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Dunrobin, home to the Dukes of Sutherland, is one of Scotland's best castles to visit. Here are 10 reasons why you should visit:
1. It looks like a fairytale castle 'Fairytale' is a word often applied to Scotland's castles, but in the case of Dunrobin it couldn't be more appropriate. Slender turrets and pink stone make it look like something from a storybook. 
Dunrobin Castle
2. A cup of tea next to a roaring fireplace
If there is a chill in the air nothing beats walking into the castle and warming up next to one of the fires. Try to get a table next to the fireplace in the tearoom. 
Fireplace in the entrance hallway of Dunrobin Castle
3. Falconry displays
Take a seat and watch a Peregrine Falcon soar inches from your head. Falconry displays take place twice a day in the castle gardens and give you a chance to learn about some magnificent birds of prey. 
Golden eagle at Dunrobin Castle
4. The location
The castle is perched above a walled garden, overlooking the shore of the North Sea. Behind the castle there are forests and majestic hills. 
Dunrobin Castle overlooking the North Sea. Image from canmore.org.uk
5. The Connection with the Houses of Parliament
Sir Charles Barry, the architect of the Houses of Parliament in London, designed the gardens and the Victorian extension of Dunrobin Castle. 
Gardens of Dunrobin Castle
6. A library of 10,000 books
The sycamore lined library with its portrait of Duchess Eileen is one of the magnificent rooms that you can see on a self-guided tour of the castle. 
Library in Dunrobin Castle. Image from Pintrest
7. Meet the man in red tights
The castle is home to an impressive art and furniture collection. Look out for the portrait of Hugh O'Neil, 2nd Earl of Tyrone in the music room. I challenge you to find a man with tights as impressive as these ones. 
Portrait of Hugh O'Neil. Image from tate.org.uk
8. Stroke the castle cat
A friendly black cat likes to spend time in the castle grounds and you are bound to come across it during your visit. 
9. A museum of hunting trophies
A stark reminder that it was once acceptable to shoot magnificent creatures for sport, the museum in the castle grounds is full of taxidermy. It also has a collection of Pictish carved stones and other interesting curiosities. 
Dunrobin Castle museum. Image from Expedia.com
10. The castle train station
Dunrobin Castle has its own train station with a curious English Arts and Crafts architecture. Trains still call at the station and there is a collection of railway memorabilia inside. Read more about the station in my blog 
Dunrobin Castle train station
How to get to Dunrobin Castle
The castle is 50 miles north of Inverness on the A9. You can also get there by train. The castle station is a 5 minute wallk from the entrance to the castle and trains from Inverness take about 2 hours and 20 minutes. For cycling to the castle read my travel feature 
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Dumbarton Castle. Image from lovelochlomond.com
Exploring Dumbarton Castle is a magical, fairytale grotto experience. The castle can be reached from the Clyde and Loch Lomond Cycleway. If you are taking the train on the West Highland Line to reach destinations further north then it is possible to do a stopover at Dumbarton Castle.
From Glasgow to Dumbarton on the Clyde and Loch Lomond Cycleway (Route 7) is 15 miles. The route passes through East End Park in Dumbarton. Head south through the park, passing by Dumbarton East station, to reach the castle. Dumbarton East train station There are two train stations in Dumbarton- Central and East. Dumbarton East is the closest to the castle. As the train approaches the station you will notice the castle perched on the chunk of volcanic rock. The station has some architectural survivors from the Victorian era. This includes this decorative iron railing on the staircase that takes you down to street level. 
The entrance and exit to the station is under the railway bridge. Take a closer look because it is magnificent! It is a triple archway; grand and decorative. It is somewhat lost and forgotten in the dingy atmosphere under the bridge, but this archway could easily be at home on a Parisian monument.
It will take just 6 to 7 minutes to cycle from here to the castle.
