Sunset Song Country

Marine Hotel

Best Of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "A Seaside Pint"

Quote:

The Marine Hotel in Stonehaven is located in the "auld toon", the oldest area of the town around the harbour. The Marine is right on the harbourfront, with good views of the harbour and the surrounding cliffs.Some pointers on how to get there...coming into Stonehaven from the north end of the town, keep going through until you are past the Market Square then watch for the High Street on your left, beside the police station – this is signposted for the Tolbooth. Follow this down to the harbour. If you enter Stonehaven from the south side, you will pass a BP garage and then the road will bend 90 degrees to the left – don’t go round this bend, but rather go straight ahead into the High Street...Read More

The Marine Hotel in Stonehaven is located in the "auld toon", the oldest area of the town around the harbour. The Marine is right on the harbourfront, with good views of the harbour and the surrounding cliffs.

Some pointers on how to get there...coming into Stonehaven from the north end of the town, keep going through until you are past the Market Square then watch for the High Street on your left, beside the police station – this is signposted for the Tolbooth. Follow this down to the harbour. If you enter Stonehaven from the south side, you will pass a BP garage and then the road will bend 90 degrees to the left – don’t go round this bend, but rather go straight ahead into the High Street. When you reach the harbour, the Marine is to the right. There is parking along the harbour wall in front of the hotel, or you can carry straight on when you reach the harbour and you will find a car park on the left.

The Marine’s location is the perfect spot for those (rare) Scottish summer days. You can sit inside if you want, but there are tables outside, or the harbour wall. I have happy memories of lazy lunchtime pints in the summer before I left for university, sitting on the wall watching the tide. This is of course weather dependant, and north east coastal weather is not to be relied upon to be good! However, if you are lucky enough to choose to visit on a sunny day, a pint at the Marine is not to be missed.

To entice you even more, the drinks on offer are superb. There are always at least six real ales on draught, including the Marine’s very own house ale, the Dunnottar. In addition to this you can also find lagers and cider on draught, and I have to be honest and admit that whenever I visit I have a pint of Tennants – it’s just not readily available in London, and I miss it! The selection of bottled beers is, in my eyes, unparalleled. The Marine has a particular interest in Scottish micro breweries, but you will also find an amazing number of Belgian, Flemish and Trappist bottled ales. And there’s more...the Marine has over 100 whiskies on offer, from every region of Scotland and from abroad. These include the local malts of Fettercairn and Glenesk. The usual selection of soft drinks is available, and the last time I checked, they had Irn Bru on draught. Even if you have no plans to eat, the Marine is worth a visit just for a drink – they have so much to try, that everyone can surely find something to their taste or something new to try.

In terms of food, I have only eaten in the lounge bar but I believe the restaurant menu is similar. The restaurant is located upstairs, and I don’t think they have disabled access. The menu has a strong Scottish flavour to it, and understandably offers a lot of local seafood. On my last visit I had garlic mushrooms to start, which were absolutely delicious, but included in the starters of the day were dishes with mussels and crab, both locally caught. For my main course I had haddock and chips, again locally caught haddock. It was lovely, full of flavour and cooked perfectly. I had actually had a bad experience with the fish previously at the Marine, when it had been ridiculously greasy and not very pleasant, but that was definitely a one off. Friends and family I have visited with have tried seafood dishes and meat dishes, and all of them have given it top marks. Where possible the meat is locally sourced. There are vegetarian options on offer, usually to be found on the specials board.

The service is very good in the Marine. The staff are attentive and service is quick. Rather disconcertingly, the last time I was there I found our waitress was an old schoolfriend! The bar staff are efficient and chatty, and will always have a blether.

The decor of the lounge bar and public bar is of a very good standard. There is a "marine" theme, but there is some very interesting art on the walls. In the lounge bar there is a lovely big fireplace, which is great in winter when you come in from the cold winds battering the harbour – but if you sit too close, you will get too hot! The toilets are upstairs, and are clean and presentable, if not the most modern facilities. There are rooms available but I can’t comment on these as I have never stayed.

