Attractions & Activities

Stonehaven is a charming seaside town that sits 15 miles south of Aberdeen on the north-east coast of Scotland. The town nestles around a stony bay book-ended by cliffs of Old Red Sandstone and crumbling conglomerate, on which the golf course perches to the north, and the imposing ruins of Dunnottar Castle stand to the south. A picturesque harbour, with sheltered sandy beach and bustling restaurants, bars and cafes clustered around, hides at the south end of the bay, and is thronged by crowds every New Year as the famous Stonehaven fire balls are thrown into the sea. 

Stonehaven lies on the northern fringes of the fertile Mearns, where the rust red clay soils and wide-open skies made an unforgettable setting for Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s Sunset Song. Royal Deeside, much beloved by Queen Victoria and her descendants, lies to the north and west and is easily accessible by car. Here the River Dee wends its way from the Cairngorms to the North Sea through a dramatic and largely unspoilt landscape, studded with fairy-tale castles, grand Highland estates, and granite standing stones bearing witness to its long history of settlement.

An abundance of scenery, wildlife, culture, history, sport and gastronomy await you here in beautiful Aberdeenshire. Here are just some of the attractions and activities on offer.