Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
A skeleton on display contemplating its own mortality.
Kid Mai Death Awareness Cafe
This classic London pub has a surprising history behind it.
John Snow
The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.
The Guinea
Welcome to one of the only floating pubs in the world.
Tamesis Dock
This may be the oldest pie in the world.
St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
11 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
14 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
21 days ago
“There may be a collective sense of a dark loneliness,” Dahl says, referring to Norway’s natural landscape.
In Norway, Easter Means Tucking Into Crime Stories
21 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Portsoy Findlater Castle

Findlater Castle

These ruins are a hidden gem, complete with fantastic views over the cliff edge.

Portsoy, Scotland

Added By
Nicole Galbraith
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Beautiful!   nicolegalbraithx / Atlas Obscura User
Beautiful!   nicolegalbraithx / Atlas Obscura User
Inside the main structure, opens to cliff side- Be Careful!  
  conlyn55 / Atlas Obscura User
  conlyn55 / Atlas Obscura User
  conlyn55 / Atlas Obscura User
Side view from the top of the hill and part of the trail to get to the castle   atozenith / Atlas Obscura User
The treacherous route out to the castle   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Yes, that is a drop to the floor below!   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
View East along the coast from Findlater Castle ruins   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

Findlater Castle dates back to the 13th century. The beautiful ruins are built into the cliff edge on a small peninsula, some 50 feet or so above the water and rocky beach below, offering spectacular views of the surrounding Scottish landscape.

The name of the castle is believed to come from the Gaelic fionn leitir, which means "white cliff" referring to the quartz in the rock. The structure that remains today dates from a 14th century reconstruction after the castle had been taken over by Viking invaders. The dovecot nearby has been dated to the 16th or 17th centuries.

Related Tags

Castles Ruins

Know Before You Go

It's located two miles from Cullen and has brown tourist attraction signs leading to the car park. The address will take you to a small car park by a farm. Walk behind farm and down the track by the beehive dovecot. At the end of the track you will see the castle over the edge. A trip down to the castle is definitely worth it as the best views aren't seen from the top view point. Be careful as path is steep and cliff edge exposed at some parts.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Scotland: Beyond the Haggis

Smoked seafood, single malt whisky, and warm hospitality.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

nicolegalbraithx

Edited By

atozenith, conlyn55, Igdaloff2, katielou106...

  • atozenith
  • conlyn55
  • Igdaloff2
  • katielou106
  • mrsgevy
  • kimfawkner

Published

April 3, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Findlater Castle
Findlater Castle
Barnyard of Findlater
Portsoy, Scotland, AB45 2UD
United Kingdom
57.692451, -2.77036
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Bow Fiddle Rock

Portknockie, Scotland

miles away

Boyne Castle

Aberdeenshire, Scotland

miles away

Dandy Lion

Elgin, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 734
Stories 49

Nearby Places

Bow Fiddle Rock

Portknockie, Scotland

miles away

Boyne Castle

Aberdeenshire, Scotland

miles away

Dandy Lion

Elgin, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 734
Stories 49

Related Places

  • Tharandt, Germany

    Tharandt Castle Ruin

    Near Dresden, a scenic medieval castle ruin offers atmospheric views, educational ties to forestry, and a glimpse into Saxony’s past.

  • Castle Mound.

    Cambridge, England

    Castle Mound

    This hill is all that remains of Cambridge’s former castle.

  • Lisnagrave, Ireland

    Dunlough Castle

    The eerie remains of one of Ireland's oldest castles, said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who brings ill fate.

  • Crawford Castle

    Crawford, Scotland

    Crawford Castle

    These crumbling ruins are all that's left of the ancestral home of Clan Crawford.

  • Besiekiery, Poland

    Besiekiery Castle Ruins

    These beautiful castle ruins are nestled in the Polish countryside.

  • Red-stone castle ruins sit atop a green hill

    Allinge, Denmark

    Hammershus Castle Ruins

    Northern Europe’s largest castle ruins sit precariously on an island cliffside.

  • Parts of the walls of Old Sarum Castle still stand.

    Salisbury, England

    Old Sarum Castle

    This modest relic, with rich history as a strategic fort through multiple eras.

  • Caisteal Maol

    Isle of Skye, Scotland

    Caisteal Maol

    This ruined castle is said to be the legendary keep of a Viking princess.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.