Stonehaven Harbour
Growing from an Iron Age settlement, the coastal town of Stonehaven (Cala na Creige in Gaelic) was once part of Kincardineshire, but now falls within Aberdeenshire. Every Hogmanay Stonehaven hosts the annual fireballs ceremony, where locals swing huge balls of fire on chains, and eventually throw these into the harbour.
On the outskirts of Stonehaven lies Dunnottar Castle, Fetteresso Castle and Muchalls Castle, and Stonehaven falls on the medieval coastal route from Scotland's central belt in the south, to Aberdeen. Stonehaven has today grown to include the historic fishing village of Cowie, with the ruins of Cowie Castle beyond. Slightly to the west of Stonehaven is the ruined Ury House.
Photograph by Michael Stephens