Overall, the Marine Hotel is well worth a detour to visit. It’s a nice Scottish pub, with good food and an excellent drinks selection. If you can manage to time your visit for one of those rare sunny summer days, all the better...
Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 29, 2009

Marine Hotel
Shorehead
Stonehaven, Scotland AB39 2JY
+44 1569 762155

Cheer!
Flag

Dunnottar Castle

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "A Clifftop Covered In History"

Quote:

Stonehaven is a town situated on the North East coast of Scotland, around 13 miles south of Aberdeen. Traditionally, Stonehaven was a fishing town. It grew from a small village into the town it is today. The oldest part of the town, the "auld toon", is therefore the area around the harbour. Stonehaven has, however, played its part in Scottish history throughout the ages.One of Stonehaven’s main tourist attractions is Dunnottar Castle, famous throughout history for a number of reasons. The Scottish Crown Jewels were hidden here for many years, and as Cromwell came to find and destroy them, some local fisherwives snuck them out in a small boat and took them down the coast to Kinneff, where t...Read More

Stonehaven is a town situated on the North East coast of Scotland, around 13 miles south of Aberdeen. Traditionally, Stonehaven was a fishing town. It grew from a small village into the town it is today. The oldest part of the town, the "auld toon", is therefore the area around the harbour. Stonehaven has, however, played its part in Scottish history throughout the ages.

One of Stonehaven’s main tourist attractions is Dunnottar Castle, famous throughout history for a number of reasons. The Scottish Crown Jewels were hidden here for many years, and as Cromwell came to find and destroy them, some local fisherwives snuck them out in a small boat and took them down the coast to Kinneff, where they remained hidden. This is a famous local story, and one that every child hears – our town has played its part in history! Even the famous William Wallace was at Dunnottar Castle, when he reclaimed it from the English in the thirteenth century. And another Wallace connection is that the Castle was used in the 1990 film Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson. In addition to all this, the Castle played its part in the Jacobite rebellions of the eighteenth century, and played host to Scotland’s most famous monarch, Mary Queen of Scots, in the sixteenth century.

The car park for the Castle is located off the A92, which can be reach from either north or southbound on the A90 (A92 is signposted Arbroath). The Castle is signposted on the A92. It can also be reached by walking a coastal path (2-3 miles) which can be accessed from the auld toon of Stonehaven – it is signposted. Local buses also stop near the Castle car park, and these can be caught from the main bus stop near the Market Square (outside Farmfoods).

The Castle is well worth a visit. It is not easily accessible, and cannot be reached by wheelchair users or those with impaired mobility. There is a lengthy walk from the car park, and then a steep descent down some stairs, and then an ascent to the Castle entrance, as the Castle is strategically positioned on an outcrop. Between the descent and the ascent, there is a nice little cove with rock pools, but take care as it is very slippy and the tide can be dangerous.

Even if you cannot reach the castle, the view from the road or from the top of the cliffs if you have walked from the car park is incredible. The Castle is in ruins now, but even so is very imposing. For me and others from the area, the image and shape of Dunnottar Castle is iconic and instantly recognisable.

The interior of the castle (what remains) is fascinating. The rooms are marked so you can see what happened where within the castle. There is a memorial to the Covenanters who were imprisoned there in the seventeenth century, and information available about each room. Only the stone remains, and much of the castle is open to the elements, so be prepared to get wet and be blown about – even on a glorious summers day the wind out there can be very strong.

For me, two areas of the Castle always spring to mind when I think of it. One is the dungeon, which even now, in ruins, is chilling. So many people died there over the centuries, not least the imprisoned Covenanters who refused to give up their beliefs, and it is hard to forget that. The other area is the Lion’s Den, which always fascinated me as a child – this is where the owners of the Castle in past times kept lions and other exotic creatures.

Opening of the Castle is seasonal. It is open 9am-6pm every day June to September, but has reduced hours on a Sunday in April, May and October, and closes November to March (due to its exposed location, it wouldn’t be very nice to visit then anyway!). The Castle is privately owned, and admission for the 2009 season is only £5 for adults, and £1 for children under 16 (cash only). This to me is a fantastic bargain – how many other historical sites can you visit for that price these days? And not only do you get the Castle, but you get views that money can’t buy.
Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 3, 2009

Dunnottar Castle
Coastal Path at Stonehaven Harbour
Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
+44 (0)1569 762173

Cheer!
Flag

Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Swim Under The Stars"

Quote:

Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool is, I grew up to believe, world famous. It’s certainly "Britain-famous", as it is one of the very few heated open air pools remaining in Britain, and I believe the only one in Scotland.The pool opened way back in 1934, and so this year 2009 is its 75th anniversary. The people of Stonehaven are justifiably proud of their pool, and flock to it every summer. Every year that I can remember the local paper has proclaimed that there has been record attendance!The pool is located at the north end of the Stonehaven seafront. It is easily accessed from either north or southbound A90, and is signposted through the town. Several bus services stop nearby, ...Read More

Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool is, I grew up to believe, world famous. It’s certainly "Britain-famous", as it is one of the very few heated open air pools remaining in Britain, and I believe the only one in Scotland.

