14 March, 2015

I have been to a few spectacular places in my travels, but I don’t think any have been as outright stunning as Dunnottar. The castle is perched atop a rocky peninsula two miles south of Stonehaven. Though the ruins that stand today are predominantly from the 16^th and 17^th centuries, this has been the site of a fortress since before William Wallace in the late 12^th. Works continue with restoration and upkeep and their composter was cheekily labeled as being from the early 21^st century.

The Stagecoach X7 Coastrider bus drops off on the highway about 1/4 mile from the castle car park. From there it is another quarter mile or so to the castle gate. There is a brief diversionary path that leads to an amazing view of the castle from a bluff just to the south. Returning from this vantage point I eschewed the stairway for a steep grassy trail that may well follow the historic approach to the castle.

I’d like to say that I have some sense of the history of the castle, or a great tale of heroic romance that I took away from my time there. What I came away with was just being humbled by the experience of Dunnottar’s incredible beauty. In the course of events in the Highlands and Aberdeenshire the castle has more than once held an important role. Wallace and the Bruce were here in the 12^th century, and the Scottish Crown Jewels were hidden from the English.

As always, the wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunnottar_Castle

Unlike so many other castles there are no grand walls and crenelated fortifications here. The cliffs of the outcrop provide the defenses for a collection of buildings that sit atop them like an island fort. Any invading force is put a distinct disadvantage by the landscape itself before any defensive works are encountered.

I walked the grounds astonished by the grand beauty of the ruined buildings, and humbled by the fact I was actually there. I took nearly 200 photographs in the three hours I was at the castle. I am sure you will agree that there are some fantastic images here. I have selected just a few that I think are the best. The camera cannot capture the experience, though. The page can convey the idea, but never the wind coming from the North Sea, or the sound of the waves on the rocks below. My words cannot truly capture the feeling of standing on the cliff across the bay, or on the beach below, looking at the tower rising above the gate.

Time marches on, and I must be off so I can pack for travel to Dundee.  I hope to catch up with a few more pics from Inverness as well as some from around central Aberdeen tomorrow.

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