Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve

Nature walkers and bird watchers will love the Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve, just a stone’s throw south of Stonehaven. This reserve is home to various birds, seals, dolphins, and so much more! We’ll be covering everything you need to know about the Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve, from the top things to do, accommodation options nearby, and events to look out for!

About the Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve

The stunning Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve spans about 3 kilometres along the Scottish coastline, presenting a backdrop of cliff faces, nature routes, and beautiful views of the North Sea. If you’re visiting Stonehaven, this nature reserve is a mere 10-minute drive from the town and can easily fit into a day of sightseeing.

The RSPB Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve has a free-of-charge car park, but parking has limited spaces, allowing up to 12 cars. If the car park is full, please may a point to visit the site another time or different day instead. Parking on the verges near the car park blocks access for the local residents and emergency vehicles. Your nearest toilet facilities are in Stonehaven, about 5 kilometres away.

Things to do at the Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve

If you plan to visit the spectacular seabird city that is RSPB Scotland Fowlsheugh, check out our top things to do while seeing this natural attraction in Scotland.

See the birds of Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve

The term seabird city is not for nothing, as Fowlsheugh is home to over 130,000 seabirds during the height of Spring and Summer months – the birds’ breeding season. Bird watchers can enjoy seeing amazing Scottish bird species like razorbills, kittiwakes, guillemots, and puffins!

During the busy Spring and Summer seasons, you can even take a guided tour that will allow visitors to understand how the breeding season of these birds works, point out the unique bird species, and plenty more that you wouldn’t know if you went unguided.

Go on a nature walk

One of the top things to do at Fowlsheugh is to go on a nature walk. Fowlsheugh’s trails are open to the public, in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, but if you are planning to visit Fowlsheugh, then we recommend you practise responsible access when navigating the trails of the reserve.

That being said, the spectacular cliffs and incredible views make for a great walk during the sunny Spring and Summer months, although Autumn and Winter also provide a fantastic experience of the Scottish East Coast.

Hop on a boat trip

From Stonehaven, you can set out and enjoy a boat trip and see the cliff faces of Fowlsheugh up close and personal! Sometimes you can’t get a better view from the water, and the many options for boat trips from Stonehaven are always happy to take guests out onto the water and show off Scottish marine wildlife!

Keep your eye out for dolphins, grey seals, Minke whales, and others as you skip across the waves. Some trips even take you past the towering Fowlsheugh Cliffs, some stretching 30 metres tall! You can see the nests and seabirds during the breeding seasons from a new perspective when you’re offshore, so we highly recommend adding it to your to-do list.

Take a picture at the Fowlsheugh Viewing Point

The Fowlsheugh Cliffs View Point is the most popular spot to see the stunning Scottish Coast and its birdlife. Not only are you treated to a great view of the surrounding landscape from the cliff face, but you can also see out into the North Sea and the rolling waves with even more wildlife.

And it’s the perfect spot to take a quick picture to remember your visit! Create memories with your friends and families that you won’t soon forget.

Events

This beautiful nature reserve has more than its fair share of events that visitors can take part in. Foremost are the volunteering opportunities at Fowsleheugh, where budding nature conservationists can take time to help with the vital conservation work that the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds does.

There are also scuba diving events and opportunities, as well as chances to walk and run the Aberdeen Coastal Trail that weaves its way through the reserve.

Accommodation

The nearby Stonehaven is an idyllic town with plenty of fantastic accommodation options – we’ve written all about it! Whether you’re looking for homely self-catering options that allow you to connect to the wildlife around Scotland or a hotel with all the amenities, Stonehaven and smaller towns like Inverbervie and Newtonhill are our top choices.