Stonehaven

Stonehaven is situated on the coast 15 miles south of Aberdeen and 60 miles north of Dundee.  Just a twenty-minute drive down the A90 from the Bridge of Dee, Aberdeen or, a similar length of train journey from Aberdeen Station will take you to this historical and picturesque seaside town.

Superbly set in the sweeping curve of Stonehaven Bay with cliffs 100ft high on either side, Stonehaven is a popular place to visit at any time of the year. Locals and visitors enjoy walking from the car park at the outdoor pool, along the seafront and bay walk to the sheltered harbour. The Tolbooth Restaurant is a ten-minute walk from the Town Square and the Carron Art Deco Restaurant.

Stonehaven has many interesting attractions including the Tolbooth Museum. Located below the restaurant it is open from May until October and free of charge to visit. Nearby there is the iconic Dunnottar Castle perched on a headland just 1.5 miles south of Stonehaven. It is one of Scotland’s most visited ruined castles and can be accessed with care from the coastal path or by road.

Stonehaven also boasts the only Olympic sized outdoor salt-water pool in Britain. Designed like The Carron Restaurant in art deco style, the pool is heated to 84 degrees Celsius in the summer months.

The Fireball Ceremony takes place in Stonehaven’s Old Town near the harbour every Hogmanay (31st December). Visitors from around the world join with locals to watch up to fifty men and women walk up and down the High Street swinging large balls of fire around their heads. With its origins in pagan times, the ceremony was thought to ward away evil spirits. Today, the spectacle has come to be one of Scotland’s most popular New Year traditions, regularly featuring on TV screens around the world.