Sons of the Rock
The route takes you passed an attractive square of grass, trees and benches surrounded by Victorian cottages, villas and tenements. After passing Dumbarton Football Club, which is nicknamed 'sons of the rock', the volcanic rock upon which the castle sits begins to dominate your horizon. It is a formidable and rugged piece of geology; all the more striking because of the flatness and urbanity of the town through which you have just passed through. Yes, this is a world away from the trains, delivery lorries, pubs, hairdressers and takeaways that are just minutes behind you. Take a few moments to look up and marvel at the rock and then enjoy the view of the tranquil River Clyde. The castle was so impenetrable that it took James IV two attempts to capture it in 1489. He was only succesful because he dragged the biggest cannon available, Mons Meg, all the way from Edinburgh Castle. 
View of Dumbarton Rock and Dumbarton Castle from the shores of the River Clyde
River Clyde as seen from the shore next to Dumbarton Castle
Fairytale Grotto
Walking through Dumbarton Castle is like no other castle experience. What came into my head when I tried to describe it was 'fairytale grotto'. Stairs and archways lead you up and up through the interior of this living volcanic rock. There is lots of greenery, songbirds and a trickling water course that flows under the portcullis. You feel like you are in a magical rock garden. 
The castle has been built to fit within the rock, taking advantage of the natural contours of the rock. It means that there are stairs and pathways cut into the rock, buildings stuck between the rock and sometimes you have to squeeze by rough chunks of rock to continue on your way.
This combination of fortress and nature is what makes Dumbarton Castle unique and exciting to explore. 
Dumbarton Castle's 16th century guard house is built in an opening between two chunks of rock
When you get to the top of the rock this gives the best impression of the wildness of this place. The highest point is 74m. You feel like you are on a Highland mountain or lonely moor and that you should have brought hiking boots and a windproof jacket. The steward at the ticket office had told me "if it is bad weather it can get really bleak up here."
The views from up here are worth the effort. You can see Ben Lomond on the horizon, which was snow covered during my vist.
The view from the top of Dumbarton Castle. Snow covered Ben Lomond is in the distance. The red tower was part of Allied Distillery
View of the River Clyde from the top of Dumbarton Castle
I enjoyed walking the outer wall to the Bower Battery. From here cannons could fire onto the route up the river. It was so calm and peaceful when I visited with barely a ripple on the water and the only sound came from seagulls.
The vast majority of the visit is outside. There are few interiors to explore. You can go inside the guardhouse where there are information panels and I spotted a fireplace with coats of arms as decoration.
The most distinctive building within the complex is the Governor's House which was covered in scaffolding during my visit. I noticed that there were curtains on the windows of the top floor, "so I asked the steward if anybody lived there. He said "the property manager used to, but there are roof problems and other issues, so it will take a few years to fix." 
Fireplace inside the guard house of Dumbarton Castle
The French prison at Dumbarton Castle. I like the round window and the arched door
Getting here using the train
From Glasgow it takes about 30 minutes to reach Dumbarton East. Services are frequent at four per hour. If you are using the West Highland Line and want to stop off to visit Dumbarton Castle be aware that the West Highland train only calls at Dumbarton Central, not Dumbarton East. This means that you will need to cycle to Dumbarton Central, just over one mile from the castle, to get a West Highland train. There is a lunchtime departure of a West Highland train from Dumbarton Central, so you could spend the morning at the castle and then catch the train northwards. 
Tantallon Castle from above. Image from north-berwick.co.uk
One of Scotland's most dramatically situated castles can be reached easily from Edinburgh using the train and a bicycle. Tantallon Castle is perched on a rocky coastline, surrounded by cliffs, and has stunning views of the Bass Rock with its 150,000 gannets.
From Edinburgh Waverley station take a train to North Berwick (35 minutes). North Berwick station is the end of this line and once had stone buildings and an elegant canopied roof, but this was all demolished in the 1980s. Today there is little more than a small kiosk with a sign stating "confectionery and newspapers." Take the A198 to the castle You have to cycle 6km on an A-road that has a steady amount of traffic, but the road is wide enough for safe overtaking. For a large part of the road a pavement runs alongside it. Although this is not marked as a cycle path it is not heavily used by pedestrians. Unfortunately it does not go all the way to the castle and there is no choice but to use the road for a final, short stretch. 
