Monday, March 05, 2007

Dunnottar Castle

This weekend I went on another castle exploration, this time to Dunnottar Castle. It is a phenomenal ruin, less than half an hour south of Aberdeen, right on the cliffs in one of the most picturesque locations I've seen yet.




One of the coolest things about this castle for me is that I have a somewhat personal connection with it. I found out last week that two of my closest friends in college, Bill and Ginny Keith (brother and sister) are from Scotland, and that their family used to live in Dunnottar Castle. Sure enough, in the last room of the castle, the information guides mentioned their family. It was intriguing to actually know people related to those who used to live there!


My flatmate Judie and I drove down around 3:00 on Saturday - the weather was absolutely gorgeous, and actually kind of warm until we got onto the cliffs and the wind hit us. To get to the castle you have to walk down the cliffs via a very lengthy wooden staircase, then back up the cliffs on winding stone stairs that were slick with all the rain and moisture we've had lately.

Once in the castle, we walked around all the rooms, exploring various nooks and crannies and guessing what the different rooms were used for (there was no guide book or information until we got to the last room of the castle, unfortunately). Most of the rooms were just ruins, with dirt/mud floors, no ceiling, and puddles of water blocking the doorways (which Judie and I did not allow to keep us from entering). The old dining room, however, still has its ornate ceiling and fireplace.

We had a great time wandering around, playing and climbing on the castle ruins, looking through the open windows, and just enjoying being outdoors in the lovely weather and in such a unique setting. And of course taking pictures...




The castle closes at sunset, so we left around 5:30. By the time we got back up to the car we were greeted with the beginnings of a beautiful sunset, with the moon rising in the distance. Overall, it was a fantastic trip to the most intriguing castle I've visited so far.



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I look forward to Monday now that I am seeing Scotland through such wonderful eyes. You two look like you were having a fantasic day. Thank you for sharing. I just can't get over your pics, they are breath taking. Love you,

Bartley Family said...

LOVE THE PICS!!! Keep them coming. I wish I could see it all in person but this is second best. I saw that you were singing in choir - be sure to let us know what your favorites turn out to be. Sounds like all is well. We miss you here but glad you are enjoying your time there. Talk soon.

dashadra said...

Wow, those pictures are wonderful!! I am so glad that you have an exploring buddy. Looks like y'all had a great time!

Point of Grace said...

How fabulous of a day did you have gal??!! Your photo diary makes me anxious for the day we can travel to Europe. So awesome that you are having such a grand time. Keep those pics coming! That sunset was stunning!

Blessings!

Anonymous said...

Your pictures are fabulous! You have such an eye for photography.I would love to have copies of them, but you can wait until you're back here. Even when I expanded them on my computer, the detail was perfectly clear. I'm glad you were able to go last weekend.