Almost 3 miles of cliffs, rocky shore and sandy bays add the final touch to Culzean’s diverse surroundings. The views across the Firth of Clyde to Arran, Kintyre and Ailsa Craig from the cliff walk create the perfect photo opportunity. Paths lead down to the rocky lava platform where rockpools abound and endless hours can be spent on Culzean beach. Search for ghost prawns, sea urchins and starfish, or semi-precious stones including agate, jasper and even amethyst. North of the castle the terrain changes to warmer old red sandstone and sandy bays.
On the north side of the castle promontory is the gas house, fuelled at one time by coal brought in by boat. The harbour nestles on the south side with its wooden and tin boathouse. Directly beneath the castle, and accessible from the beach, are a series of very large caves, which are a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and part of a volcanic cliff formation that’s 350 million years old. There’s evidence that people lived in these caves from Neolithic times, making them a very special part of Culzean’s coast.
