![Findon to Portlethen Looking from the cliff top moorland landscape of Findon Ness down the coast towards Portlethen. The Survival Craft Inspectorate [1] can be seen centre right of this photograph.](https://prod-images.planyourroadtrips.com/img/city-images/portlethen-gb-570694--21325/1-Findon_to_Portlethen_-_geograph.org.uk_-_955123.jpg?w=1080&q=80&f=webp)
castle
Dunnottar Castle
A ruined medieval fortress on a dramatic rocky headland on the northeastern coast of Scotland.
14 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomScotland
Portlethen
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
About Portlethen
Portlethen is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Newtonhill, 14km from Dunnottar Castle.
Portlethen is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 8,200 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Newtonhill, about 4 km away.
Portlethen (; Scottish Gaelic: Port Leathain) is a town located approximately 7 miles south of Aberdeen, Scotland, along the A92. The population according to the 2022 census was 8,969, making it the seventh most populous settlement within Aberdeenshire.
To the east of Portlethen lie three fishing villages: Findon,Read more
Downies and Portlethen Village (now often referred to as Old Portlethen).
Where to Stay in Portlethen
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Portlethen?
Within an hour or so of Portlethen: Dunnottar Castle (14 km), Dunnottar Castle (inspiration for Brave) (14 km), Craigievar Castle (37 km), Grampian Transport Museum (39 km).
Are there any good drives near Portlethen?
The nearest famous roads are The Lecht (A939 Old Military Road), The Lecht Road (A939) and Cairnwell Pass.
Where is Portlethen?
Portlethen is in Scotland, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Newtonhill.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 8,200
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Scotland
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 57.0694, -2.1325
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 Portlethen
5 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.
14 km · about 25 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.
37 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.
39 km · about 45 min drive
ancient ruins
Slains Castle
A gaunt roofless clifftop ruin near Cruden Bay, said to have helped inspire Bram Stoker's Dracula. Unfenced drops — take care.
42 km · about 50 min drive
Driving roads near Portlethen
3 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.
- 68 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.
- 69 kmThe Lecht Road (A939)The Cockbridge to Tomintoul road, Britain's most reliably snowbound route, a rollercoaster over the Cairngorms' eastern edge.
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.
Nearby Destinations
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