Waterside campsites near Stonehaven with campfires
The thriving harbour town of Stonehaven has plenty for history buffs and outdoor adventurers alike.
- Stonehaven
Popular camping styles for Stonehaven
Waterside campsites near Stonehaven with campfires guide
Overview
Lying along the Aberdeenshire coast, Stonehaven is a pretty town with a bustling working harbour. Most travellers making the trip here are headed for the dramatic ruins of Dunnottar Castle, perched on high cliffs two miles south of town. In Stonehaven itself, by the quayside, the Stonehaven Tolbooth Museum is a former courthouse and jail with a fascinating history. Bring your swimming gear for a dip in the huge art deco-style Stonehaven Open Air Pool, Britain’s northernmost lido, and make time for a trip to the nearby RSPB Fowlsheugh reserve, where the cliffs are packed with 130,000 breeding seabirds in the spring and summer.
Where to go
Around Stonehaven
Staying in town puts you within easy reach of Stonehaven’s attractions, as well the surrounding area. From the town centre, you can walk along the coast to Dunnottar Castle and follow walking and biking paths into the countryside. By the seaside, next to the swimming pool, Stonehaven Club Site has pitches for caravans and motorhomes.
Catterline
A 10-minute drive south of Stonehaven, Catterline is a picturesque historic fishing village that is close to the seabird colony at RSPB Fowlsheugh reserve, where you can see huge numbers of puffins, fulmars, razorbills and more. On the edge of the village, Cloak Caravan Park is a quiet site overlooking the coastline. The site has grass and hardstanding pitches for tents and campervans.
Royal Deeside
With its moody mountains, towering crags, rivers, moors and forests, the romantic landscapes of Royal Deeside captured the imagination of Queen Victoria and many visitors since. The area is an excellent setting for outdoor activities such as walking, biking, whisky tasting and wildlife watching. In the southern valley of the River Dee, Deeside Holiday Park offers a tranquil retreat, with pitches for tents and tourers, as well as a handful of camping pods and lodges with hot tubs.
When to go
For wildlife spotting (particularly seabirds in the cliffs); long daylight hours, sunshine and landscapes covered in colourful wildflowers, visiting in spring or summer is best. The winter, however, has its own appeal. There’s always a chance of seeing the northern lights and, on New Year’s Eve, the Stonehaven Fireball Ceremony has to be seen to be believed. The traditional event sees locals swinging blazing balls of fire above their heads in order to ward off evil spirits.
Know before you go
- Wild camping is permitted throughout Scotland, as long as you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
- Stonehaven train station has direct links to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and even as far as England and Wales. Local buses can get you around most nearby places of interest.
- Stonehaven has several small supermarkets. For major purchases, head for Aberdeen, a 30-minute drive north.
