Things to Note

During my first trip to Scotland, my husband and I road tripped our way across the country. We started in Edinburgh (see here) and after two days there, we picked up our car and started our journey via car. We visited castles throughout our seven days starting in Edinburgh and ending with Glencoe.

We utilized the Explorer Pass, which is valid for 14 consecutive days, and is a great way to explore iconic sites. We were able to use it for the following locations:

• Blackness Castle
• Doune Castle
• Edinburgh Castle

We had other locations on our list that we had originally planned to use it for but ran out of time. Those sites were:

• St. Andrews Castle
• St. Andrews Cathedral
• Stirling Castle·       
• Urquhart Castle

I highly recommend the pass, it saves money and gives back to the Historic Environment of Scotland. There are many locations you can use it on other than the ones I listed so definitely take some time to review the list and see if the pass is right for you!

We drove during our time in Scotland and we rented our car through Celtic Legend, and I can’t say enough great things about this company! It was a breeze getting the vehicle and the employees were all helpful and friendly. After picking up our car, we immediately began our journey. We got lucky with another sunny day with blue sv  kies and high temperatures.

Castles

Edinburgh Castle £19.50

This was our first castle and we loved it. But we only loved it as much as we did because we went through the castle EARLY in the morning! We did the self guided tour with a book from the gift store and really enjoyed it at our own pace. Such fascinating history and gorgeous views. You’ll learn about military fortresses, royal residences and prisoners of war.

Tickets often sell out far in advance, especially over the summer months, so I recommend booking your tickets online in advance for the best price and to guarantee entry. Once tickets are sold out online, there will be no further tickets available at the castle. Note that you really should set around 2.5-3 hours to see and experience it all (more if you go in the afternoon). We got there around 9 and when we left at noon it was INSANE. So start early and then get out! Also, make sure you catch a view of it at night.

And even if she won’t admit it, this castle totally gave Harry Potter vibes. From the signage to the castle itself.

MidHope Castle £9.50

This location is primarily visited by Outlander fans as it is known as Lallybroch (Broch Tuarach) in the show. You can only walk the grounds as the castle itself is not open to the public on a regular bases. There are occasionally special visits to the interior, but those are separate from regular tickets and the inside is not what is shown in the show.

We had the first time slot ticket and it was just my husband and I plus 5 other people. It was just incredible to stand in the place of the fictional story that changed my life. If you’re an outlander fan, you’re going to love it. If not, it is still gorgeous, especially the surrounding grounds, so I would suggest still visiting. It was so cool to see in person and the nature surrounding the area was beautiful! 

We got there at 8:30am and since it doesn’t open until 9am, we were just able to soak in the countryside. We walked around the open trails in the woods next to the entrance where the scenes from season 3 when Jamie is in the cave were filmed. When the gates opened, it was perfect. 7 people in total and the quietness of the countryside made for the experience to be beyond what my imagination could have dreamed up. Fictional stories have a way of forming our hearts and minds into worlds you feel like you can never physically experience. To be able to step foot in a real location from a fictional story just made the situation incredibly special. I couldn’t imagine having that experience with crowds so if you want to feel like you’ve got it to yourself go early!

Blackness Castle £7.50

The Ship That Never Sailed: The best part of this day castle wise, was how early of a start we got. Due to that, we rarely ran into any crowds and we were fortunate enough to experience the castle casually without feeling rushed. This was one location that was incredibly rich in history. From being a royal castle, to a garrison fortress, to a state prison, to an ammunition depot, to eventually being decommissioned after the First World War, there is so much to learn and explore when visiting this location. You can feel the darkness when walking the grounds.

This was also a filming location for the brutal Fort William in Outlander. Scenes from season 1 include The Flogging Scene, The Rescuing of Claire, and the Escape. This location is also included in Season 2 when Biranna visits with Roger to explore the grounds.

Doune Castle £10.00

I LOVED this castle. I absolutely adored everything about this location, including the grounds. This is an extremely recognizable location from films and series such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail in various scenes such as the Trojan Rabbit and the French taunting scene, Outlander (& Blood of my Blood) as Castle Leoch, and Game of Thrones (pilot episode) as Winterfell. There is a wonderful audio tour available that provides multiple point of view for learning about the castle and the grounds. There are options for film and series and history, so no matter what you’re looking for you will walk away being informed and impressed! While we were there it was partially under construction, but we hardly noticed and it did not take away from the splendor of the castle itself.

After you finish touring the castle, don’t miss the grounds! There are woodland walks, the site of a Roman Fort, and a beautiful pedestrian bridge. We could have stayed for hours just wandering around. There is also the village of Doune that you can visit for some lunch or to just simply walk around.

Eilean Donan Castle £12.00

Eilean Donan Castle is an iconic image of Scotland and for good reason! This quickly became our favorite castle, both inside and out! Located in the highlands and originally built in the 13th century, this is a true castle that will take you back and on a journey through time and history. Situated on an island, as you cross the bridge to the castle you can’t help but be in awe of the nature and visuals you are surrounded by.

You will also find a gift shop and cafe, so if you have any extra time you can grab some snacks and a drink.The gift shop here also had wonderful local pieces and I definitely left with a few, check it out.

And a crazy treat, as we left the castle and went out on the rocks below to look out at the views, out of nowhere bagpipes started playing. It was a moment out of the movies and something I will never be able to forget.

Kincraig Castle (hotel)

Just to Note – If you want to stay somewhere that gives you a small castle feel, this is it. Since the 17th century, Kincraig Castle has been home to generations of the Mackenzie Clan and it’s now a country house hotel. The rooms are the biggest you’ll stay in during your whole trip, but the views are just stunning. It is a little bit dated in terms of decor and rooms, but it’s a unique find that gives you peace and quiet in the highlands. I wish we could have had more time to explore the grounds or just sit and listen to the birds while sipping on some tea and looking across the land. The food was great, we had dinner and breakfast. When we arrived it was a Sunday and not many people were around so it was quiet and we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves before sitting down in the dining room.

There are obviously so many more castles to visit, these were just the ones we had time to go to during our road trip. We loved each one and I highly recommend making time to visit them during your trip!