View of the Bass Rock from the A198 road
This is a coastal road, giving views across golden fields to the blue sea and the Bass Rock. On the return trip the view is even better because you can see Berwick Law, a hill that dominates the landscape for miles. The surrounding area is mainly flat so Berwick Law looks mountainous and gives the impression that it towers over the town.
On reaching the castle car park you have to leave your bicycle here and then purchase a ticket from the kiosk to enter the castle. The approach to the castle involves a walk across this bridge. 
The castle has a stunning profile with towers, the sea behind it and the Bass Rock to the left.
Tantallon Castle with the Bass Rock in the background on the left
There is another wooden bridge to cross to get inside the castle:
The bridge crossing the ditch into Tantallon Castle
The bridge crosses a wide, deep ditch that was an inegral part of the defences. This view shows the ditch and the mighty towers that have stood here since the 1350s:
Tantallon Castle. View of the ditch and the towers.
Once you are through the door and inside you will find this an exciting place to explore. There are plenty of spiral stairs, with rope handrails to grab onto, narrow passages and hideouts.
On leaving the castle I commented on the stairs and passages to the steward and he said, "yes, it's a good fitness regime." If you are disappointed by the short cycle on this route, then fear not! The castle itself is going to give you plenty of exercise. 
The door into Tantallon Castle
I peered down a 32 meter deep well and discovered the shaft to be thriving with jungle-like foliage. It was like a lost world down there. The plant in the well is hart's tongue fern.
Tantallon Salad It turns out that the castle provides a home for many flowers and plants. The old stone walls are like a rock garden for wild thyme and wall pepper, a plant whose leaves have a peppery taste. So, the castle walls are a good place to pick up salad ingredients! The castle ditches also provide nourishment in the form of scurvy-grass, a plant rich in Vitamin C that sailors once munched to ward off scurvy. Sea Views I found a narrow passageway to a latrine where I looked through the hole to a view of the sea lapping far below. I liked the idea of a bathroom with the sound of the sea below. The sea was gentle during my visit. It made a soothing, calming sound as I made my way around the castle. There are many windows that give views over the grassy courtyard, out to sea and the Bass Rock. 
Looking out over the courtyard of Tantallon Castle towards the Bass Rock
When you walk out into the courtyard and turn around to look at the castle facade it is equally as impressive as the landward view of the building.
Tantallon Castle, from the courtyard
The landside view from the castle looks across fields towards Berwick Law. I could hear geese from a nearby farm and watched two horses grazing. It was peaceful now and almost impossible to imagine the siege of 1491 when King James IV brought catapults and dug trenches. This siege and others failed to take the castle, a testament to the strength of the building.
View of Berwick Law from Tantallon Castle. The struture in the foreground is a Dovecote.
How to get there
Making use of the train and a bicycle makes it easy to visit the castle, otherwise you need a car or plan a journey using train and local bus to get there as a day trip from Edinburgh. The train takes 35 minutes from Edinburgh and it is a 12km return cycle trip, If you want more of a cycle you could ride from Edinburgh to Musselburgh and then take the train to North Berwick. 
Deanston Distillery
Andy Murray, Monty Python and Ken Loach. This cycle route has it all! The cycle path between Dunblane and Doune makes it easy to see both the stunning interior of Dunblane Cathedral and have a tour of the distillery that featured in Angel's Share, a film about whisky.
The route takes you alongside the river, Allan Water. Its banks are crowded with trees, making this a green and peaceful spot. There is a distinctive narrow humpback bridge to cross and this gives a great view of the fast flowing water.
Bridge over Allan Water, Dunblane
Allan Water, Dunblane
The route proceeds through housing estates with large properties, reflecting the wealth of the area. Then a muddy lane with potholes-a-plenty where I disturbed some pheasants rustling noisily in the bushes- they made a panicked and clumsy escape.
