castle
Dunnottar Castle
A ruined medieval fortress on a dramatic rocky headland on the northeastern coast of Scotland.
21 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomScotland
Laurencekirk
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
About Laurencekirk
Laurencekirk is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Saint Cyrus, 21km from Dunnottar Castle.
Laurencekirk is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 2,900 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Saint Cyrus, about 7 km away.
Laurencekirk (, Scots: Lowrenkirk, Scottish Gaelic: Eaglais Labhrainn), locally known as Lournie or simply 'The Kirk', is a small town in the historic county of Kincardineshire, Scotland, just off the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen main road. It is administered as part of Aberdeenshire. It is the largest settlement in theRead more
Howe o' the Mearns area and houses the local secondary school; Mearns Academy, which was established in 1895 and awarded the Charter Mark in 2003.
Its old name was Conveth, an anglification of the Gaelic Coinmheadh, referring to an obligation to provide free food and board to passing troops. Laurencekirk is in the Howe of the Mearns, a wide valley between the Hill of Garvock and the Cairn O' Mount. The famous landmark of the Johnston Tower can be seen on the peak of the Garvock.
Laurencekirk was, in the past, known for making snuff boxes with a special type of airtight hinge (known as a "Laurencekirk hinge") invented by James Sandy.
The Laurencekirk Golf Club, now defunct, was founded in the early 1900s but by 1951 it had been wound up.
Where to Stay in Laurencekirk
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Laurencekirk?
Within an hour or so of Laurencekirk: Dunnottar Castle (21 km), Dunnottar Castle (inspiration for Brave) (21 km), Glamis Castle (40 km), Craigievar Castle (41 km).
Are there any good drives near Laurencekirk?
The nearest famous roads are Cairnwell Pass, The Lecht (A939 Old Military Road) and The Lecht Road (A939).
Where is Laurencekirk?
Laurencekirk is in Scotland, United Kingdom, about 7 km from Saint Cyrus.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 2,920
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Scotland
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 56.8334, -2.4654
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Laurencekirk
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
film location
Dunnottar Castle (inspiration for Brave)
The clifftop ruin near Stonehaven was a visual inspiration for Pixar's Brave and features in Zeffirelli's Hamlet.
21 km · about 25 min drive
castle
Glamis Castle
The childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, steeped in legend and set in the scenic Angus region of Scotland.
40 km · about 45 min drive
castle
Craigievar Castle
A pink harled tower house in Aberdeenshire, its top-heavy turrets often cited as an inspiration for fairytale castle design.
41 km · about 45 min drive
museum
Grampian Transport Museum
Acclaimed motoring museum in Alford, Aberdeenshire, with everything from steam locomotives to supercars, plus its own outdoor test track used for summer motoring events.
47 km · about 55 min drive
castle
Balmoral Castle
A large estate in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, serving as one of the residences of the British royal family since 1852.
52 km · about 60 min drive
museum
V&A Dundee
Scotland's first design museum in a striking Kengo Kuma waterfront building, celebrating the country's rich design heritage.
52 km · about 60 min drive
mountain pass
Cairnwell Pass
The highest main road in Britain at 670m, where the A93 crosses the Grampians at Glenshee between Braemar and the ski centre. The famously steep Devil's Elbow hairpins lie just below the summit.
58 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Laurencekirk
- 58 kmCairnwell PassThe highest main road in Britain at 670m, where the A93 crosses the Grampians at Glenshee between Braemar and the ski centre. The famously steep Devil's Elbow hairpins lie just below the summit.
- 58 kmCairnwell Pass (A93, Glenshee)The highest public road in Britain at 670m, climbing the Devil's Elbow route through Glenshee to Braemar.
- 62 kmThe Lecht (A939 Old Military Road)Notorious high crossing of the eastern Cairngorms on the 18th-century military road between Cockbridge and Tomintoul, climbing to 637m with roller-coaster gradients: often the first UK road closed by snow.
- 63 kmThe Lecht Road (A939)The Cockbridge to Tomintoul road, Britain's most reliably snowbound route, a rollercoaster over the Cairngorms' eastern edge.
- 79 kmCairngorm Mountain FunicularA funicular railway climbing high into the Cairngorms near Aviemore for panoramic alpine views and winter snowsports.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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