Scotland Has a Castle Kingdom — and Most Visitors Never Find It

Most visitors arrive in Edinburgh, head for Skye, and fly home without knowing that an entire castle kingdom was waiting just two hours north. Aberdeenshire is Scotland’s best-kept castle secret — and once you see it, you’ll wonder why no one told you sooner.

Why Aberdeenshire Has So Many Castles

The answer lies in the land and the money it produced. Aberdeenshire’s fertile farmland made it one of Scotland’s wealthiest regions. Medieval landowners built to show power, to control trade routes, and to protect what was theirs.

The local granite did the rest. Hard, enduring, and found almost everywhere underfoot, it gave builders the perfect material for fortifications that could last for centuries. The result is Scotland’s greatest concentration of castles — one for roughly every 750 people.

The region also developed a distinct architectural style: Scots Baronial. Round towers, corbelled turrets, stepped gables, and crowstepped rooflines. Once you recognise it, you’ll see it everywhere in Aberdeenshire — from grand country houses to small farmhouse towers that have stood since the 1400s.

Craigievar Castle — Scotland’s Pink Tower

Craigievar is unlike any other castle in Scotland. Built in 1626 for a wealthy Aberdeen merchant, it stands seven storeys tall and has barely changed since the last stone was laid. The colour is the first thing you notice: a deep, dusty pink that seems almost impossible in this northern landscape.

Inside, the plasterwork ceilings are among the finest from the 17th century. The staircase narrows as it rises — only one person can pass at a time. On a quiet spring morning, with mist in the valley below, the effect is extraordinary.

Managed by the National Trust for Scotland. Open April to October. Booking recommended in peak summer months.

Crathes Castle — Where the Gardens Rival the History

Twenty-five minutes from Craigievar, Crathes Castle has painted ceilings that are unlike anything else in Scotland. The original tower dates to the 1550s and has barely been altered since. The Great Hall ceiling is a gallery of 16th-century portraits, heraldic beasts, and moral verses — all painted directly onto the plaster.

The real surprise at Crathes is the garden. Eight distinct compartments, each planted differently, designed to give colour across every season. The yew hedges are three centuries old — enormous dark walls of green that divide the garden into outdoor rooms. Allow at least half a day here.

Dunnottar Castle — At the Edge of the Sea

No photograph quite prepares you for Dunnottar. It sits on a rocky headland just south of Stonehaven, jutting into the North Sea with cliffs on three sides and a single narrow path as the only way in. The walk down to the gatehouse passes over a rock bridge above crashing waves.

Dunnottar has held Scotland’s Crown Jewels, withstood siege by Cromwell’s army for eight months, and — according to one account — inspired Bram Stoker during a stay in the area. It is open year-round and one of the most photographed castle ruins in Europe.

Fyvie Castle — Five Towers, Five Families

Fyvie Castle, near Turriff, tells Aberdeenshire’s history through its architecture. Five great families have owned it across five centuries — the Prestons, Meldrums, Setons, Gordons, and Leiths — and each left their mark on the stone. The tradition that each family added one of the five towers is a legend too good to resist, even if the historians aren’t entirely convinced.

The castle holds one of Scotland’s finest collections of 17th-century portraits. The wheel staircase is considered one of the great examples of Scots Baronial craftsmanship anywhere in the country. The grounds include a Scottish walled garden and a loch favoured by wildlife. Managed by the National Trust for Scotland. Open April to October.

Planning Your Aberdeenshire Castle Trail

A long weekend gives you time for four or five major castles without rushing. Aberdeen city makes an excellent base — Marischal College in the city centre is one of the world’s largest granite buildings, and the harbour area is worth an evening walk.

Best time to visit: April to October, when National Trust for Scotland properties are fully open. September offers golden autumn light with noticeably fewer summer crowds.

Getting there: Aberdeen International Airport has direct flights from London, Amsterdam, and several European cities. Edinburgh is a two-hour drive north on the A90. Most castles are well signposted from the main roads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you go, here are the questions we get asked most often — answered honestly.

What is the Aberdeenshire Castle Trail?
The Aberdeenshire Castle Trail is a self-drive route linking the region’s key historic castles, including Craigievar, Crathes, Drum, Kildrummy, and Balmoral. Most castles are within an hour’s drive of Aberdeen city and are clearly signposted from main roads.

How many castles are there in Aberdeenshire?
Aberdeenshire is home to more than 300 castles, more than any other Scottish county. Not all are open to visitors — some are private estates and others are ruins — but dozens welcome the public, with several managed by the National Trust for Scotland.

Which Aberdeenshire castle is best to visit first?
For first-time visitors, Craigievar Castle is the obvious starting point — its distinctive pink tower is one of the most iconic sights in Scotland. For dramatic setting and history, Dunnottar Castle is unmatched. Crathes Castle offers the best combination of architecture and exceptional gardens.

