2 days ago
Walk to stunning Scottish castle that inspired a Disney film named among UK's best
A coastal walk in northeast Scotland was ranked among the UK's best for its beauty, based on five-star reviews
A scenic coastal walk in northeast Scotland has been ranked among the UK's best, thanks to its dramatic cliffs, medieval fortress and striking natural beauty.
The route from Stonehaven Harbour to the iconic Dunnottar Castle was named the third most beautiful walk in the UK in a new study by photo printing company CEWE, which analysed Google reviews to find the country's most-loved walking trails, Express reports.
Each location was assessed on the number of five-star ratings and how often words like 'beautiful', 'stunning', 'amazing', and 'lovely' appeared in the reviews.
The Stonehaven to Dunnottar walk scored highly, with 254 reviewers describing it as beautiful and an overall 4.8-star rating.
The 3.5-mile circular route takes between 90 minutes and two hours to complete and leads walkers south from the town's picturesque harbour to the imposing ruins of Dunnottar Castle.
Along the way, the trail passes through Black Hill, Strathlethan Bay, Dunnicaer Pictish Fort, and Castle Haven.
Stonehaven, a former fishing town with around 11,000 residents, is known not only for its coastal charm but also for its ancient Hogmanay fireballs ceremony, during which locals parade through the streets swinging flaming balls above their heads to banish evil spirits and welcome the new year.
But the real showstopper is Dunnottar Castle itself. A ruined medieval fortress perched dramatically on a rocky headland, it sits about two miles south of Stonehaven and boasts a commanding position on the northeast coast.
While most of the existing buildings date to the 15th and 16th centuries, the site has been fortified since the Early Middle Ages.
Dunnottar has played a central role in Scottish history, most famously as the hiding place of the Honours of Scotland, the nation's crown jewels, during Oliver Cromwell's invasion in the 17th century.
Once the seat of the powerful Earls Marischal and home to the Keith family from the 14th century, the castle declined after the final Earl forfeited his titles for supporting the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. It was later restored in the 20th century and is now open to the public.
The castle has also featured on the silver screen, appearing in the 1990 film adaptation of Hamlet and inspiring Merida's family home in Disney's Brave.
A few miles further south, nature lovers can continue to RSPB Fowlsheugh, a clifftop reserve teeming with life. In spring and summer, the reserve becomes a noisy haven for more than 130,000 breeding seabirds, including puffins, kittiwakes and razorbills.
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Topping CEWE's list of beautiful walks was Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland, a grand 19th-century estate nestled on the shores of Strangford Lough in County Down.
The estate features landscaped gardens, a stately mansion with an impressive art collection, and 10 miles of trails winding through farmland and woodland. It received 259 'beautiful' mentions and a 4.7-star average rating.
Powis Castle and Garden in Welshpool, Wales, took second place. Originally built as a fortress in the 13th century, the castle boasts sweeping views across the Severn Valley and is surrounded by elegant gardens.
It earned 255 'beautiful' reviews and also maintained a 4.7-star rating.
