Carlin Craigs

Island in Kincardineshire

Scotland

Carlin Craigs

Fields and houses at Muchalls Credit: Mike Pennington

Carlin Craigs is a picturesque island located off the coast of Kincardineshire, Scotland. It is a small and rocky island, measuring approximately 0.2 square miles in area. The island is known for its stunning natural beauty and is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and hikers.

Carlin Craigs is characterized by its dramatic cliffs, which rise up to 100 feet above sea level, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding coastline. The cliffs are home to a variety of seabirds, including puffins, gannets, and guillemots, making it a haven for birdwatchers.

The island is uninhabited, with no permanent residents or facilities. Visitors can only access the island by boat, and there are no landing facilities available. However, the nearby town of Stonehaven offers boat trips to Carlin Craigs, allowing visitors to experience the island's beauty up close.

In addition to its natural wonders, Carlin Craigs also has a rich cultural history. The island has ancient ruins, including the remains of a chapel, which dates back to the 12th century. These historical sites attract history enthusiasts and provide a glimpse into the island's past.

Overall, Carlin Craigs is a hidden gem in Kincardineshire, offering visitors a chance to explore a rugged and untouched natural landscape. With its stunning cliffs, diverse birdlife, and historical sites, it is a must-visit destination for those seeking a unique and immersive island experience.

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Carlin Craigs Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 57.014281/-2.1610323 or Grid Reference NO9091. 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

A92, Nether Mains of Muchalls

The A92 is a major highway that runs for 89 miles through Fife, Dundee, Angus, Aberdeenshire, and Aberdeen City in Scotland. From south to north, it runs from Dunfermline to Blackdog, just north of Aberdeen.

David Dixon

Northbound A92 at Muchalls

David Dixon

Houses at Newtonhill

Viewed from the A92.

David Dixon

Bridge over the A92 at Newtonhill

David Dixon

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

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Carlin Craigs is located at Grid Ref: NO9091 (Lat: 57.014281, Lng: -2.1610323)

Unitary Authority: Aberdeenshire

Police Authority: North East