How long does it take to drive the Castle Trail?
The official Castle Trail itinerary is designed as a four to six day self-drive route. In practice, most visitors spend at least four days to do it justice — you can technically push through more quickly, but the castles deserve more than a windscreen glimpse. Keen explorers who want a genuinely relaxed pace should allow closer to two weeks, particularly given Scotland’s often narrow and twisty rural roads.

Do I need to book castle visits in advance?
It depends on the castle. Dunnottar Castle tickets can be purchased in advance from the Dunnottar Castle website or bought at the gate on the day — card payments only. Craigievar Castle is different: advance booking is not possible, tours are limited to a maximum of 10 people and run at approximately 45-minute intervals, with the potential for all tours to fill up during busy periods. Always check each castle’s website before you go, as opening hours and availability vary by season.

When is the best time of year to visit the Castle Trail?
Summer (June to August) gives you the longest days and the best weather odds, but also the biggest crowds. Spring and early autumn are increasingly popular — the light is beautiful, the roads are quieter, and most major castles are still open. If you travel before Easter or after mid-October, some attractions may be closed or operating on reduced hours. Balmoral is the most time-sensitive: it welcomes visitors to the grounds, gardens and exhibitions from late March until early August, when the Royal Family arrives for their summer stay.

Is Craigievar Castle really the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella Castle?
It’s a popular claim — and one the NTS is happy to let stand — but the honest answer is that it’s unconfirmed. Walt Disney is believed to have been inspired by Craigievar’s pink exterior when designing the company’s famous Cinderella Castle, which also drew inspiration from other landmarks including Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. So Craigievar is one of several candidates, not the sole origin story. That said, the resemblance is striking enough that it hardly matters.

Can I do the Castle Trail without a car?
Not easily. The trail is designed as a self-drive route, and many of the castles sit well outside town centres with no direct public transport. There is no direct public transport to Craigievar Castle — bus services run to nearby towns, from where you would need to pre-arrange a taxi in both directions. Dunnottar is more accessible, sitting just 1.6 miles south of Stonehaven, which has a train station, and can be reached on foot, by bike or by bus. For the trail as a whole, hiring a car in Aberdeen is strongly recommended.

Does Dunnottar Castle close in bad weather?
Yes, and it’s worth checking before you drive out. The clifftop setting is spectacular precisely because it’s exposed — which means high winds or ice can shut the castle down at short notice for safety reasons. The castle advises visitors to check the Met Office website before setting off. Closures are the exception rather than the rule, and Dunnottar is proud to be open around 361 days of the year, but it’s always worth a quick check on the day.

What is Fyvie Castle, and is it worth visiting?
Very much so. Fyvie is a magnificent fortress in the heart of Aberdeenshire and a sterling example of Scottish Baronial architecture, its rooms filled with antiquities, armour and lavish oil paintings. The history runs deep: William the Lion was at Fyvie around 1214, and Robert the Bruce and Charles I were among its later royal guests. One of Fyvie’s more colourful legends holds that each of the five families who owned it added one of its five towers — a tradition too good to abandon entirely, even if historians have their doubts. The castle is also said to be haunted by several ghosts, most famously the Green Lady. It’s managed by the National Trust for Scotland, and the grounds include a picturesque loch.

What makes Castle Fraser different from the other castles on the trail?
Castle Fraser is one of the grandest tower houses in Scotland, and one of the least crowded. Its core dates from as early as 1450, and unlike Craigievar — where you’re locked into a guided tour — Castle Fraser offers self-guided access, letting you explore at your own pace. Highlights include the Great Hall dating back to the 1400s, a grand Worked Room featuring 18th-century embroideries, and a library still stacked with family books. Two walking trails cross the estate, giving views across the rolling landscape toward Bennachie. One practical note: the NTS website specifically advises visitors not to follow sat nav for the last two miles of the journey — directions can be unreliable. Follow the brown Castle Fraser signs instead.

What is Haddo House, and how does it differ from the castles on the trail?
Haddo House sits slightly apart from the traditional castle experience — it’s a grand Georgian stately home rather than a tower house or fortified ruin, but it’s well worth the detour. Designed in 1732 by William Adam, it underwent an opulent remodelling in the 1880s, giving it the clean elegance of the Georgian style combined with a luxurious Victorian interior. The art collection is exceptional, including 85 paintings of Aberdeenshire castles by acclaimed Victorian artist James Giles. The house also carries an unexpected piece of wartime history — it served as a maternity hospital during the Second World War, and more than 1,200 babies were born here, some in the very room where Queen Victoria once slept. A Gordon family connection runs through centuries of Scottish political life: the 1st Earl was Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and the 4th Earl served as Prime Minister.

Most travellers see Scotland through the windscreen on the A9 or the window of a Skye ferry. Aberdeenshire sits quietly to the east, off the main tourist trail, with more castles than most European countries have in their entire territory.

The 300 are still there. Most have been waiting for centuries. A few more days won’t trouble them — but they’ll certainly change yours.