Key facts
- Operator
- Dunecht Estates
- Condition
- Ruin
- Access
- Staffed, ticketed
Pinpoint
Possible Opening hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Sunday | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
Dunnottar is a ruined fortress on a rock promontory above the North Sea, reached by a steep path down and back up from the clifftop car park. It's the highest-rated site in this batch, and reviewers are near-unanimous that the setting alone justifies the walk, even before the ruins themselves come into it.
Worth the trip
The clifftop approach and the view of the ruins from the surrounding cliff path - reviewers call it one of the most dramatic castle settings anywhere in Scotland.
Before you go
The walk back up from the ruin is steep, so pace yourself, and check the last-admission time before you go, as it catches people out. Entry runs around £13, which some reviewers find steep for a ruin, though most say the setting alone earns it.
Visitors are consistently struck by Dunnottar Castle's dramatic clifftop setting above the North Sea, calling the views among the best in Scotland and well worth the fairly steep walk to reach it. A couple of practical notes recur: the entrance fee (around £13) feels steep to some who chose to admire it from outside instead, and it's worth checking the last admission time before you go.
Ticketed clifftop ruin; open year-round, weather permitting
“Epic location , the climb is no joke though, but the reward is worth it. More than the excellent views plea see read up on the history before you go. The green dress , possible Wallace invasion, the saving of the…”— Cameron Fairweather, visitor review
