Most Magical Castles in Scotland

“Only the grey old castle, 
    Of crumbling stone and lime, 
Still stands to speak of the ages, 
    And the iron footsteps of Time.”

• Alexander Anderson, A Castle Old and Grey

Time and time again, Bonnie Scotland draws us to it. We have visited this amazing country twice so far and if we get the opportunity to return, we will. One of the things to do on the top of our list is to visit as many of the castles that dot the picturesque landscape as possible. Below is a list of seven castles that can be visited by bus, train, or walk from the cities of Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen.

This post may include affiliate links to products or services I believe are useful, at no extra cost to you. The photographs taken, as well as the thoughts and opinions expressed below, are completely my own.

From Edinburgh:

Edinburgh Castle

Dominating the skyline of the city, this fortress stands on an extinct volcano, watching over the charming streets of the Old Town and the bustling shopping street of the New Town – Princes Street.

Getting There:

It can be easily reached by walk if you’re staying along the Royal Mile because you just walk up the hill until you reach the top.

The nearest train station is Edinburgh Waverley and it takes around 9 minutes to reach the castle from there.

You may also stop at Haymarket station, which is to the west of Princes Street, take the tram towards York Place (2 stops) and stop in Princes Street. It is about an 8-minute walk to the castle.

Alternatively, you could take bus number 38 to Princes Street and then walk about 12 minutes to the castle.

Tickets:

Tickets to this castle specify an entry date and time. If you wish to visit at 09:30am, you must purchase your tickets online on the previous day. For the rest of the time slots, you can book online for up to 1.5 hours before. Ideally, tickets are bought online and in advance. Failing to do so will result in waiting in what possibly might be a long queue and paying two extra pounds, which makes the entrance fee for an adult go up to £19.50 instead of £17.50. (This happened to us because we completely forgot to check the website).

Personal Opinion:

We visited the castle in August, at the time of the Fringe Festival and the Military Tattoo. It was peak season and very overcrowded. Despite there being a lot of people, the experience was still a positive one, however, it eliminated much of the element of foreboding that lends itself to ancient castles such as this one, but the weather made up for this by being windy and overcast. What made our stay most interesting was the optional guided tour which sets off every half an hour in summer and every hour in winter – the tour guide was very knowledgeable and regaled us with tales of the past that transported us back in time.

Craigmillar Castle

Getting There:

Bus number 14 (Greendykes) serviced by Lothian buses from North Bridge. The journey takes around 17 minutes depending on traffic and there are 15 stops. There is a 15-minute walk to the castle then, part of which is very pretty because it is through the castle grounds.

Tickets:

Admission tickets can be bought online from the website or at the ticket booth and cost £6 for adults, which is a reasonable price in my opinion.  

We would recommend checking the website for unexpected closures.

Moreover, if you wish to visit other sites that are listed under the care and protection of Historic Scotland, we suggest purchasing an Explorer Pass. We did not know about this and paid for multiple tickets separately, spending a ton of money (worth it, but still) when we could have saved a great deal with such an offer.

Personal Opinion:

We got to the castle quite early and actually had to wait a few minutes before the ticket booth opened. The staff were very welcoming and because it was still early, there were no other visitors yet so it was quiet and peaceful with only a couple of crows for company. It was a positive experience and definitely recommended.

From Inverness:

Best Place to Stay to Visit these Castles:

Travelodge – We highly recommend this hotel because it is very central (right round the corner to the bus station and a few minutes away from the train station), clean and budget-friendly. We stayed at Travelodge Inverness twice and I must say that the staff here are very helpful. The beds of this hotel chain are the most comfortable ever! Check out their reasonable room rates here.

Inverness Castle

Getting There:

Of all the cities we have been to, Inverness City Centre is the easiest to walk around because everything is within walking distance. Inverness Castle can be reached on foot from the bus station or the rail station. There are three routes and all of them take more or less the same amount of time. The walk by the river is very pleasant, but you can also go back that way from the castle, depending on the weather and where you’re staying. We stayed at Travelodge, which is absolutely perfect for a stay in this charming city as it is just round the corner to the bus station.

Tickets:

The castle itself is now serves as a court building and access is only limited to the grounds. However, for those who wish to get a better view of the city, a fee of £5 applies to go up the circular staircase to the top. We did not feel like going up any more steps that day, so we enjoyed the views from the castle grounds, which are equally satisfying.

Personal Opinion:

This was a very pleasant visit, despite it not including entry to the castle. The weather was warm and lovely. We especially liked the statue of Flora MacDonald, shielding her eyes as she gazes “down the Great Glen”*. Flora MacDonald’s name went down in history when she helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape to the Isle of Skye, in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden in 1746. We recommend walking up to this castle for a taste of history, breath-taking views, and a meeting with the seagulls.

* Gifford, J. (1992) Highland and Islands. The Buildings of Scotland. London: Penguin.

Brodie Castle

Getting There:

Brodie Castle is easily accessible by bus. We took bus number 10 serviced by Stagecoach in the direction of Elgin. We suggest buying a Period Return Ticket (£13.40) which is valid at all times and slightly cheaper than buying two singles. The journey takes about an hour, depending on traffic, and there is a 10-minute walk from the bus stop to the castle.

Tickets

Admission Tickets for adults cost £11. Tickets can be bought from the ticket booth at the castle. Brodie Castle is a National Trust for Scotland Property, so if you plan on visiting more than one of their properties, ask for their special passes as these allow you to get a great discount on the other tickets. We got to know about this on our last day and only benefited from it slightly, so we thought you should know before you go. If you become a member from £5 a month, you get access to all Trust places including those in the rest of the UK, free parking, guides and magazines.

