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Aberdeen -walking to Dunnottar Castle

Posted by on

Hello

I am going to be in Aberdeen for 3 nights, so I will have arrival day to look around Aberdeen, maritime museum and other sights. I will also have 2 full days (Friday, Saturday) for more extensive day trips.

I don’t have a car.

I’ve booked into the IBIS hotel based on other forum post recommendations. Is the IBIS a good location to allow me to walk in town and see local sights, close to train station etc…. or would I be better off at the Marriott or another hotel in a better location? Is there an Aberdeen tourist brochure or map that I could use to navigate my walk to sights in Aberdeen?

I’ve been looking into Rabbies Tours
and Grampian Tours and several of them look interesting. Does anyone have recommendations on which of their tours might be best? I think each company offers 5-6 tours abd I would like to book one of them.

For my last day, I did really want to see Dunnottar Castle, but it looks to me as though there are no tours to Dunnottar Castle with availability when I am there so I will have to rely on public transportation and walking.

Train — I read that I can take a train from Aberdeen to Stonehaven and then walk or talk a bus to the castle. Is this correct??

Bus — I’ve read that there is a bus that leaves from Stonehaven and stops somewhere near the castle. Is that bus still operating and is it frequent? Could I walk from Stonehaven to the castle and take the bus back? I will be there the third week of September. Is there a tourist map or brochure that could help support this walk?

Thank you everyone.

Posted by
10293 posts

I've stayed at the Ibis. It is an excellent location on the Shiprow opposite the Maritime Museum, in walking distance of everything.

I believe the Tourist Information Centre closed last year, but if you look at the Visit Scotland website you should be able to find something. I actually have a paper street map of the City on my desk at the moment, and would expect you would find one in a bookstore in the Union Square Mall (adjacent to the Bus and Rail stations).
To Dunottar the X7 bus (to Dundee) runs hourly from Aberdeen Union Square via Stonehaven and stops at the road end,at a bus shelter with a grass roof.
I recommend getting the bus there, then walking back into Stonehaven.
Do check before setting out, as the Castle closes in windy weather.
There is also an hourly bus #8 back from Stonehaven to Aberdeen, so two buses an hour.

Posted by
29 posts

I spent a day in Aberdeen last month and historical Union Street, the main shopping street in the center, was torn up for construction. Quite a mess.

Posted by
7919 posts

From the Dunotter Junction bus stop to the castle it’s supposedly a 16 minutes walk depending on how fast you walk. The first part is level, then you go down about 200 steps and then more back up to the castle. From Stonehaven itself, the walk is about 45 minutes parallel to the shoreline. Both times I’ve been to the castle I had a rental car. It can get very windy and could be cool, so have adequate clothing.

Posted by
2756 posts

The Walk Highlands website has details and a map of the walk between Stonehaven and Dunnottar castle.

The Dunnottar Castle website has information about getting to the castle from Stonehaven. As well as the X7 bus mentioined by isn31c, there is also the 107 bus. (You can check and plan your journey using this website.)
Ask the bus driver to drop you off at Dunnottar castle junction.

something to bear in mind is weather and particularly wind..... The castle can be shut at short notice close with by very strong winds.

Posted by
10293 posts

It may be a 16 minute walk (suspiciously exact) from bus stop to Castle, but it is only 5 minutes to the car park, toilets and pretty good cafe. That is to say that it is 10 minutes walk even from the car park.

Posted by
109 posts

If you are up for a largely flat hike then do consider the wonderful cliff top path from Stonehaven Harbour to the castle.On a decent weather day, it's a glorious walk, busy yes but the finest way to approach the site.

Posted by
109 posts

Sorry, it's not entirely flat...there is a considerable set of steep steps from the harbour to path start! A bit of huff and puff to get up them! Forgot about that bit.A little gradual ascent to the cliff top , a minor downhill section then flat( from memory!)

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