Scotland’s turbulent history of battles in the glens has bequeathed the country a magnificent selection of castles, with the added bonus of its rugged landscape.
Whether you roam the fortresses overlooking Edinburgh and Stirling or seek out a romantic ruin amid the vast lochs and brooding mountains of the Scottish Highlands, inspiring historical adventures await.
Explore royal history at Edinburgh Castle
Perched atop the volcanic plug of Castle Rock, the Scottish capital’s crowning glory is a strong start to a tour of the best castles in Scotland. The history of Britain’s most besieged place goes back a thousand years, and the castle’s Georgian barracks proudly overlook the Princes Street Gardens that separate Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns.
Highlights include the firing of the One o’Clock Gun, a tradition dating to 1861, as well as James IV’s wooden-beamed Great Hall and the 16th-century Royal Palace. In the latter, don’t miss the chamber where Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to James VI, the first monarch of both Scotland and England.
Admire the lyrical setting of Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan often serves as a pin-up for the storybook romance of the Highlands, with its splendid location on a rocky islet at the meeting of three mountain-rimmed lochs. You’ll see its reconstructed medieval towers and turrets from the main road west to Skye, but it’s worth crossing the stone bridge to one of the finest castles in Scotland.
Featured in films such as the James Bond flick The World Is Not Enough, it stood strong from the 13th century until 1719, when English men-of-war bombarded its 5m-thick (16ft) walls while besieging Spanish troops during the Jacobite uprisings. Inside, you can imagine yourself a Jacobite plotter on the battlements, peek through spy holes, hold a cannonball and wield a claymore – the hefty sword brandished by William Wallace in Braveheart.
Embark on a family-friendly historical adventure at Stirling Castle
The Jacobite uprisings sought to restore the House of Stuart to the British throne, and you can follow those monarchs to their imposing…
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