Enjoy the peace and sadness of the Chapel of St Mary and St Nauchlan, with its eery, arched dead-house that offered protection from body-snatchers.  As you pick your way south along the cliff-top path, look out for the ruins of the ancient Castle of Cowie, now guarded by hawthorn trees bent to the North Sea gales

Children will love the beach with its assortment of pebbles and toe-catching waves. They will be entranced by rock pools and sand. And at those very rocks, life on Earth first breathed air. A little millipede Pneumodesmus nemani lay undisturbed for 420 million years before its recent record-breaking discovery.

Not so old, but much loved is the Art Deco delight, the Olympic-sized open air pool, 74- years-old in 2008. Easy relaxation abounds in this area of town with the leisure centre, promenade and recreation grounds.

And in the heart of the town with its elegant Market Square, you will find an array of shops, cafes, fine pubs and restaurants.  But that is the centre of the New Town of Stonehaven that dates to 1774. For many the soul of Stonehaven lies further south - across the Carron - in the Old Town.

Take the boardwalk to enjoy the sweep of the bay, or head down by to the High' Street, to reach the jewel that is Stone haven Harbour.

On a sunny day, harbour front pubs offer a buzzing outdoor atmosphere where parents relax as children potter on the sands.  In the brooding months of winter, the might of nature sends waves soaring above the breakwater - a reminder of the harsh environment faced by the fishermen who populated the old town.

The Tolbooth museum provides an insight into the rise and fall of the fishing industry, and tells the history of the ancient capital of Kincardineshire - from prehistoric days to the present.

Two more miles of cliff-top paths will take you past the imposing War Memorial atop the Black Hill. Used in more modern times as a look out point for shipping, it was here in 1651 that Cromwellian troops lay siege to Dunnottar Castle.

And just four fifths of a mile distant as the crow flies stands that magnificent fortress, which has played a vital role in Scotland. It has been a fortified and holy place for centuries, was sacked by William Wallace, became a refuge for Scotland. marauding Roundheads, and took a tragic part in the story of the Covenanters. Visit it once, and it will haunt you forever. So why not discover Stonehaven, a town with a natural beauty, a place in history and a sense of fun.