Gardens:

We enjoyed a pleasant stroll and a snack in the pristine gardens. Springtime meant that all the flowers were in bloom, so the green landscape was dotted with an array of colours that instantly lifted our spirits and instilled a sense of childlike wonder in us.

Personal Opinion:

This was one of the best castles we have been to. What made our experience so memorable was surely our expert guide who led us through the castle and gave us an insight on the history and artefacts that decorate the interior. We wish I could remember the name of the gentleman, but we thank him for his excellent presentation and for sharing his knowledge with us. Guided tours run every 30 minutes, and since we were the first two visitors of the day, it was more of a private tour. Highly recommended!

Cawdor Castle

Being a huge fan of Shakespeare’s plays since secondary school, we couldn’t help but associate this castle to our favourite play – Macbeth. However, reading the play was one thing, getting to the castle was quite another.

Getting There:

As the title of this post suggests, the castle may be reached by the means mentioned, but, in this case, both took a fair amount of time. What an adventure it was! Every helpful Scot we had spoken to made it very clear that the castle is not accessible by public transport (there used to be a bus, and there still is in a way, but only if you still go to school).

Generally, people who wish to visit without hiring a car can take the bus halfway and then phone a taxi the rest of the way. But…the Passport and Pathways Duo had their heart set on going and nothing could dissuade them from doing so. That said, the idea of taking a taxi was not so appealing, mostly because it exceeded our budget.

After plenty of research and asking around, we concluded that the best option was to take the bus and hike the rest of the way. People suggested we take bus number 5 to Nairn, but we realised that the walk would be longer, so we took the bus to Croy instead and walked from there to the castle. The road to the castle is mostly straight with occasional sharp bends. Cars whizzed past, although the drivers were very careful and respectfully steered away whenever possible. There are no pavements, but in some areas there is a wider, rough surface that is easier to walk on.

Bus: Day Ticket: Inverness to Croy: Stagecoach Number 5; approx. 45 minutes

Walk: Croy to Cawdor Castle; approx. 1 hour 35 minutes

Upon arrival, we took a few moments to admire the beauty of the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Tickets and Tour:

We then paid an entrance fee of £12.50 per person and were given an audio guide. The castle is fully furnished and the audio guide describes some specific items in detail. However, we did expect more information about the history of the castle itself. The tour took us around 40 minutes.

Gardens:

The gardens are well-kept, with a maze.

Cafeteria:

We think the food in the cafeteria is good, if slightly overpriced. The portions were very small and hardly filling, probably because we were two starving travellers! If you want something a bit less pricey, you could always take a packed lunch with you and enjoy it in the castle grounds if you’re visiting in summer. We do recommend the soup in cooler weather though… it warms you up nicely.

We returned to Inverness the same way we left. If you plan on taking the journey, plan the bus times ahead. The bus service to and from Croy is half-hourly.

Personal Opinion:

Unfortunately, our experience at Cawdor Castle was a little underwhelming, as though we could not quite feel a connection. It might be because of the sky-high expectations or the arduous journey, or even because we thought the stories related on the audio would be somewhat different. It is highly recommended by many visitors, and the experience is enjoyable, but to us, a once-in-a-lifetime visit was enough.

From Aberdeen:

Crathes Castle

Getting There:

Bus number 201 or 202 from Union Square Bus Station (Stance 9) in the direction of Banchory.

The journey takes around 55 minutes, depending on traffic. We got there much sooner, probably because our visit was on a Saturday.

If you’re coming from the centre of Aberdeen, the bus stop is in the main road and the way to the castle is across. There is about a 15-minute walk to the entrance of the castle, but it hardly feels like so because it can be very pleasant, even in a drizzle.

Tickets:

£13 for adults, however, Crathes Castle is a National Trust property, so if you have the pass or the membership, it will cost less. Tickets must be purchased from the gift shop. Do not wait at the castle entrance (in the rain, like we did) because you will be asked to make your way to the shop to purchase tickets.

The ticket includes a guided tour if you wish to take it.

Personal Opinion:

Definitely worth a visit! Much to see and the stories about the place are very interesting. Once again, we were the first two visitors, so it felt like a private tour. The gardens are well-cared for and although we wandered around for a while, our visit was cut short by the rain. We had a light lunch in the cafeteria, which was not cheap, but good. Overall a very pleasant visit.

Drum Castle

Getting There:

Bus number 201 or 202 from Union Square Bus Station (Stance 9) in the direction of Banchory.

The journey takes around 45 minutes, depending on traffic.

If you’re coming from the centre of Aberdeen, the bus stop is in the main road and the way to the castle is across. There is about a 15-minute walk to the entrance of the castle.

However, because Crathes Castle and Drum Castle are so close to each other, we decided to combine the two visits in one day, by taking bus number 201(or 202, depending on which one comes first) to the city centre.

Tickets:

£13 for adults, however, Drum Castle is also a National Trust property, so if you have the pass or the membership, it will cost less.

The ticket includes a guided tour if you wish to take it.

Personal Opinion of the castle:

Highly recommended! Our tour guide’s expert knowledge created a vivid picture of life in the castle from the past to the present. We strongly suggest you take the guided tour; it’s very informative and helps one to appreciate the castle better. We also visited the exquisite chapel which dates back to the 16^th century. We would have liked to spend time in the Garden of Roses, but it started raining heavily and we decided to make our way back.

The staff were very kind and helpful; they suggested the Pass to us. Unfortunately, this was the last day of our trip, so we did not benefit from all the discounts. This is why we suggest you ask for it prior to visiting a number of National Trust properties.

Final Thoughts

We hope this post makes your planning to castle visits easier and that you have a wonderful experience when you get there.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, let us know below!

Safe Travels!

Best wishes,

Passport and Pathways x

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