Caves, Cliffs and Kittiwakes

• Distance: 15.5 km

After the long drive up to Stonehaven (back again!), Kirstie and I launched just after high tide on one of the biggest spring tides of the year and headed south towards Dunnottar Castle.

Beyond the castle, the cliffs at Fowlsheugh were alive with kittiwakes. Apparently more than 170,000 birds nest here, and we saw plenty of fluffy chicks among the crowds. Sadly we did see quite a lot of dead birds too.

The caves and tunnels are fantastic for exploring. Wine Cove was a highlight, with a little waterfall trickling down from high above and landing right in the middle of the cove. I couldn’t resist paddling underneath it, while a couple of seals watched us inquisitively.

Further along, we found Trough Cove, where a 315m-long tunnel connects three caves in a huge loop, apparently the longest known sea cave on mainland Britain. We also squeezed through Henry’s Scorth, a much narrower tunnel at Fowlsheugh, just wide enough for a sea kayak. It was pitch black inside, and a seal splashing around in the darkness gave me a fright.

Kirstie held out her hand and a baby kittiwake climbed straight onto it! She eventually moved it onto her kayak, where it happily sat for a while.

On the way back, the tide was with us and we made fast progress, chasing the last of the light. A porpoise swam past and gannets glinted offshore, while the clouds turned deep orange as we paddled back past Dunnottar Castle and into the harbour.