Blackness Castle. A Formidable Fortress With Views of the Forth Bridges

Blackness Castle

As you make your way around Blackness Castle you will notice indestructible iron gates. locks, slots for guns, and thick walls. Henry VIIIs ambassador described the castle as 'impregnable' and this is certainly the impression you get from a visit. It sits on a promontory of the River Forth with the walls forming a 'V' shape into the water that mean the castle is often called the 'ship that never sailed'. It is a fun castle to explore with plenty to keep you occupied in the form of walkways with breathtaking views over the water, towers, spiral stairs and vaulted rooms with fireplaces. 

Highlights of this Cycle Route

• Exploring the passageways and staircases of Blackness Castle
• Learn about the castle's formidable defensive features
• Enjoy views of the iconic Forth rail and road bridges from the castle walls and tower
• Riding along the scenic Union Canal and spotting canal boats
• Tea and cake at Mannerstons Cafe and Farm Shop

Take a train to Linlithgow and start cycling along the canal
Linlithgow is only 20 minutes from Edinburgh, 30 minutes from Glasgow. The canal is just one minute from the station. Once on the canal you turn left and cycle for 3 miles.

​You are looking for a path that branches away from the canal at Philipstoun and takes you through a small housing estate. You emerge onto a minor country road with minimal traffic that leads you under the railway and then over the M8 motorway. 

Canal boat on the Union Canal

​This country road deposits you on the A904 where you turn right. This road can have steady traffic, so you need to be reasonably confident to ride it, but you are only on it for about 200 meters as you take the first left onto a minor road called Mannerston Holdings.

This road is next to a wall that has the grounds of House of the Binns on the other side. This house is very much worth a visit and you can read more about it in my previous blog.

The final stretch of road into Blackness is downhill where you will pass an unusually shaped church on the left, the Blackness Mission Church. Turn right at the bottom of this road to proceed along the shore towards the castle entrance.

Misson Church, Blackness

Approaching the entrance to Blackness Castle

This castle is a lot of fun to explore because of the many staircases, passages and rooms to walk around. This is what makes Blackness stand out when compared to some other castles which may not have as much to explore. There is enough here to keep you occupied for a good while and fire up your imagination about what it must have been like to live and work at Blackness.

The architecture of Blackness is all about defense. One of the key features in its arsenal is the caponier which is a passageway between the inner and outer walls. Soldiers could descend through a trapdoor into this corridor to fire through slits at any enemy that managed to breach the outer wall. You can imagine that it must have been total carnage for any opposing force caught in this area.

The castle was also well designed to resist attack from the sea with immense walls that had canons pointing out of them. It was only when technological advancements in artillery made it possible to batter the walls substantially that the castle surrendered to an enemy. This happened in 1650 when Oliver Cromwell attacked simultaneously from land and sea.

The building is well endowed with iron gates, bolts and padlocks:

As you explore you can hear the sea lapping against the walls and there is a wooden jetty at the castle's seaward door which takes you a good distance over the water to a crane. This was added in the 1870s when the castle was being used a munitions store when Britain feared a French invasion; boats docked to collect supplies for gun batteries along the Forth. 

The pier of Blackness Castle

I found the most fascinating part of the castle to be the natural rocky surface on the floor of the courtyard, a part of the original landscape that had been here long before this building ever was. This is the perfect illustration of that combination of the natural and man made that composes the structure of many of Scotland's castles. 

The rocky surface of the courtyard in Blackness Castle

It was tricky to scramble over these rocks and it was likely to have be covered with some sort of platform to make life easier for the castle inhabitants. ​

Among this craggy surface there is a tower. It feels like it has been plonked in there, not being attached to the rest of the structure. Or, a castle that found itself surrounded by another castle. This tower was used as a prison and you can go inside for a good look around.

The prison tower in Blackness Castle

​You will notice that this prison tower is surprisingly well appointed with fireplaces, toilets and even storage areas for belongings. This is because it was for wealthy prisoners, people of high standing  who had fallen out of favour with the King.  These people were allowed to go for daytime walks up to 3 miles away from the prison and were allowed their own servants to tend to their needs. They could also bring their own books, furniture and tapestries into the tower.

There was also a pit prison in the castle which could not be further from the luxury of the tower. Here, lower ranking prisoners lived in misery with no fires, rats for company and waiting for the daily high tide to wash away their toilet waste. In 1924 a manacle was found in the pit, still with the wrist bone of  some unfortunate attached to it. 

The keeper of the castle was well paid for looking after the prison. His apartments were luxurious and you will find a grand hall with a high ceiling and fireplaces. 

Great Hall in Blackness Castle

The castle's battlements provide superb views of the River Forth and you can spot the famous rail and road bridges:

View of the Forth rail and road bridges from Blackness Castle

Once you have finished exploring the castle it is worth taking a walk down to the grassy area on the shoreline. It is a pretty spot for a stroll and a good area to view the castle jutting out into the river. 

The shoreline next to Blackness Castle

Cake Time
There is no cafe at Blackness Castle, but there is a good place nearby. Mannerstonsfarm shop and cafe is a couple of minutes cycling on the A904.

This is a popular place where you can buy vegetables, fruit, cheese, meats eggs, jams and other farm produce.  They also do a fine selection of homemade ice cream. The cafe provides tastyhome baking and I can recommend the Victoria sponge cake. There is outdoor seating to make use of on sunny days.

Make sure you don't miss their delivery bicycle parked in the entrance way.

​Blackness is located in the West Lothian region of Scotland. Find out more about what there is to see and do on the Visit West Lothian website.