Dunnottar Castle Dunnottar Castle

This magnificent Scottish castle, once chosen by Microsoft as a screen background, has a bloody past with a list of characters including St Ninian, Mary Queen of Scots and William Wallace. It is a compelling place to visit on the Aberdeenshire Coast near Stonehaven.

As well as a rich historical past, the castle provided inspiration for the Disney Pixar movie Brave. Alongside Eilean Donan, the castle inspired the landscapes and architectures shown in the film. It's easy to see how the two castles influenced the film with the green backdrop and rolling landscape forming the setting to the family friendly movie.