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Aberdeenshire - a wealth of castles
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items Aberdeenshire, in north-east Scotland, is home to over 260 castles! From Royal residences to majestic ruins, film locations to inspirations for famous books, if you love castles you'll be spoilt for choice when visiting the area. While some are priva...
Balmoral castle became a royal residence in the mid 1800s, after being bought by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It has been used as a retreat and holiday destination for the British Royal Family ever since. A favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth ...
Balmoral Castle: a Royal Getaway
Craigievar castle, about 26 miles west of Aberdeen, is said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney's castles, with its pink stonework and turrets. Owned and maintained by the National Trust for Scotland, it has regular guided tours of the interior, an...
Craigievar Castle: Walt Disney Inspiration
Dunottar Castle lies a little south of the seaside town of Stonehaven, in east Aberdeenshire. It boasts a stunning location, on a rock overlooking the North Sea, and has hundreds and hundreds of years of history behind it. It's hosted some famous Sco...
Dunnottar Castle: Stunning Historical Ruins
Castle Fraser is a tower house situated 16 miles west of Aberdeen. One of the largest of its kind in Scotland, you can climb up the round tower for a view of the surrounding grounds and countryside. It has a few fun features such as secret staircases...
Castle Fraser: Round Tower and a Raeburn
Drum Castle was given to the Irvine family by Robert the Bruce, in 1323. There it remained until the National Trust for Scotland took it over in the 1970s. Highlights of your visit could include seeing the 300 year old wood of oak trees, a walled ros...
Drum Castle: 700 Years of History
It's said that Bram Stoker visited Slains Castle at Cruden Bay, and it helped inspire his famous story. Now it's a ruin, due to various family decisions, including taking the roof off to avoid taxes. Being exposed to the elements on a cliff by the co...
New Slains Castle: Dracula Inspo?
Fyvie is built in the Scottish baronial architecture style. Over 800 years old, it's seen its fair share of history, and is said to have two curses attached to it. It houses a wealth of treasures including antiquities, furniture, and portraits by fam...
Fyvie Castle: Curses and Treasures
Once a large castle owned by the Earls of Mar, Kildrummy is now cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. It's thought to have been built in the mid 1200s and was several stories high. It has seen much turmoil, fighting and sieges over the centurie...
Kildrummy Castle - Protected Ruins
Crathes is a 16th-century castle adorned with towers and turrets. Inside you'll find antique furniture, painted ceilings, portraits and more. It contains the Horn of Leys, a gift to the family from Robert the Bruce. It's said to have two ghosts, a yo...
Crathes Castle: Green Lady Ghost
Gight is perhaps one of the lesser-known Aberdeenshire castles. It has several slightly creepy legends attached to it, including the demise of an unfortunate servant, a sudden death prophecy, and the sound of bagpipes playing a lament. Would you dare...
Gight Castle: Eerie Stories
Braemar castle is in Royal Deeside, just a few miles from Balmoral. It was bought by the local community a few years ago, and they now act as the castle's caretakers. There you can see inside and learn about the history of the place, including the da...
Braemar: Community Castle
This unusual building near Fraserburgh is a castle combined with a lighthouse. You can still see parts of the castle, including the kitchens. Originally built in the 16th century, it was sold in 1787 and converted into the first lighthouse on the Sco...
Kinnaird Head: Castle/Lighthouse Combo
Like a lot of castles in the area, Delgatie, Turriff has seen a lot of history over the decades. Built in the 11th century, it has housed such diverse people as Mary Queen of Scots, and WW2 soldiers returning from the beaches of Normandy. Now, as wel...
Delgatie Castle: Dunkirk to Turriff
A grand ruined castle which was added to over the years, Tolquhon was used as a country residence rather than a defensive building. It boasts an impressive gatehouse, which has heraldic carvings in it. Through the gatehouse leads to what once was an ...
Tolquhon Castle: Sturdy Country Dwelling
This small castle near Ballater has a terrible history. The story says that all seven sons of the Gordon family who owned the building were slaughtered one day by neighbouring enemies, after the sons crossed over into their territory while collecting...
Knock Castle: A Tragic History