20 Attractions to Explore Near Dunnottar Woods

The Tolbooth Museum is housed in the former wardhouse, or prison for Aberdeen, a unique complex of 17th and 18th century gaol cells. It first opened to the public as a museum in 1995. Featured displays deal with local history and the evolution of crime and punishment over the centuries. The museum's unique atmosphere and gaol cells provide a striking visitor experience and a real insight into imprisonment and the treatment of prisoners and rebel Jacobites in times gone by.

Dunnottar Castle is a dramatic and evocative ruined cliff top fortress that was the home of the Earls Marischal, once one of the most powerful families in Scotland. Steeped in history, this romantic and haunting ruin is a photographer’s paradise, a history lover’s dream and an iconic tourist destination for visitors the world over. Dunnottar is best known as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's invading army in the 17th century.

Stonehaven Bay is the perfect setting for a great day out. At just over one kilometer in length, the half-moon shaped bay features a busy working harbour, rocky outcrops towards the north and the sandy stretch towards the south, ideal for sunbathers. This particular beach is popular with watersports enthusiasts.

Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool, Queen Elizabeth Park, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, is an Olympic sized heated open air public pool opened in 1934. It is the northernmost lido in the UK.This 55 yard x 20 yard open air pool is the UK's only art deco Olympic sized sea water lido. The water is heated and the pool is open from late May to early September. There is a Leisure Centre with indoor swimming pool next door. Other facilities include a paddling pool and a cafe.

Fowlsheugh is a coastal nature reserve in Kincardineshire, northeast Scotland, known for its 70-metre-high (230 ft) cliff formations and habitat supporting prolific seabird nesting colonies. Designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest by Scottish Natural Heritage, the property is owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Fowlsheugh can be accessed by a public clifftop trail, or by boats which usually emanate from the nearby harbour at the town of Stonehaven.

The Den and the Glen is a children's park in Maryculter, Scotland, near the city of Aberdeen. It is best known for its disformed and off-looking models of various fairytale characters, as well as some more modern characters such as Shrek and Postman Pat. The most well known statue is of Barney The Dinosaur, which became an internet meme with the caption "cha cha real smooth". It has been rated a 4-star visitor attraction by the Scottish Tourist Board.

Blairs Museum is home of the Scottish Catholic Heritage Collection. Located in Aberdeen, Blairs Museum provides an insight into Scotland’s Catholic heritage, with collections spanning over 500 years. See paintings, church textiles, Jacobite memorabilia, and the stunning Mary Queen of Scots Memorial Portrait. It was one of the iconic attractions in this area.

Drum Castle is a castle near Drumoak in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. For centuries it was the seat of the chief of Clan Irvine. The place-name Drum is derived from Gaelic druim, 'ridge'. The site is located approximately 6+1⁄2 miles northeast of Banchory and 3 miles west of Peterculter. The property is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is open to the public.

Crathes Castle is one of the most impressive castles in Scotland. With its classic Scottish tower house design, featuring a jumble of cone-roofed turrets, ramparts, and towers, there’s something pleasantly Disneyesque about Crathes Castle, which is magnified by its faintly pink harled exterior. This harled castle was built by the Burnetts of Leys and was held in that family for almost 400 years. The castle and grounds are owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland and are open to the

Scolty Hill is a small hill south of the Deeside town, Banchory. Its best known feature is the 20m tall tower monument, built in 1840 as a memorial to General William Burnett who fought alongside Wellington. The tower was restored in 1992 and a viewing platform added by the Rotary Club of Banchory-Ternan. It enjoys splendid views over Banchory, the Dee Valley and the Grampian Mountains, which surround the hill. This encourages thousands of visitors each year. It is popular for tourists, locals a

Cairn O' Mount is a high mountain pass in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It has served as an ancient military route at least from Roman times through the 13th century AD. The alignment of the Cairnamounth, Elsick Mounth and Causey Mounth ancient trackways had a strong influence on the medieval siting of many fortifications and other settlements in the area comprised by present-day Aberdeenshire on both sides of the River Dee.

Clachnaben is one of the best known of Aberdeenshire's lower hills, celebrated together with Bennachie in an old couplet. Its fame rests on the magnificent granite tor on its summit, a superb viewpoint and a worthy objective for any outing. A popular walk starts at the car park on the Cairn O' Mounth road, 10 kilometres south of Banchory. Popularity has caused some erosion on the old steep path which climbs this hill directly; however, efforts have been made to stabilise the erosion.

A superb beach, which runs south from the cliffs and extraordinary rock formations below the village of St Cyrus, to the mouth of the North Esk River. It can be reached by a zigzag path down the cliff at St Cyrus, or, and this is the easiest option, from the visitor centre signposted off the A92. Admire magnificent cliffs and sand dunes as you stroll along this beautiful expanse of sand, which is accessible either from the cliff path or from the St Cyrus NNR Visitor Centre.

This large freshwater loch is located near Dunecht and Kirkton of Skene in Aberdeenshire. It's a very picturesque area with the loch surrounded by attractive woodland and reedbeds. It's great for wildlife too with concentrations of wildfowl in autumn and winter in particular greylag geese, goldeneye ducks and pink-footed geese. Common gulls and otters are also found on the loch.

St Cyrus National Nature Reserve is situated between the village of St Cyrus and the North Sea in the far south of the council area of Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The reserve comprises a narrow strip of land that is 3.5 km long and less than 500 m across at its widest point: the total area is 92 hectares , most of which is only a few metres above sea level and bounded by cliffs to the west. It forms the northern third of Montrose Bay, with the River North Esk marking its southern boundary.

Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre is on the site of Britain’s first operational military airfield which was established by the Royal Flying Corps in February 1913. Alongside a number of airplane exhibits the Heritage Centre aims to show the human side of the Air Stations history with a collection of contemporary photographs, artefacts and memorabilia. These not only tell of the history of the airfield but also the story of the men and women who served there and those who lived in the area.

A beautiful family beach with a handy promenade and car parking, plus shop and amusement centre. It also has a Seafront Splash play area for children, pools, pitch and putt and an ice cream parlour. Its golden sands stretches for three miles from Montrose to the North Esk River, with stunning views south to Scurdieness Lighthouse.

Montrose Museum opened in 1842 in Montrose, Angus, Scotland. The museum came into being when in 1841 the Montrose Natural History and Antiquarian Society started a fund to expand its space; in order to house its curiosities and wonders ranging from geological and ethnographical artefacts to a collection of natural history objects and fine art. Today, the museum tells the story of Montrose and its people, from the earliest archaeological finds to the gallant Marquis of Montrose and the Jacobite u

Kincardine Castle is a Victorian country house in Royal Deeside, Scotland. Formerly known as Kincardine House, it is private home which also operates as a hospitality venue. The house sits 1 kilometre north-east of the village of Kincardine O'Neil, and 8 kilometres east of Aboyne on the north side of the River Dee, Aberdeenshire.

Scurdie Ness Lighthouse is located on the headland and has also been referred to as Montroseness Lighthouse. In 1867 the seafaring community of Ferryden made representations to the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses to have a light established on Montrose Point due to the numerous shipwrecks and great loss of life along that coast. There are 11 wrecks recorded around the mouth of the estuary.