Romancing
the Highlands
Vacation Adventures in Scotland
With Ealasaid

Castles & Palaces

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There are over 1,200 Castles in Scotland. Its impossible to see them all on one vacation, but here are some we most often visit. If a Scottish Castle of specific interest is missing, I would be happy to try to include it.

Ballindalloch Castle
Balmoral Castle
Cawdor Castle
Crathes Castle
Edinburgh Castle

Holyrood House
Scone Palace
Stirling Castle
we also often visit (text for these is "under construction")

Braemar Castle
Fyvie Castle
Duart Castle
Eilean Donan Castle
Urquhart Castle
Fraser Castle

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Ballindalloch Castle

 

Ballindalloch Castle is the family home of the Macpherson-Grants, and one of the few privately owned Scottish Castles to be lived in continuously by its original family.

The rivers Spey and Avon ("Ann") run through Ballindalloch Castle's magnificent grounds and the castle really is one of the most beautiful and romantic in Scotland.

Like ghost stories? Ballindalloch Castle has three ghosts, including General James Grant.

A wonderful place to visit, Ballindalloch Castle is, just as the brochure says, "The Castle Everyone Would Love To Live In".

We probably can't take up residence, but how about dinner with the Macpherson-Grants? 

That's right, you'll be treated to a private tour of the castle, be "piped in" to the wonderful dining room, where by special arrangement the Macpherson-Grants will join us for dinner. The Macpherson-Grants are charming and gracious hosts, the dinner is excellent, the setting warm, the event an honour, and the evening, one to remember for a very long time.

 

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Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle is Her Majesty The Queen's holiday home in the Highlands. The ballroom has some lovely displays, the grounds are fit for a Queen, and there is a peaceful walk by the river, where princes and princesses have strolled. I can't promise that you will meet or even see Her Majesty, but it would be a royal shame to come to Scotland and miss Balmoral.

The Castle is one of the most photographed in Scotland, so bring your camera. You never know who may show up in the background.

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Cawdor Castle

 

'This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
Unto our gentle senses"

William Shakespeare

 

Of course, Cawdor Castle is often associated with Shakespeare's "The Tragedie of Macbeth". But alas, Lady Macbeth is unlikely to have been insomniac in Cawdor Castle which was constructed somewhere around 1380, while Macbeth was born in 1005.

 

Still, the tangled tale of the Thanes and then the early Campbell's of Cawdor Castle has its full share of kidnapping, murder, revenge, siege, and yes, witchcraft. The real story is by no means second fiddle to The Bard's romanticised version of Macbeth.

Whether Donald, the first Thane of Cawdor would have approved of the modern estate I have no idea, (actually I suspect that he would firstly be in awe, and secondly, demand payment of tax) but the castle and grounds do indeed, 'sweetly recommend itself unto our gentle senses.'

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Crathes Castle & Gardens

 

Crathes Castle is one of the most beautiful and best preserved 16th century castles in Scotland and was the home of the Burnett family for over 350 years. The castle was begun in 1553 and completed in 1596, over 40 years later.

I don't know about you, but I am not sure that I could wait forty years for my new house. Patient people, the Burnetts.

Crathes Castle is haunted, and in fact "The Green Lady's Room" is a little spooky, with a child's skeleton having been discovered under the hearth stone in the mid-1800's and the ceiling painted with a mixture of grotesque faces, weird designs and advice such as "Flie sone all naughtie companie" and "From fools no friendship crave."

Lots of nature walks with the woodlands contain trees collected from around the world.

The Gardens at Crathes Castle Cover almost 4 acres under the care of six gardeners, and one cannot help but be impressed, green thumb or not. Magnificent, and worth the visit in their own right.

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Edinburgh Castle

The Castle. The present buildings date from about 1085. The oldest buildings in Scotland, still in use, their massive prominence alone are enough to impress even the most jaded sightseer.

The castle's military intent is obvious and once inside the impression becomes fact with the enormous cannon "Mons Meg", "The One O'clock Gun" (fired each day), an active garrison and The Scottish National War Memorial adding punctuation.

"The Honours of Scotland" (The Scottish Crown Jewels) are housed in the Crown Room. The Stone of Scone, thankfully returned in 1996, after a 770 year visit in England is also resident here. St. Margrets Chapel and The Great Hall add to the flavour.

Whether you are fond of things military or not, it would be difficult to come away from Edinburgh Castle entirely unaffected, and the view of the city is a "sight" all on its own.

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Holyrood House

Her Majesty The Queen's residence in Edinburgh is closed when Her Majesty is in residence.

Unfortunately, the Royal Appointment Secretary does not always let me know when Her Majesty is going to be "at home", so sometimes we must content ourselves with pictures taken from the gate. As Holyrood is at the foot of Princes street though, we generally enjoy exploring the Royal Mile and then knock on the door and see what happens. Well, actually its a gate and the nice guard will either let us in, or not. If not, there are a few Pubs about. Not nearly Royal, but perhaps as much fun!

If Holyrood is open, it is of course very much worth the visit. I have my eye on a painting or two, but am not quite sure how to convince Her Majesty how wonderful they would look in my dining room. Perhaps a nice card.

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Scone Palace

Scotland was united in 833 AD at Scone by Kenneth MacAplin, who placed the stone of Scone on Moot Hill where Scotland's Kings (including Macbeth and Robert the Bruce) were crowned until Edward I moved the Coronation Stone to Westminster in 1296. It was returned, to Edinburgh Castle in 1996. The Abbey of Scone and The Bishops' Palace were ransacked and burned in 1559, but were replaced by a new Palace shortly thereafter.

Scone Palace now boasts a fabulous collection of French furniture, clocks, ivories, one of the finest collections of porcelain in Scotland, and 16th century needlework, including bed hangings worked by Mary Queen of Scots.

Scone's gardens are famous for its pinetum, a collection of rare pine trees some of which are over 150 feet high, and continue to grow.

Today, Scone has variously hosted fashion shows, war games, archery and shooting, equestrian events, garden parties, floodlit tattoos, highland games, fireworks displays, filming, rallies, and just about any other event one might name.

For myself, a visit to Scone Palace and particularly to Moot Hill is a visit to Scotland's birthplace. Even though The Coronation Stone is a replica (perhaps!), for many Scots Moot Hill evokes the same feelings that an American might have, viewing The Declaration of Independence.

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Stirling Castle

Scottish history and Stirling Castle are almost one in the same, as Stirling Castle dominated the North-South and East-West routes through Scotland for centuries. Stirling Castle was a childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots and its defences such that even Sir William Wallace was loath to oust its English occupiers by force.

The battle of Stirling Bridge (William Wallace) was fought in Stirling Castle's shadow and the bridge is easily seen from the Castle walls, where cannon are still mounted. The battle of Bannockburn (Robert the Bruce) took place a stones throw away.

The interior grounds are lovely, the view is breathtakingly panoramic (one can see why it was built where it is), and the history is palpable.

It would be difficult to miss Stirling Castle and still claim to have seen Scotland!

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If information about something of interest to you is missing, please feel free to let me know.

 

Haste Ye Back!

 

Ealasaid

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