The pool opened way back in 1934, and so this year 2009 is its 75th anniversary. The people of Stonehaven are justifiably proud of their pool, and flock to it every summer. Every year that I can remember the local paper has proclaimed that there has been record attendance!

The pool is located at the north end of the Stonehaven seafront. It is easily accessed from either north or southbound A90, and is signposted through the town. Several bus services stop nearby, including the town service and services to Aberdeen.

Facts first – the pool contains clean, heated sea water, so be warned it is salty! The first time I went, many years ago, no one had told me this basic fact so I got a nasty shock when I got some water in my mouth. The pool is Olympic sized, and has open swim sessions as well as quiet times and lane swimming. The most popular events are the midnight swims.

The pool has one main slide as well as a childrens slide. New for this year is a kiddies pool, which I have not in fact seen so can’t comment on. Popular childrens events are the daily "swoopees", which is when a large inflatable is brought out for the kids to play on – I played on these as a child and can strongly recommend it!

Around the pool there is plenty of seating on the sun terraces, so you can visit with friends and family who want to swim, but you can sit in the sun (when its out!). The pool is fully enclosed by walls which keep out the winds which come off the North Sea.

The midnight swims…well, they are more or less as the description says, swimming at midnight! In actual fact they start at 10pm and finish at midnight, and are incredibly popular with the local schoolchildren. These take place most weekends during July and August, and are advertised locally. Be warned though – no matter what the temperature has been during the day, and even taking into account the heated water, this is still the North East of Scotland! It gets cold at night, even in summer. Saying that, I once went to a midnight swim in the rain and didn’t notice any difference to a dry night!

There is a café at the pool, selling hot and cold drinks, snacks and chips. The quality isn’t terrible but I always found the prices a little high for what you got – but the café does have a monopoly and a captive audience.

Despite the obvious fun of the pool itself, one of the most enjoyable times I spent at the pool didn’t involve swimming. During the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, held every summer, a steel band from Trinidad and Tobago played at the pool (there is a bandstand) one evening. It was sunny, the breeze is held off the pool by the walls, and we listened to this wonderful warm music which reaches right inside you. It was a magic evening, and if you are in the area I strongly advise you to look out for events like this- there are live music events every summer.

The changing facilities at the pool are basic. There are showers, and cubicles as well as open plan changing. I always found the changing rooms cold, but they are there to serve a purpose, and they do the job.

Visiting the pool in summer was an essential part of growing up in Stonehaven, and not even always when the weather was good! It is open from June to early September, with main ticket prices costing £4.60 for adults and £2.60 for children and concessions. Lower priced tickets are available, as are season tickets. It is worth pointing out that while £4.60 might seem a lot for a swim, that is valid for the whole day – so you can stay for the rest of the day once you arrive.
Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 3, 2009

Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool
Queen Elizabeth Park
Stonehaven, Scotland AB392RD
+44 1569 762134

Cheer!
Flag

Castleton Farm Shop

Best Of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Meals in the Mearns"

Quote:

I absolutely love farm cafes and shops, places that sell you meals made from produce they’ve grown or sourced locally, and there seem to be a growing number of them in Scotland. Not so many in London where I live, but when I go back north to visit the parents, we usually manage to visit one. So you can imagine my delight when Castleton Farm Shop & Cafe opened up just down the road from them...First of all, some important points on location. I’m hoping that you will get to the end of this and all go and jump in your cars to go and visit Castleton, and I want to make sure you can find it! Castleton Farm Shop is located between Laurencekirk and Stonehaven, just north of Fordoun on the nor...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 28, 2009

Castleton Farm Shop
Fordoun
Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom AB30 1JX
+44 1561 321155

Cheer!
Flag

Crathes Castle & Gardens Banchory

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "A Castle With All The Trimmings"

Quote:

Crathes Castle was completed in the late sixteenth century, by the Burnett of Leys family. It is now owned and run by the National Trust for Scotland, and is open to visitors all year round. The Castle is extremely well preserved, and in addition to the building itself, there are extensive gardens and woodlands, café and shop, plant sales, and a childrens playground.The Castle is located near Banchory, in Deeside. You can reach it by following the Slug Road (A957) all the way from Stonehaven, or take the North Deeside Road (A93) out of Aberdeen. It is also possible to take local bus services from Aberdeen.Currently, admission to the grounds alone costs £10.50 for adults, £7.50 ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 4, 2009

Crathes Castle & Gardens Banchory
Crathes Castle
Aberdeen, Scotland AB31 5QJ
(01330) 844-651

Cheer!
Flag

IgoUgo

Aberdeenshire Journals

Upload Photos