Further ahead the path was blocked by pupils from Dunblane High School. "Bike!" One of the girls shouted. "Make way people!" Then a teacher shouted "Move to the right!". But they all moved to the left. The teacher looked at me and shrugged, "I say right and they go left!" There was still a group of boys that I had to pass and they were completely unaware, so it was time for the girl to shout again, "Move! Murray!" This time they heard and moved to allow me to pass. I thanked them and they all said, "no problem." After this I reached the disused railway path, a flat and straight route, flanked by trees and bushes. 
This line had linked Dunblane to Callender until closure in 1965. There are several bridges along the route, which are about the only physical remnants of the railway.
Cycle path with disused railway bridge between Dunblane and Doune
The path provides good views when it gets closer to Doune. I found a bench to sit in the sun and eat my tuna roll from a Dunblane bakery, songbirds creating a lunchtime concert.
Doune Castle featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. There is an entry fee, but you can look at the outside for free.
Doune Castle
Doune has a narrow main street with small cottages. There is a particularly striking red house, adorned with window boxes.
My favourite building in Doune is a white house on George Street with quirky architectural features. There are archways, narrow windows, triangular bay windows and a turret like a witches hat. The house is called Pudden Wynd.
This house is passed on the way to Deanston Distillery, which is only 1.3 miles from Doune. This distillery building is more industrial and functional than the poster boy distilleries that adorn coffee table books, postcard racks and tourist brochures. There are no pagodas or gleaming white-painted warehouses, but it has a pleasant location next to the River Teith where heron's can be seen fishing.
If you are thinking that the taller building is perhaps reminiscent of an old mill you are correct. Deanston was originally a cotton mill. It operated from 1785 until its closure in 1965. A new use was found for the site as a whisky distillery. 
Deanston distillery
The great thing about the Deanston guided tour is that you can take photographs which many other distilleries prohibit.
I have been on several distillery tours, so I tend to look for things that are different, things that might be unique to a particular distillery. At Deanston they include something that I had not seen before on a distillery tour- the room where they fill the whisky barrels. I was quite surprised to see that the device they use was like a petrol pump and putting whisky into a barrel was just like filling up a car.
At Deanston distillery the whisky barrels are filled with this divice that is like a petrol pump
There were also containers full of the wooden stoppers that are used to plug tha barrels shut. I learned that the stoppers are made of poplar.
Stoppers used to plug whisky barrels
I also discovered that Deanston generates its own electricity from water power, the only distillery to do so. The surplus electricity is sold back to the National Grid.
A visit to a distillery is an assault on your senses. There is noisy machinery, heat and humidity and unusual smells. In particular, the washbacks, the large containers that contain fermenting liquid, is very fruity, like ripe bananas. In the warehouse there is a whisky barrel signed by the cast and crew of the film Angel's Share. This is a Scottish film directed by Ken Loach with a mixture of comedy and drama. Whisky features heavily in the film and some scenes were made at Deanston. 
Whisky barrel's signed by cast and crew of the film Angel's Share at Deanston Distillery
All distillery tours end with a tasting. This is quite a basic affair compared to some other distilleries I have visited. At Deanston you drink your dram standing up in the shop, whereas some other distilleries have dedicated tasting rooms with leather armchairs.
Deanston is not a smoky whisky. It is smooth, sweet and fruity. I purchased a miniature which was wrapped in tissue with a classy sticker featuring a picture of the distillery buildings. There is a water wheel in the picture, a nice way to remember the cotton mill that was originally here. The first part of this blog is about Dunblane and can be read here.
