Scotland Castles

Explore Scotland’s Eerie New Slains Castle Ruins

On Scotland’s east coast lies a dramatic 16th-century castle ruin that isn’t on the tourist radar. New Slains Castle is north of Aberdeen, Scotland near the village of Cruden Bay. Built on cliffs above the sea, it has a similar feel and setting to Dunnottar Castle (also on Scotland’s east coast but south of Aberdeen) and Dunluce Castle in Northern Ireland. I’ve visited a lot of castles and really loved this one with its eerie atmosphere – the waves crashing on the rugged coastline, mossy walls and staircases, and enough remaining of the various rooms to give a good feel for the castle’s layout. We half expected to see Dracula’s coffin in one of the rooms! Actually, Bram Stoker (the author of Dracula) mentions the castle in a couple of his other novels, and it may have been an inspiration for him. The castle has an interesting history, you can learn more about it here.

There is a small car park just off the road about 1/2 mile from the castle. A long gravel walkway leads to the castle. There are no entry fees, even though it is part of Historic Environment Scotland.

Walking to New Slains Castle from the car park.

Above: Exterior views of New Slains Castle.

Above: Interior views of the castle. You can walk up the stairways to the upper levels, but be careful – there are no railings and the steps lead to right drop-offs over the seaside cliffs or into rooms with non-existent floors – no barriers to walking off the edge! It was interesting to see the old beams for the floors still in place.

Left: The Independent Tourist with his daughter at New Slains Castle. Right: Walking through the ancient hallways of the castle.

View of the castle’s grand entrance – looking north. They had some amazing coastal scenery through the picture windows!

Robyn overlooking the rugged Scottish coastline at New Slains Castle.

If you are doing a driving tour of Scotland I highly recommend stopping by New Slains Castle!

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.

Explore Blackness Castle: A Historic Day Trip Near Edinburgh

Blackness Castle is only 17 miles west of Edinburgh, Scotland and makes a great day trip, especially combined with a visit to Dunfermline, the final resting place of Robert the Bruce (highly recommended, more information will be forthcoming on Dunfermline in future posts). The 15th century castle has gained fame in recent years as a filming location for the TV show “Outlander”. However, the castle has served as a filming location for movies as well. The castle sits on a prominent point on the Firth of Forth and was a strategic location for protecting the nearby village which was a major port in past centuries. It also served as a prison starting in the 1500’s and as a munitions depot.

The castle is unique for its ship bow-shaped defensive walls facing the Firth of Forth.

A little hard to tell, but the castle walls on the left form a sharp bow-shaped point, very appropriate giving the setting on the water!
Another view of the castle from the “bow”.
Robyn admiring the tower keep “Prison Tower” of Blackness Castle.
An informational sign indicating the use of the central tower (keep) as a prison for many years, especially for “high status” prisoners.
Interior views of Blackness Castle.

These images show the rocky foundation on which Blackness Castle is built. In the image on the left, note the stairway carved out of the rock.

We visited Blackness Castle in early September. We got there as it opened and pretty much had the whole castle to ourselves. Compared with busy Edinburgh, Blackness Castle’s quiet surroundings were a nice change of pace.