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| Dunottar Castle |
Although we only had to take a bus on Saturday, a few miles out of the city and you feel like you are in the most rural, historical, magical places you have ever seen. Allen and I decided to visit the town of Stonehaven which is home to Dunottar Castle ruins and only 15 miles south of Aberdeen. This is probably my favorite castle I have seen so far, and yet there wasn't much of a castle left. It might have had something to do with the glorious weather that served as the roofs to most of the rooms. I didn't even notice the hike down to the castle grounds as my bladder was filled to capacity and I was praying that there was a bathroom somewhere in the castle. After I found the bathroom I had to wait for Allen to find me since I kind of just ran off without him. You don't get in the way of a woman looking for a bathroom. There were a lot of people around and I thought to myself as I was climbing stairs after stairs that I would finally have an answer to that ice breaker question "What's your most embarrassing moment?" It was either going to be I wet my pants or I peeled off the very busy path and had to pee right there in front of everyone. Either way it wasn't going to be pretty. The lady at the front desk was no help when I asked her where the bathroom was, "Up there," she said with a general wave of her hand that I missed when I was looking down for cash to enter the castle. Needless to say, I found the bathroom and then I realized what a beautiful place we were in. :)
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| View from the Earl's private quarters |
Owned by the Keith Family, Dunottar Castle area has been inhabited since the Pictish times (5000 BC- 700 AD). It sits on top of a craigly cliff overlooking the North Sea and a perfect harbour. In June, Puffins come and inhabit the cliffs in their migration and the seals, dolphins, and whales come to fish along the edge of the waters. In the 5th century Dunottar (Dun means hill in Pictish) became the site for St. Ninian setting up a chapel and leading the Picts to Christianity and away from their Pict religion. Then the Vikings seized the castle in the 9th Century. Passed through hands and wars, Dunottar finally came to rest in one of the most powerful families in Scotland, Sir William Keith who became Scotland's Earl of Marischal. So enough history, the place was gorgeous.
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| Stonehaven Harbour |
After spending three hours at the castle Allen and I walked down to Stonehaven, which turned out to be more of a hike than we realized complicated by the fact that the road was closed. The locals ahead of us told us, eh, you can go around it. What they meant was, you can hang on the side of a mountain and pray that this path is actually going to lead us to town. Once in town we found Miss Muffet's cupcake shop and decided that was the perfect way to even out all the calories we burned off walking the three miles down from Dunottar Castle.
Although we only had to take a bus on Saturday, a few miles out of the city and you feel like you are in the most rural, historical, magical places you have ever seen. Allen and I decided to visit the town of Stonehaven which is home to Dunottar Castle ruins and only 15 miles south of Aberdeen. This is probably my favorite castle I have seen so far, and yet there wasn't much of a castle left. It might have had something to do with the glorious weather that served as the roofs to most of the rooms. I didn't even notice the hike down to the castle grounds as my bladder was filled to capacity and I was praying that there was a bathroom somewhere in the castle. After I found the bathroom I had to wait for Allen to find me since I kind of just ran off without him. You don't get in the way of a woman looking for a bathroom. There were a lot of people around and I thought to myself as I was climbing stairs after stairs that I would finally have an answer to that ice breaker question "What's your most embarrassing moment?" It was either going to be I wet my pants or I peeled off the very busy path and had to pee right there in front of everyone. Either way it wasn't going to be pretty. The lady at the front desk was no help when I asked her where the bathroom was, "Up there," she said with a general wave of her hand that I missed when I was looking down for cash to enter the castle. Needless to say, I found the bathroom and then I realized what a beautiful place we were in. :)
I love your posts! I get a history lesson and a good laugh. :) Looks like y'all are having a great time!
ReplyDeletehaha, thanks Alyssa. I was thinking the other day that it was a good thing I wasn't born in the UK because I stink at history and compared to america they have more years to learn here. :)
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