A castle and a restaurant to write home about

When people think of Mel Gibson in Scotland, chances are Braveheart will come to mind. That 1995 movie saw Gibson star as William Wallace, a role still mimicked by tourists today (their yells of “Freedom!” conjure a range of responses from Scots).

But what’s lesser known, and lesser spoken about, is that five years before Gibson became Wallace, he was in Scotland for another flick. That was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, with Gibson as the eponymous anti-hero.

Though the movie was set in Denmark, Scotland provided many of the filming locations, especially here in Aberdeenshire on the north-east coast. Key scenes were shot at Dunnottar Castle, which ranks as one of the most dramatically located fortresses in Scotland — and that’s saying something in a country with an estimated 2000 castles in varying states of repair.

This one is more ruined than perfectly preserved, but the formidable setting, on a 50m-high rocky outcrop above the North Sea, makes it extra-special. “Once seen, never forgotten . . .” is its branding line.

We arrive on an autumnal afternoon, under glowering skies, when the castle has an added brooding menace. A flight of 180 steps leads down from the grass-topped cliffs (and carpark) onto a pebble-strewn beach, with 38 more steps bringing you up to the castle gate (and ticket kiosk).

You can roam around listening to a self-guided audio tour that reveals Dunnottar’s past and the famous figures who called in. Once settled by the ancient Pictish people (“Dun” is a Pictish word meaning “place of strength”) the outcrop became a place of worship under Saint Ninian, who converted the Picts to Christianity around AD400.

Scottish royals later occupied the site and one king, Donald II, was killed here by Viking raiders. In 1297, there was another murderous spree, led by none other than William Wallace, who wrestled Dunnottar back into Scottish hands after it had been seized by an English garrison.

It’s said that Wallace showed no mercy to his foes, setting fire to a chapel where the English soldiers had taken refuge, while other enemies were driven over the cliff edges.

A solid castle keep was later developed here under the Earls Marischal, Scottish noblemen (and prominent members of Clan Keith). They hosted important guests from time to time, notably Mary Queen of Scots, who stayed for two nights in 1564.

The castle was plundered the following century during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of conflicts between England, Scotland and Ireland, while in the early 1700s, after being involved in a failed uprising to overthrow King George I, the 10th Earl Marischal forfeited his title and estates, including Dunnottar Castle. The government sold it to a building company, which stripped out its fittings, floors, ceilings and furniture.

The castle was in a forlorn state when it was purchased by another aristocratic family, Lord and Lady Cowdray, after World War I. Extensive conservation works followed, but much of the castle remains an evocative shell, one that’s buffeted by the regularly changing weather here. Some hours it’s beautiful and calm. Others are windswept, tempestuous and suitably Shakespearean. The castle may be closed at short notice if it’s too stormy or if there’s excessive snow and ice.

Most days it’s an enticing outing from the city of Aberdeen, half an hour away by car, while you can walk here on the coastal trail from Stonehaven, a quaint harbour town 3km to the north. That’s where we head for a post-castle dinner.

We’ve booked into The Tolbooth, which is housed in the oldest building in town, formerly a courthouse and prison, overlooking the sandy beach-fringed harbour. Specialising in seasonal Scottish produce at fair prices, this is one of the best restaurants of our Aberdeenshire trip.

Starting with a traditional shellfish bisque scented with Armagnac and served with prawn and onion bhaji, I follow that up with a mains of coley fillet with haricot and pancetta cassoulet and a chicken butter sauce. I have just enough room for dessert — I reckon I earned that by climbing the hundred or so steps back up the cliffs from Dunnottar Castle — and the salted pecan cookie with rum fudge ice-cream is highly satisfying.

The Tolbooth is evidently popular as every other seat is already occupied by 7pm this Friday evening, so if you are in town before (or after) a castle visit, consider reserving a table for lunch or dinner.

+ Steve McKenna was a guest of Visit Scotland and Visit Britain. They have not influenced or read this story before publication.

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+ Admission to Dunnottar Castle is £11.50 ($23) for adults, £10.50 ($21) for concessions and £5 ($10) for children (aged 5-15). dunnottarcastle.co.uk

+ To book a table at The Tolbooth, Stonehaven, see thetolboothrestaurant.co.uk

+ To help plan a trip to Scotland and Britain, see visitscotland.com and visitbritain.com