North Broad Craig

Island in Kincardineshire

Scotland

North Broad Craig

Depot of oil drilling pipes Credit: Alex McGregor

North Broad Craig is a small island located off the east coast of Scotland in Kincardineshire. It is situated in the North Sea, approximately 6 miles east of Stonehaven. The island is part of a group of islands known as the Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve, which is renowned for its rich birdlife and stunning coastal scenery.

North Broad Craig covers an area of approximately 5 acres and is predominantly composed of rugged cliffs and rocky terrain. The island is uninhabited, with no permanent residents or infrastructure. Its isolation and untouched natural beauty make it a popular destination for birdwatchers, nature enthusiasts, and photographers.

The island is home to a diverse range of seabirds, including guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, and puffins. During the breeding season, thousands of birds flock to the cliffs to nest, creating a mesmerizing spectacle of sights and sounds. The island's steep cliffs provide excellent nesting sites and protection from predators.

Access to North Broad Craig is limited and can only be reached by boat. Visitors can take boat tours from nearby Stonehaven or arrange private charters to explore the island and observe the abundant birdlife. It is important for visitors to respect the fragile ecosystem of the island and adhere to wildlife conservation guidelines.

Overall, North Broad Craig offers a unique opportunity to experience the untouched beauty of Scotland's coastline and witness the remarkable birdlife that thrives in this remote island habitat.

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North Broad Craig Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 57.11819/-2.0555997 or Grid Reference NJ9603. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Depot of oil drilling pipes

Alex McGregor

Tullos Primary School

The classroom blinds add a nice bit of colour to this iconic 1930s art deco building, but the rusting metal and crumbling mortar are concerning... B-listed: Link

Bill Harrison

Path...

...through Greenbank industrial estate. The fly tipping and rotting rubbish absolutely everywhere make it look like a third-world slum. In the background rather 'boxy' 1960s houses on the steep hillside of Balnagask and behind them, Victorian villas in Torry.

Bill Harrison

Beech grove...

...on the hillside above Greenbank industrial estate.

Bill Harrison

Baron's Cairn...

...at the top of Tullos Hill: Link

. Girdleness Lighthouse is just visible in the distance.

Bill Harrison

Amec Foster Wheeler office block

An energy consultancy: Link

Bill Harrison

Oil company office, Altens industrial estate

Bill Harrison

Wood Group offices, Altens industrial estate

Bill Harrison

St Fittick's Church, Aberdeen

The church was consecrated in 1242 and the ruins we see today probably contain elements of that earlier church as well as evidence of later 17th and 18th century rebuilding. None of the gravestones are earlier than the 17th century. St Fittick's Church was last used in 1829.

G Laird

Road Bridge at Rare Breeds Farm

The bridge carries a minor road across the railway between Aberdeen and Stonehaven railway stations. Someone seems to believe this is a peace bridge!

G Laird

Aberdeen lifeboats

The RNLB 'BP Forties' 54-05, a 54ft Arun Class lifeboat, with the previous lifeboat, RNLB 'Ramsey – Dyce', a 52ft Barnett Class lifeboat behind. This was the day of the inauguration of the new boat in 1976. The Category A listed Girdleness Lighthouse, dating from 1833 is in the distance.

Richard Sutcliffe

Railway Bridge

The main railway line south from Aberdeen runs between the cliffs and the expanding suburbs south of Aberdeen. I was a little concerned that if the weather deteriorated, or I became tired or injured, I would have difficulty getting across the railway. In the event there are numerous bridges like this one all the way up the coast, and most of them are signposted as part of the path network.

Anne Burgess

Stones and Mud

Presumably the stones have been cleared from the field and dumped here. The mud can be accounted for by a combination of cattle trampling and bad weather. In the distance are Burnbanks Village, a fairly new housing development, and the adjacent railway bridge.

Anne Burgess

Black Cove

The map says 'Caves' here, and at least one is visible from the clifftop path. In the background is part of the village of Cove Bay.

Anne Burgess

Bun Stane

The old map suggests that the Bun Stane is the one to the right of the inlet. The inlet is named Bunstane Cove and, not surprisingly, is the collapsed outer part of a cave that extends some distance back from the head of the inlet.

Anne Burgess

Unnamed Inlet

The narrow inlet on the south side of Souter Head is not named on the maps. It is at a curious angle, being parallel to the coast rather than in the more usual angle to the coast.

Anne Burgess

Souter Head

A patch of reeds on the slope down to a pool in the headland show that the ground here is very wet.

Anne Burgess

Burnbanks Haven

This is one of very few places along this coast where it is possible both to beach a boat and to get up the cliff. It is, however, very exposed to the east so wouldn't provide much shelter in an easterly. There is a slipway of sorts, with a system of wires for hauling boats out of the water. See NJ9602 : A Contraption

Anne Burgess

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North Broad Craig is located at Grid Ref: NJ9603 (Lat: 57.11819, Lng: -2.0555997)

Unitary Authority: City of Aberdeen

Police Authority: North East