Cullykhan

Cullykhan Fort stands on a sandstone cliff above Cullykhan Bay in Aberdeenshire. It lies between the fishing villages of Gardenstown and Pennan, where the narrow bay meets the North Sea. The headland is a wedge of red rock running west to east, its slopes falling steeply to the water on three sides. Archaeologists have found traces of occupation from about 1000 BC through to the 18th century. The natural harbour below made it a useful place for boats to anchor over many centuries. The site shows several building phases. First came a Bronze-Age promontory fort marked by a timber palisade. Around 400–500 years later a stone wall with wooden towers and a strong gate was built. This was replaced about 100 BC by a second stone fort slightly farther east, which was later burned down. In the last prehistoric period two deep ditches were cut across the headland. Later, in the 13th century, a Norman tower house called De Troup was erected on the point. It was abandoned by the 17th century, and in the 18th century a small fort named Fort Fiddes was added. Visitors walk up the grassy slope to the cliff edge and follow the old ramparts that once held the palisade. The remains of the stone walls and gate still stand in places, showing where the fort once defended the landward side. From the crest there are wide views along the Moray Firth and across to the hills of Banffshire. The pebble beach below is reached by a steep path cut into the rock. The headland is quiet now, but the wind still carries the sound of the sea against the sandstone cliffs.