Distances and Directions
This is a ten mile return trip from Dunblane. Being a short cycle means that there is plenty of time to visit Dunblane and its Cathedral and take a tour of Deanston Distillery. Dunblane takes around an hour to reach by train from Glasgow or Edinburgh. Most of the cycle route is on a dedicated path, but once you reach Doune there will be some road cycling. To reach Deaston on leaving Doune you have to turn left onto the A84, which can be a busy road, but you are only it for a few minutes. The traffic-free cycle route from Dunblane to Doune is not yet on Google Maps, so I have not shown this on the map, but have added the route from Doune to Deanstone Distillery.  My favourite turret on Castle Fraser When you have seen as many Scottish castles as I have you begin to search for something that is a bit unique, something that makes each individual castle standout from the crowd. With Castle Fraser, in Abderdeenshire, it is this turret that I will always remember. It is perhaps my most favourite castle turret. What is so great about this turret, I hear you ask? Well, just look at the top of it. There are two layers of tiny little windows that go all the way around the circumference. I haven't seen that before on a turret. Normally you just have the single windows at regular intervals from top to bottom. That collection of small windows at the top is what makes this turret unique and why it is my favourite in Scotland. This turret is also clamped on to the side of a much larger turret. It looks to me like a parent turret with a little baby clamped onto its back. Inside there is a staircase and when you reach the top of the staircase there is plenty of light flooding in from that profusion of miniature windows.  The top of the turret, providing access to the roof terrace Opening that white door takes you onto the rooftop terrace of the larger turret. Not all Scottish castles have visitor access to the roof, so reaching the top is a moment to cherish.  On the rooftop terrace of Castle Fraser From up here there is the scent of wood smoke from the fire burning in the Great Hall far below. You can look over the castle courtyard and out towards the tree-lined avenue.  The view from the rooftop terrace over the courtyard of Castle Fraser In the other direction you can see some gentle hills with a crown of trees.  I should also point out that the turret has a brass rooster weather vain. Yet another reason why this is my favourite Scottish castle turret.  Weather vain on the turret of Castle Fraser Castle Fraser was completed in 1636 as the home of the Fraser family and is filled with their portraits, fine furniture and other treasures. Now a National Trust property you can visit the interiors and gardens. From Inverurie train station it is about an 8 or 9 mile cycle to get there.
 Corgarff Castle This Easter Sunday I faced the choice of cycling to Balmoral Castle or to Corgarff Castle. Everyone knows that Balmoral Castle is one of the homes of the British Royal Family and many people would love the chance to visit. Most people will not of heard of Corgarff Castle. Which would you choose? If you were hoping to read all about Balmoral then I am sorry to disappoint you. I decided to go to the place that nobody has heard of. What persuaded me was this photograph:  Corgarff Castle in the wilderness. Photo from www.britainexpress.com Ever since I saw that photo I knew that I had to go to this place. The combination of a brilliant white castle and green and brown wild mountains captured my imagination. The castle is the only sign of human life for miles around and the remoteness appealed to my sense of adventure. The castle had been used as a barracks in the eighteenth century for Government troops and this is when the unique star shaped perimeter wall was added. The wall had slits for muskets to be fired out of.
I could not help but imagine a big screen film with red coat soldiers outnumbered by highlanders. The soldiers are trapped inside the castle with limited supplies and ammunition and desperately defending the perimeter wall with their muskets. Back to real life. The castle was never actually attacked and was primarily used as a base for patrols that searched for local people wearing kilts (which had been made illegal) or apprehending smugglers.  Barrack room inside Corgarff Castle I was staying in Ballater, Deeside. From here I cycled the 15 miles along the A939 to the castle. Despite being an A-road it was fairly light on traffic, but it has its fair share of hills. At the road's highest point there is barren moorland with hills like an unmixed cake mixture of swirling greys, greens, browns, pale yellow and aubergine.  The A939 heading towards Corgarff Castle The landscape is spectacular. It was quite tough cycling, but this made it even more worthwhile and special to arrive at Corgarff Castle.  One of the steep hills of the A939 You cannot drive or cycle right up to the castle entrance. There is a car park to leave your transportation so that you can walk up a steep path where you must watch out for the sheep droppings.  Inside the castle there is not that much to see and a 30 minute visit is easily enough time, but that is not the point. The magic of Corgarff is the location and imagining what it must have been like to be a soldier stationed here. Right at the top of the building the windows rattled in the wind and I imagined what it must have been like to be here in the depths of winter, miles and miles from the nearest town.  Looking out a window of Corgarff Castle Corgarff Castle certainly lived up to the imaginings that the photo had conjured up. I was glad that I had chosen it over Balmoral. Do you think I made the right choice?  |
