Our audio tour of Stonehaven ‘Robert Burns, the BBC and Mars Bars’ is now available on VoiceMap, an audio walking tour app. The app is available for download from iTunes and Google Play, but you can also listen to the tour via VoiceMap’s website.

Tour Description

Stonehaven is not just a pretty little seaside town. Thanks to its fireball festival and its proximity to one of Scotland's most iconic castles, photos of Stonehaven have been beamed all over the world. Our tour tells you the stories behind these images - and if that wasn't enough we have tales of mutiny, the Titanic and the Scottish Crown Jewels.

You'll find out about the very special connections the BBC, Robert Burns and the capital of Australia all have to Stonehaven. And en route, you will get a chance to sample the traditional Stonehaven delicacy - a deep-fried Mars Bar.

This tour is perfect if you are on your way to Dunnottar Castle and want to see something of the town first. If you are staying in Stonehaven it is great way to get your bearings and see some of the hidden nooks, carvings and art you would otherwise have missed.

The Nitty Gritty

This audio tour takes you on a 4 km walk around Stonehaven and up to the nearby War Memorial. It takes around 80 minutes without stopping but you can pause the tour whenever you choose. The audio plays automatically at exactly the right time and place using your smart phone's GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, which also works offline.

COST OF TOUR

$6.99

MAJOR LANDMARKS

Carron Tea Rooms, Stonehaven Harbour, Tolbooth Museum, Andy Scott's Dolphin Statue, Stonehaven War Memorial

DIRECTIONS TO STARTING POINT

You want to start in the Market Square, next to the Market buildings. These are the buildings that are actually in the square itself. You should have these buildings on your left as you look into the square.

The Market Square is a minute's walk away from Stonehaven's bus station on Barclay Street and 14 minutes' walk from the train station.

TIPS

Places to stop along the way:

Giulianotti's sweet shop, Tolbooth Museum, Carron Fish Bar

Best time to walk:

We suggest that you start this tour in the morning. This means that if after the tour you want to continue from Black Hill along the coastal path to Dunnottar Castle, the castle should still be open and you can visit it (their opening hours vary depending on time of year).

If you want to try a deep fried mars bar, I'd suggest starting at around 11am so that you get to the Carron Fish Bar for their lunchtime opening hours.

Precautions:

Stonehaven is a very safe and welcoming town. The main thing to look out for are the drivers. Please take every care when crossing roads.

The last part of the tour takes you up to the War Memorial on Black Hill. Some of the path is uneven so we suggest you wear practical shoes.