Review of Culzean Castle and how to get there by bike

Of all Scotland's castles Culzean offers the greatest number of things to see and do. It's not just the castle to see, but the grounds are full of interesting buildings and gorgeous gardens. And it's easy to get there by train and bike.

Highlights

• just 5 miles of cycling to get there from the nearest train station
• the castle's Oval Tower, a masterpiece by one of Scotland's most renowned architects
• exquisite interiors full of period furniture and paintings
• huge grounds to explore with 40 buildings, including a Gothic conservatory
• beautiful flower displays
• beach and coastal walk​

How to get there

You do not need a car- you can reach Culzean with less than 5 miles of cycling from Maybole station.

Maybole is around 1 hour and 15 minutes by train from Glasgow.

Maybole station has its original 1860s stone buildings and the High Street has a nice collection of Victorian-era buildings. You leave the town on Culzean Road to join the B7023 to get to the castle.

Maybole station

It is not a busy road, but in peak tourist season there could be a decent amount of traffic heading to the castle. My advice is to go early to avoid that traffic and also to ensure you have enough time to see everything at the castle. There are some hills, but nothing too strenuous. 

What makes this castle worth going to?

Pick up the visitor map and you'll soon realise how extensive the castle grounds are. The map is so big you have to unfold it. 

Apart from the castle there are 40 other buildings in the grounds.  Then you've got a beach and cliffs, extensive woodlands, gardens, and a deer park. I've been to most of Scotland's castles and stately homes and none of them beat Culzean for the extent of things to see and do. If you want a full-day Scottish castle experience this is the place.

Culzean Castle

Lets head into the castle

You enter the castle via the armoury. It displays 700 pistols arranged in fan shapes. It's the sort of thing only someone very rich and probably excentric would create.

Musket display in Culzean Castle

On the ceiling of the armoury there's a propellor from the biplane that was the first to have shot down a zeppelin in the First World War. How does one aquire such an object? I guess if you are the Earl of Cassilis anything is possible. It was the 10th Earl who commissioned the famous architect, Robert Adam, in 1776. Much of what you see today dates from that period.

The Oval Tower

The oval staircase

Adam's greatest achievement at Culzean is the oval tower. The Earl wanted a grand room to show off the sea views, but Adam was restricted by the available space- the castle sits on a cliff edge. To make this tower possible there are support foundations in the caves below the castle.

Seen from the sea, the Oval Tower is right on the edge. You'd be forgiven for thinking it could topple into the sea at any moment. The construction is impressive. 

Inside the Oval Tower

The staircase in the tower leads to a reception room with sea views towards Ailsa Craig. This island is famous for its granite used to make curling stones. It's also home to puffin and gannet colonies.

There could be a wild storm with waves crashing below this room and you'd be unaware of it, that's how impressive the construction is. ​

The library in Culzean Castle

It's all in the detail

As impressive as the rooms are in the castle, it was the little details I noticed the most. Like the servant bell pulls, so elegant for such a functional object. Door handles are elevated to an artwork at Culzean.

A servant bell ringer in Culzean Castle

An elaborate door handle at Culzean Castle

On a marble fireplace I spotted a carving of a cherub riding a fish! A quirky little detail that's so easy to miss when your eyes are naturally drawn to the fine art covering the walls.

Detail of carving on a fireplace in Culzean

At Culzean you must look up at the ceilings as they are stunning

A ceiling in Culzean Castle

"Do not smile at droll stories"

In the castle kitchen there's a list of rules for servants to follow. There were a lot of things they were not allowed to do! 

Servant rules on display in the kitchen

Cliff walk

Culzean's seaside location means you can explore the cliffs and the beach below the castle. I found this to be an incredibly peaceful place in contrast to the castle, which can get very busy with visitors. 

The beach at Culzean Castle

The beach is littered with tiny shells of different shapes and colours. I picked up a handful to feel their smoothness and smell the sea from them. There are rock pools where you might just spot a starfish, sea urchin or ghost prawn.

Tiny shells on the beach

A view of the Firth of Clyde from Culzean Castle

Walled garden

Inside the walled garden of Culzean Castle

This is one of the best displays of flowers I have ever seen. The variety of colours and smells was stunning. There is also produce like huge cabbages, apple trees and perfect tomatoes in the green houses. When the family were in London they had produce sent to them from this garden.

I read there used to be a penny-farthing cycling track in this area and I found a cute thatched summer house. The roof was supported with tree trunks

Thatched summer house

Inside the thatched summer house

The Gas Manager

Culzean had its own gas supply with a gas house in the grounds. It was run by a Gas Manager, who was on call 24 hours per day to ensure the castle's gas supply was maintained.

Path down to Culzean Castle's gas house

When gas was a new invention and municpal gas supplies were yet to exist it was usual for large houses to have their own gas supply

Gas house at Culzean Castle

Inside the gas house

The gas manager was considered very important and provided with a cottage for his family.

Gas manager's cottage at Culzean Castle

Camellia House

My favourite building in the grounds was the Camellia House, a Gothic conservatory. I loved the metal-framed arched doors and windows.

Inside the Camellia House

Farm, pond and pagoda

This blog is already too long and there is still more to show you at Culzean! There's also a farm, the pagoda and a swan pond which is big enough to be a lake. Oh, and a deer park with a herd of deer and llamas. And if you love walking there are 17 miles of paths.

Home Farm at Culzean Castle has a visitor centre, exhibition, shop and restaurant

Pagoda. One of many buildings at Culzean that have no purpose other than to amuse and decorate the grounds

Swan pond is huge. More like swan lake!

Culzean has several places to get something to eat, including an ice cream parlour. All these places were very busy during my visit. I tried a tuna sandwich, a sponge cake and coffee. They were good quality, but nothing amazing.
 
For children there are exciting playgrounds that include zip slides, tree houses and castle turrets.

Final thoughts

Culzean Castle is one of the best castles to visit in Scotland. I'd go as far as saying it is unbeatable for the amount of things to see and do. You need to spend the whole day here to see everything, especially the extensive grounds. I don't think there are any other castles or big houses in Scotland that need a full day to visit.

If you only have time to visit one castle in Scotland then Culzean should be the one. Do you agree? Let me know in the comments