Craigmillar Castle – Just a Stone’s Throw from Edinburgh

The 14th-century Craigmillar Castle is just south of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland and near the hill known as Arthur’s Seat. The good news is that the castle was not busy at all when we visited in late August – we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves even though it is so close to Edinburgh.

View of the skyline of Edinburgh from Craigmillar Castle. Arthur’s Seat is the hill on the right.

If you’re looking for things to do and see near Edinburgh, Scotland I recommend Craigmillar Castle. This castle was put “on the map” as one of the settings used in the TV series “Outlander”. More importantly, Mary, Queen of Scots stayed here in November 1566 while seeking some peace and security, only 8 months before her forced abdication in July 1567.

Below are some images of the castle. The castle is not large, it consists of an outer courtyard, inner courtyard, tower (or keep) and two sets of rooms on either side of the tower from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Layout of Craigmillar Castle.
Above left – west side of Craigmillar Castle (view of the 17th century Gilmour range). Above right – outer courtyard and main entrance to the inner Castle courtyard.

Above left – exterior of the 16th-century East range connecting to the tower. Right – stables in the Gilmour (17th-century) range.

Left – kitchen ovens. Right – Gallery room, part of the 16th century East range.

Left – the dungeon, which would have been very dark and damp. Right – passageways in the tower.

So, if you want to escape the crowds in Edinburgh, visit Craigmillar Castle! We had a rental car which made the visit very easy, there is a small car park at the castle ticket office. Travel Tip: If you are going to visit several historical sites in Scotland, consider purchasing the Explorer Pass from Historic Environment Scotland. You pay one fee and then have free access to many historical sites (including Craigmillar Castle), the Pass is valid for 14 consecutive days.

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