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Scotland really is home to some of the most epic castles in the whole world and many people who come and visit our amazing country will take the time to go and check out some of these ancient castles! There are many great castles here and taking a wee gander round one would make for a great day out when you are on a wee break in Scotland. Anyway enough of my rambling, please check out what I consider to be the most awesome, Scottish castles you should visit.
Stirling Castle
Let me just say that this is one of my very favourite places to go in the whole of Scotland! My son absolutely loves this place so if you have kids then I cannot recommend this place highly enough. Of course it looks just amazing and you can feel the history when you walk through it, but Stirling Castle to me feels more like an attraction than a historical sight (not meant disrespectful by the way) as there is just so much to see and do. The day we went they had this cool wee event where the kids could pretend they were a knight and learn to use a sword. There always seems to be some kind of event going on here at Stirling Castle. If you are bringing the kids with you when you take your Scottish break then this is by far the best castle to take them to.
Dunnottar Castle
I am ashamed, embarrassed and a little confused to admit that until recently I had never heard of Dunnottar Castle! This is more alarming when you consider I spent the first 22 years of my life in Scotland and go back numerous times per year. Anyway if you love Game Of Thrones then you will be amazed by this place as Dunnottar Castle to me looks like something that would fit right in there on that TV show. It is one of the most spectacular sights that I have ever seen! Dunnottar Castle sits on top of a cliff overlooking the North East Coast…… possibly there as a first defence against the dragons or The White Walkers (sorry I watch too much Game Of Thrones!) being serious this place has quite the historic background with links to William Wallace and Mary Queen Of Scots so you history buffs will be in your element here…… you other guys who just love cool looking castles and have an over active imagination…… like I do, will love it as well. Be warned there is what feels like a ton of stairs leading up to the castle, but this just adds to its “magical” feel, but if you struggle with walking then it may be a bit much.
Edinburgh Castle
The most famous castle in Scotland sits atop a volcano which is pretty damn cool when you think about it. Anyway, Edinburgh Castle has what is probably the best guided caste tour I have been on. My son who was grumping and moaning before it started even found it interesting. The castle just looks amazing and it was actually used to the majority of Scotland’s major battles so its historical significance is through the roof. One thing that many people do not realise until the visit Edinburgh Castle for the first time is just how huge it is when you are standing in its presence. It is one thing to see it while you are hitting the shops of Princess Street, looming over your shoulder, but up close and personal, Edinburgh Castle is huge! Why this makes my list though is that well first of all it is a cool looking and interesting castle, but also you can mix coming here with a day in Edinburgh so as a family trip, you can keep everyone happy.
Eilean Donan
While Eilean Donan may sound like the name of some kind of Irish R & B singer it is actually one of the most beloved castles in the whole of Scotland. This is seen as something of a romantic place to go for a nice walk. With its lovely stone bridge leading up to it and the amazing way that it has been restored and looked after these years, if you are bringing a special someone to Scotland for a nice romantic break then take the drive to the Western Highlands to check it out……. But if you are like me then the main reason you want to come here is for the culture……. The pop culture that is as this castle has been used in a number of movies over the years the most famous being (and the reason I wanted to check this place out!) is Highlander I was also surprised to learn that parts of the James Bond movie, The World Is Not Enough was filmed here. So while this is a pretty damn cool castle in its own right, I got a kick out of it because parts of Highlander were filmed here and despite the protests from my other half, I was able to get some awesome photos of me pretending to be Connor Macleod.
Urquhart Castle
I have talked about Urquhart Castle before, but this really is a cool castle. Looking over Loch Ness you can tie in a walk around this old relic with a fun day out at Loch Ness. Standing up at the castle by the way gives you a great view of the Loch so the kids will have a better chance of finding Nessie…… and then having a place to hide just in case they do! Anyway, Father Time may have given, Urquhart Castle a bit of a beating the last few decades, but I actually think this does add to its charm. And to be honest out of all the castles on my list, Urquhart Castle would probably be the one you would spend the least amount of time walking around. It is still a cool experience and the kids will have a good time running around it.
Inveraray Castle
On the shores of Loch Fyne which is on the West Coast of Scotland, Inveraray Castle has become even more of a popular tourist spot largely because a Christmas special episode of Downtown Abbey was shot here…… not my type of show at all! But if that is your kind of thing then you will no doubt get a kick out of coming here for that reason. Most of the things that were in that episode are still here in the castle. This is a very well maintained castle that just looks so, so….. evil! That may sound like an odd thing to say, but man this is a castle that in some kind of fantasy movie, you just know an evil warlord or wizard would live here and a band of heroes would have to storm the castle to put him in his places…….. yeah I know, I watch to many movies and to much TV! They offer a fun guided tour, gift shop and even a nice wee café. While this is a really cool looking castle to be honest if you have kids with you they may get a bit board.
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