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!
Dunfirmline is only 18 miles from Edinburgh and makes a great day-trip destination combined with Blackness Castle. Dunfirmline is a very important city in Scottish history (it was essentially the capital of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 11th century to the 15th century) and today the town has almost become a suburb of Edinburgh, growing quite rapidly over the past 10-15 years. In addition to being the final resting place for several royal figures, Dunfirmline is the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie, the titan of the U.S. steel industry who emigrated with his family to Pittsburgh, PA when he was 12 years old.
Views of Dunfirmline’s main street. The 19th-century building with the beautiful tower is the seat of the local city government.
We visited Dunfirmline on our way to St. Andrews and so while we did not have a lot of time in the town, we were able to see the Abbey and walk through the main town before driving to St. Andrews.
Dunfirmline Abbey and Palace
View of Dunfirmline Abbey’s graveyard.
Dunfermline’s Abbey houses the remains of seven Scottish Kings and other royals, including the famous Robert the Bruce who died in 1329 and was the last king to be buried here. Robert the Bruce is known for his major victory over the English at Bannockburn, Scotland in 1314 (Bannockburn battlefield can be visited near Stirling, Scotland and is well worth a stop). Robert’s heart was taken to Melrose Abbey, which I will write about in a separate post (he wanted his heart taken to the Holy Land, but it never made it). The grounds of the Abbey include a few remaining walls of a 12th-century royal palace, ruins of the huge refectory and nave of the original Benedictine Abbey and a newer 19th-century rebuilt section after part of the original Abbey collapsed and fell into disrepair in the 1600’s and 1700’s.
At the top of the Abbey’s tower, you can see the inscription “King Robert The Bruce” on the four sides.
Connected to the Abbey are the ruins of the Benedictine Refectory and Palace.
This nave is the oldest part of the Abbey, dating back to the 12th century. The pillars reminded me of Durham Cathedral in England and after some research I know why – some the stonemasons that worked on Dunfirmline had previously worked on Durham Cathedral. There are some other connections between the two towns and structures as well.Left – a likeness of Robert the Bruce based on scientific imaging. Right – Robert’s tomb, now housed in the 19th-century reconstructed part of the Abbey.
Above – the western facade of the old Abbey.
Views of the ruins of the Benedictine Abbey’s three-story refectory.Left – Some interesting information on the monk’s refectory. Right – Another view of the refectory’s 3 story wall.Walls remaining of Dunfirmline’s once magnificent Palace and the old Benedictine Abbey.
If you’re in Edinburgh and would like a short side trip to explore the countryside, Dunfirmline is a great stop. We found a car park close to the Abbey and there were just a few visitors at the Abbey in late August, even though Edinburgh was packed during that same time.
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.
Less than an hour’s drive northwest from Carlisle, England is the 13th century Caerlaverock Castle. Standing on the edge of Scotland, near the Solway Firth, this castle once guarded an important gateway into Scotland.
A view of the triangular-shaped Caerlaverock Castle.
The castle we see now is actually the “new castle” built about 50 years after the “old” castle, which has been partially excavated, south of the current castle.
A view of Caerlaverock’s moat.
In 1300 King Edward I besieged and captured the castle, the first of several sieges. As with many castles, Caerlaverock underwent numerous renovations, including a 17th century addition in the interior courtyard which is still visible today.
Views of the 17th century castle room additions – making it much more comfortable for the many residents and servants. As many as 30 people shared a bedroom!
If you’re in the Carlisle area, I recommend visiting Caerlaverock Castle. A rental car is the easiest way to visit. There is a small museum on the site as well as restrooms and a gift shop. If you plan on visiting multiple historical sites in Scotland, consider getting a Historic Environment Scotland membership or pass – we got the 14-day Explorer pass and it was a great value by paying for itself after visiting just a few sites (including Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle). All other visits using the pass were then free.
The Independent Tourist 