Castle Rock of Muchalls

Island in Kincardineshire

Scotland

Castle Rock of Muchalls

Fields and houses at Muchalls Credit: Mike Pennington

Castle Rock of Muchalls is a prominent rock formation located in the coastal village of Muchalls, Kincardineshire, Scotland. Rising dramatically from the surrounding landscape, it is situated on the east coast of Scotland, overlooking the North Sea. The rock formation is known for its historical and architectural significance.

The Castle Rock of Muchalls is home to Muchalls Castle, a 17th-century Scottish baronial castle. This imposing structure was built in the early 17th century and is a fine example of Scottish Renaissance architecture. The castle features a distinctive pink hue, which adds to its charm and uniqueness.

The castle is built on a rocky outcrop, providing strategic views of the surrounding area and serving as a defensive stronghold in the past. Its location on the coast offers breathtaking vistas of the North Sea and the rugged Scottish coastline.

Visitors to Castle Rock of Muchalls can explore the castle's interior, which boasts well-preserved original features such as intricate ceilings, ornate plasterwork, and a beautiful painted gallery. The castle also houses a collection of antique furniture, artwork, and historical artifacts, providing a glimpse into the past.

Surrounding the castle, the rock formation offers a picturesque setting for leisurely walks and exploration. The area is known for its stunning cliffs, sea stacks, and caves, which attract nature enthusiasts and photographers alike.

Castle Rock of Muchalls, with its historic castle and stunning natural beauty, is a popular destination for visitors seeking a glimpse into Scotland's rich history and picturesque landscapes.

Show me another place!

If you have any feedback on the listing, please let us know in the comments section below.

Castle Rock of Muchalls Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 57.006359/-2.1666945 or Grid Reference NO8990. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Fields and houses at Muchalls

Mike Pennington

Rocks at Grim Haven

Tim Glover

Cliff girt coast at Muchalls

Alan Reid

View from Doonies Point

In the foreground are some of the flat-lying rocks north of a zone of intense deformation known as the Steep Belt. Compare this with NO9090 : Folded Rock.

Anne Burgess

Cliffs at Muchalls

A rather misty view north from Doonies Point, where another step, to get into the square, would have sent me hurtling down the cliff!

Anne Burgess

Doonie Point

A geo, possibly a collapsed cave, at Doonies Point. Notice that the rock strata are still lying more or less horizontal here.

Anne Burgess

Folded Rock

Compare this with NO9090 : Doonie Point, just a few tens of metres away, and note that these strata have been dramatically folded so that some of them are now vertical.

Anne Burgess

Tank Traps?

These really puzzled us. On several narrow cols between the main cliffs and outlying blocks there are clusters of three concrete blocks exactly like tank traps. We couldn't image how a tank could possibly manage to get up the steep narrow paths to one of these cols, so why the need for the concrete block?

Anne Burgess

Doonies Point

A 'panoramic' view of the cliffs at Doonies Point.

Anne Burgess

Douniefell with west entrance to Ship Hole

This is a nearly stack/island which is part of the intertidal area below Seacliff, Muchalls. The entry to Ship Hole - shown as a subterranean passage on the 1902 version of the 25 in/mile OS - about central, but in shadow. The top of Douniefell is a Canmore site 37225 'enclosure', undated so far. NO9091 : Coastline from Doonies Point north to Grim Brigs and NO9091 : Headland erosion at Muchalls show it from the south. It is a bit easier to spot in the latter, in which its shadow on the cliff to the east (this camera location) makes it easier to pick out. See also the oblique aerial view from the north on Canmore.

Nigel Feilden

Looking through Ship Hole

This tunnel runs under Douniefell - see NO9091 : Douniefell with west entrance to Ship Hole - and is 33m long. According to the OS namebook, a ship was wrecked at the sea end of this, some time before it was published ca 1870.

Nigel Feilden

North entrance to cave on Grum Briggs

This looks like two caves, but is technically one because the dividing wall is under the overhanging cliff by 4m - they are joined under that overhang. The chamber on the right goes in 23m. The passage on the left reaches open air after only 16m. The passage is shown on old maps, but not the chamber beside it.

Nigel Feilden

South entrance to a cave on Grum Briggs

See NO9091 : North entrance to cave on Grum Briggs for the north end. As far as I know, this cannot be seen from the beach south of here because of rocky stacks - themselves not scaleable except with climbing equipment. It would be easily visible from the sea inlet behind the camera. The passage is 16m long.

Nigel Feilden

A rock-scape from Grum Briggs

This was taken from just inside the south end of a passage running through Grum Briggs, fairly near its eastern end. The rock face just off centre and in shadow is the north side of an un-named stack which is just north of Douniefell. There are more than 20m of sea separating Grum Briggs from this stack and you may just be able to make out a bit of sea to the left of a black boulder, and the barnacle belt above it.

Nigel Feilden

Arch at the end of an inlet at Grum Briggs

The Ordnance Survey Namebook entry for Grum Briggs is: "A rocky peninsula situated on the south side of Grum Haven. The sea has formed a large passage through the cliff at the narrow rock joining the peninsula with the main land." Kincardineshire, Fetteresso, p85 The image shows that "large passage" or arch at the end of the inlet. It may help to zoom the image because beyond the pebble beach is a pile of grassed over debris which makes it bit tricky to make out the outline. Just to the left is sunlight coming through another arch just on this side of the first arch.

Nigel Feilden

Ophelia's waterfall

The burn of Muchalls flows from the Mill of Muchalls into a short gorge, then into Ophelia's pool. This is named so because it was used as a film location for a production of Hamlet. This is the overflow from Ophelia's pool. It is hard to see from anywhere else. The channel into which it flows is tidal.

Nigel Feilden