Our pick of the best castles to visit that have reopened
For many of us, the biggest impact of last week’s lockdown relaxation has been the reopening of the hospitality sector, allowing us to properly catch up with friends and family once more. But while it’s great to be able to enjoy a cold pint in a (cold) beer garden, there are other significant aspects of Scottish culture that are also now accessible to us after many months of being shut down. Magnificent castles across the country have been able to open their doors again, with dozens of the country’s most significant historical sites welcoming visitors back. Here’s our pick of the best castles across Scotland that have now officially reopened.
STIRLING CASTLE, STIRLING Open every day, 9.30am-5pm Adults £14, Concession £11.20, Child £8.40
Tourists might flock to Edinburgh Castle but Stirling Castle is just as impressive, peaking above the city skyline as it sits atop a rocky crag. It has a distinguished royal history: Mary, Queen of Scots was crowned at Stirling in 1542, and Bonnie Prince Charlie unsuccessfully tried to take the castle in 1746. During the Wars of Independence, the castle changed hands eight times in 50 years, with some of Scotland’s most famous battles (including Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn) taking place within sight of its walls.
These walls, majestic as they are, provide a great starting point for a walk if you want to extend your day out beyond visiting the castle itself. Start at the Back Walk and the old town walls, before heading up towards the foot of the imposing castle rock and continuing on towards Gowan Hill for clear views of the city, the Wallace Monument and the Ochil Hills. www.stirlingcastle.scot
FYVIE CASTLE, TURRIFF, FYVIE, ABERDEENSHIRE
Grounds open every day, 9am-dusk, castle interior reopening on Wednesday Adult £14.50, Concession £11, Family £33
Fyvie Castle is the kind of building that would be dreamed up in fairy-tale storybooks. With a sprawling mixture of turrets and towers, as well as magically atmospheric grounds (including its very own loch), Fyvie is one of Aberdeenshire’s best attractions. It has the royal seal of approval, too, as both Robert the Bruce and Charles I were said to have stayed there at one time.
Inside you can admire antiques, armour and lavish oil paintings, with the castle’s interior officially reopening to visitors on Wednesday, but in the meantime you can stroll around the grounds and take in the tranquillity of the surroundings. The castle is more than 800 years old, and over the centuries it has apparently acquired several ghosts that have been seen roaming the passageways.
The most famous is “The Green Lady”, Lilias Drummond, who was allegedly starved to death by her husband. On the night he remarried her ghostly wails were heard outside his window, and in the morning her name was found carved into the windowsill in his bedroom (with the carvings still visible today). Spooky. www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/fyvie-castle
FLOORS CASTLE, KELSO, ROXBURGHSHIRE
Open every day 10.30am-5pm Adult £15, kids go free
Most of Scotland’s grand castles represent the history of the generations that have come before. But Floors Castle, as well as being a beautiful and historic visitor attraction, is also the home of the current Duke of Roxburghe – making it the biggest inhabited castle in Scotland.
Visitors can explore the collection of fine art, tapestries, grand rooms and views over the River Tweed and the Cheviot Hills beyond. Floors Castle itself was designed back in 1721 for the first Duke of Roxburghe, by Edinburgh architect William Adam, being built on the site of an existing building called the House of Floris.
It was originally a rather plain Georgian country house, but received a major makeover in the 19th century by the sixth duke, who was determined to remodel the castle in a fairy-tale fashion. www.floorscastle.com
DUNNOTTAR CASTLE, STONEHAVEN, ABERDEENSHIRE
Open every day 10am-7.15pm
Adult £8, Child £4
One of the most instantly-recognisable castles in the country, Dunnottar is known for its dramatically rugged setting, perched on a rocky headland above the North Sea.
The ruins were once home to the Earls Marischal, one of the most powerful families in Scotland, but the last Earl died a bachelor in 1778 and his title died with him. In 1925, the castle was bought by the Pearson family, and Viscountess Lady Cowdray began a program of restoration to open the castle to the public.
Although a ruin, it is well worth a visit and requires only a short walk from the designated car park (involving some fairly steep steps, so be warned) with truly spectacular views awaiting you. www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk
DUNROBIN CASTLE, GOLSPIE, SUTHERLAND
Open every day, 10am-4.30pm, falconry displays are daily at 11.30am and 2.30pm. Adults £12.50, children £7.50, senior £10.50 (prices include museum, gardens, and falconry display)
This fairy-tale, conical-spired castle is one of the most northerly – and most beautiful – in Scotland. Dunrobin’s design appears somewhere between a French chateau and a Germanic castle, but it has been home to the Earls of Sutherland since 1401. The name (meaning Robert’s Hill or Fort in Gaelic) may have come from Robert, the
6th Earl of Sutherland, but most of Dunrobin’s recognisable architectural features were added in 1845 when Charles Barry was tasked with redesigning the castle. Barry, the architect of the Houses of Parliament in London, was sought-after at the time and his extensive European travels helped influence the magnificent castle that he created.
Kids will love running around the grounds, exploring the inside and, above all, the impressive (price included) falconry displays, featuring owls, hawks and majestic falcons. www.dunrobincastle.co.uk
HUNTINGTOWER CASTLE, PERTHSHIRE
There’s no shortage of history in this imposing structure. The striking Huntingtower Castle was home to the Ruthven Raid in 1582, during which the Earl of Gowrie held the young King James VI against his will for nearly a year. It was also home to Dorothea, the daughter of the first Earl of Gowrie, who was said to have been making illicit visits to her lover in the eastern of the castle’s two towers.
Her mother then made her way through the castle to catch her daughter in the act so Dorothea made a leap of more than eight feet back to the balcony of her own bedroom. “The Maiden’s Leap” can still be seen today.
Although the castle is not currently operating its usual opening hours there’s still lots to see from outside. You may also spot the large colony of pipistrelle bats that call the castle home, alongside long-eared bats, barn owls and hedgehogs. www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/ places/huntingtower-castle/
CRATHES CASTLE, BANCHORY, ABERDEEN
Open Thursday-Monday, 10am-4pm Adult £14.50, Family £33, Concession
If you are one of the thousands of Scots that invested in a dog during lockdown, you might now be looking for somewhere a little more exciting to walk your four-legged friend. With travel restrictions officially lifted across the country, why not bring your pooch for an adventure to Crathes Castle, in Banchory?
With a historic walled garden, as well as six waymarked nature trails and expansive woodland, there’s plenty to be explored. Keep an eye out for roe deer, red squirrels, woodpeckers, buzzards and herons – as well as lots of other dogs to say hello to – as you traverse the paths around the castle. You can also treat yourself to something sweet at the café, where dogs are very welcome and staff even keep some free treats behind the counter.
Of course, there’s plenty to see for those visiting without canine companions, mainly the grand halls of the castle itself. The land on which the castle sits was given as a gift to the Burnetts of Ley family by King Robert the Bruce, with construction of the current tower house beginning in 1553.
The imposing assortment of turrets and towers was built by Alexander Burnett and many of his original oak panels and painted ceilings are still intact.
Inside you’ll also find everything from family portraits to fine antique furniture, as well as the Horn of Leys, a jewel-encrusted ivory horn that is said to be almost 700 years old.
And if all that wasn’t enough? Crathes Castle is also said to have its own ghost, the Green Lady, who has been spotted several times over the years. www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/crathes-castle