Exploring History and Majesty
Nestled along the picturesque Aberdeenshire coastline in Scotland, this stunning medieval ruin, perched atop cliffs overlooking the North Sea, offers explorers a unique opportunity to step back in time and immerse themselves in the rich history and natural beauty of this remarkable location.
Derived from the Scots Gaelic words fionn “white” and leitir “cliff or steep slope”, Findlater Castle has a storied history that dates back to the 13th century. It was built by the Findlater family, who gave the castle its name. Over the centuries, it passed through various noble families, including the Ogilvies and the Gordons.
The castle served a variety of purposes throughout its history, including as a fortress, a noble residence, and even a smuggling den during the turbulent times of the 18th century. Its location, perched on a cliff overlooking the North Sea, made it an ideal defensive stronghold, with its strategic position providing clear views of any approaching threats.
We discovered the castle by chance when searching for a spot to camp for the night. After popping our roof tent, the kids and I took a walk down to have a look and couldn’t believe our eyes! It was almost like a movie scene, with the ruin looking almost like a skull. The sun was setting and after a bit of risk assessing the path down and losing the light, I decided we would go and explore in the morning.
Now this is an amazing place to visit and the kids and I loved the experience but please if you are going to go, take precautions, this is not a visitor’s attraction with safely constructed paths. I had my hiking boots on for good grip and took care guiding the kids down one at a time on the steeper sections of the path. I would not advise attempting this in the rain or if there has been heavy rain recently.
The castle sits on a 50ft cliff with a high risk of falls, the kids were warned constantly to stay close to me and away from the edges. We all moved slowly and carefully through the various chambers of the ruin. When I was filming or taking pictures I asked the kids to sit down or stand in a safe spot until I put my phone away and could keep an eye to them.
Rather than go back through the castle, we followed the path from the lower chamber to the beach below, where the kids threw stones for a little while before we made our way back up the hill path.
There is a sign for a sandy beach that you can also walk to from here but we were running short on time, however, the pictures online look beautiful so definitely Scot 2 Go back for a look.
Findlater Castle is a timeless reminder of Scotland’s rich history, architectural heritage, and captivating legends. If you do go, we hope you have as much of an adventure as we did.
Happy Exploring!
