Dunnottar Castle: Scotland’s Cliff-Edge Fortress

Few castles occupy a more dramatic site than Dunnottar. This ruined fortress sits on a rocky headland jutting into the North Sea near Stonehaven, accessible only by a steep, narrow path. Here, the Scottish Crown Jewels were hidden from Cromwell’s forces, and here, 167 Covenanters were imprisoned in conditions so horrific that many died. Their spirits, and others, still walk these windswept ruins.

The History

Ancient Stronghold

The site has been fortified since at least the 7th century. Donald II, King of Scots, died here in 900 AD, possibly in battle against Viking raiders.

The Honours of Scotland

During the Civil War, the Scottish Crown Jewels (the Honours of Scotland) were smuggled out of Dunnottar to prevent their capture by Cromwell’s forces. They were hidden in a nearby church until the Restoration.

The Whigs’ Vault

In 1685, 167 Covenanters (Scottish Presbyterians who refused to accept royal authority over the Church) were imprisoned in a single vault. Crammed together in the dark, with minimal food and water, many died. Some were tortured. A few escaped by climbing down the cliffs. The vault became known as the Whigs’ Vault.

The Hauntings

The Covenanter Ghosts

The Whigs’ Vault is intensely haunted:

• Moaning and crying from the empty vault
• Figures in 17th-century dress
• The sound of prayers and hymns
• Overwhelming feelings of suffocation and despair
• Physical sensations of being crushed by unseen bodies
• Visitors have fled in terror

The Viking Raid

The violence of Viking attacks echoes through time:

• The sound of battle on the cliffs
• Screaming from the ruined buildings
• Norse figures with axes and swords
• Fire and smoke that cannot be seen

The Green Lady

A female apparition in green has been seen in the brewery:

• Searching for something
• Sometimes appears weeping
• May be connected to a woman who died in the castle
• Her identity remains unknown

The Young Girl

A girl in a plaid dress has been spotted:

• In the castle grounds
• She seems to be playing
• Disappears when approached
• Possibly the ghost of a child who fell from the cliffs

The Phantom Soldier

A soldier in Highland dress patrols the ruins:

• Possibly a Jacobite
• He appears to be on guard duty
• Walks the walls as if they were intact
• Ignores modern visitors

The Spectral Deer

Unusually, a ghostly deer has been reported:

• Seen running through the ruins
• Disappears over the cliff edge
• May be connected to hunting parties of the past
• An unexpected and beautiful apparition

Modern Activity

Dunnottar’s isolation has not deterred investigators:

• Photographs frequently capture anomalies
• Audio recordings in the Whigs’ Vault are disturbing
• Temperature variations are extreme
• EMF readings spike in the prison areas
• The castle is considered one of Scotland’s most haunted sites

Visiting

Dunnottar Castle is privately owned but open to visitors. The walk down to the castle and the climb to the ruins are strenuous but reward visitors with one of Scotland’s most atmospheric historic sites.

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Dunnottar Castle clings to its cliff like a shipwreck frozen in stone. The Covenanters who died in its vault, the Vikings who raided its walls, the guards who defended it—all remain, watching the endless North Sea.