Over 100,000 birds nest in the Fowlsheugh nature reserve in the 30 metre high cliffs on the North Sea. There are also puffins here.
In the centre-east of Scotland, between Montrose and Aberdeen, a rugged landscape stretches along the North Sea coast. These provide shelter for countless seabirds. And these animals can be observed on a short cliff walk.
More than 115,000 birds are said to nest here in summer. The steep cliffs with their many ledges and small caves offer the animals optimal protection.
From May to August, guillemots, razorbills and puffins cavort on the rocky walls.
Visitors to the nature reserve start from the road and follow the paths along the cliffs. Caution: there is no safety equipment here. You should wear sturdy shoes here.
Even without the birds, the cliff landscape is worth seeing. A walk here is always worthwhile, the path stretches for around one and a half kilometres along the coast.
If you want to see the cute puffins in particular, you should bring binoculars or a strong lens. They are not as close here as they are on the Isle of May or Mingulay. But they can be spotted with a little patience.
Tip: It’s best not to come here at the weekend. Many locals also come here at the weekend. This is an advantage because they will often show you the puffins. However, there are only twelve parking spaces in the nature reserve. At the weekend, they are quickly gone.
On the way back, there is a beautiful view of the lighthouse.
Fowlsheugh is one of the lesser-known nature reserves among tourists. But it can be perfectly combined with a visit to Dunnottar Castle. And it shows the wild side of Scotland’s North Sea coast.
By the way: there is also a waterfall here, the Crawton Waterfall. However, we didn’t visit it.
How to get there
With satnav: Entering “AB39 2TP” will take you to Crawton.
Without sat nav: On the A92 coast road, the turn-off to Crawton is around five kilometres south of Stonehaven with a signpost. At the end of the singletrack road, there are twelve marked car parks on the side. If they are full, please do not park on the road.