Farming Life includes furnished farmhouse.
Portlethen
Village
Once-busy
fishing village is now community for people employed
in Aberdeen. Steep road leads to small cove, hemmed
in by cliffs.
St
Machar's Cathedral
Cathedral
founded in 1131, though main part of building dates
from 15th century. West front has twin towers. Painted
wooden heraldic nave, dated 1520, is in use as parish
church.
Stonehaven
New
town, with amusement park and beach, dominates old town
of fishermen's cottages by harbour. Local exhibits found
in 16th-century Tolbooth Museum, where Episcopal clergymen
were imprisoned in 1748. Panoramic view from war memorial
on hill.
Tarves
Gothic
and Renaissance styles evident in fine altar-tomb of
William Forbes, resident of nearby Tolquhon Castle in
16th century. Tomb lies in Tarves parish church.
Tolquhon
Castle
Impressive,
pink sandstone castle ruins, set in wooded glen. Large
quadrangular mansion, built by William Forbes adjoins
keep, dating from 15th century, called Preston Tower.
Two round towers with grated windows stand beside remains
of gate-house with ornate gunports.
Tolquhon
Gallery
Work
of Scottish artists, including prints, paintings, ceramics
and glass, exhibited in changing programme. Sculptures
are displayed in garden.
Udny
Green
Above
village is Udny Castle, tower house dating from 14th
century, crowned by ornamental turrets. Churchyard has
stone and slate 'morthouse', built 3832, to protect
unburied dead from clutches of resurrectionists.
