Castles & Palaces of Scotland

You've probably noticed that castles are a major theme in my Scotland Blogs. As well as Scottish food,  particularly scones, but that's for another day.

The Scottish countryside is scattered with fortified castles which are a reminder of the centuries of assaults that this country underwent throughout history.

It's amazing how the Scots can make you feel so welcome and offer their famous "no worries" advice, considering all of the tumult that the country faced since the beginning of its existence.

Fear of invasion warranted the building of castles for protection.  Each was a residence for Royalty that was fortified against attack.

And, yes, I've visited a number of them, some of them more than once.

Most of the castles that I visited were ruins bought up by the National Trust of Scotland for preservation.  Nearly all had fallen victim to Cromwell's destruction in the mid 1600's. The NTS buys up the property and saves these important historical buildings from further deteriation.  They then set up the grounds to offer a glimpse of the past so that one can try to understand the history.

What's really amazing is how many of these structures continue to stand in the countryside, some from as early as the 11th century!    We are fortunate that they were not all destroyed over time, and that the NTS realizes the importance of maintaining these structures for future generations to explore.

Each one of these fortifications was unique in its own way.  You might have thought that I'd get tired looking at so many stone structures, but the history behind each of them really fascinates me.


One thing that I learned from an NTS guide was that a church had always precluded a castle or a palace.  Sadly, very few of these original Catholic churches survived the Protestant reformation. But most of the ruins that I explored still contained some part of the original church structure.

So, let me share some of my thoughts on these amazing structures that I was lucky enough to visit.

Aberdour is considered to be the oldest stone castle in all of Scotland.  St. Fillans stands just outside the castle walls, and it has been restored for use as a parish church for the town. 

Stirling and Edinburgh stand on crags offering spectacular views of the countryside.  Both have finished rooms, with Stirling recently being renovated to reflect the era of James V.  But none of the furnishings is original to the castle.  Even the tapestries are copies, with the originals being held in the Metropolitan museum in New York City.  Both look pretty spectacular when lit up at night.

Edinburgh Castle at night

Stirling Castle at dusk

 Castle Campbell looks as if someone just dropped it onto the top of a mountain in Dollar Glen.  The hike up the hill to the castle was surely a work out, but the views over the town and countryside were well worth the effort.

Kellie Castle is nestled in the country with lovely walled gardens to peruse. It was bought by John Lorimor in the late 1800's.  He is responsible for preserving this quaint castle and turning it into a fine country home where he raised his family.

Dirleton, the only castle that I visited with a moat and drawbridge, is located on the southern part of the Firth of Forth, very near the North Sea. It is on the outskirts of a very charming town and boasts lovely gardens. 

 St. Andrews in Northern Fife offered some spectacular vistas. Ravenscraig stands near Dysart, with lovely views over the Firth of Forth from the north.

Tantallon Castle juts out into the North Sea.  The vistas from the top of the ruins are amazing, and we spotted a pair of Puffins on the rocks below.

Loch Leven can only be reached by boat across the lake, making that visit quite a unique experience.

Craigmillar Castle stood out as my favorite, primarily because it is hidden very near Edinburgh, and it is fairly well preserved, having been spared from the wrath of Cromwell.

In addition to the many castle which offered safe haven, the Royal Kings also built palaces, which were designed for relaxation,  more for pleasure than for fortification against attack.

The oldest of the Palaces that I visited was Dumfermline Palace, built by Malcolm III and Queen Margaret. There is quite a bit of history associated with this palace, but, sadly, very little of it remains.  The adjoining Abbey continues to stand well-preserved, however, with a tribute to Robert the Bruce upon it's steeple.

The Royal Palace at Culross was not built until the late 1500's.  We were not able to tour it when we were in the town, but the exterior certainly looked charming in this well-preserved village along the Firth of Forth.  The gardens are stacked on a hill behind the palace which is where this photo was taken.

Linlithgow Palace features the original fountain constructed by James V.  Climbing to the top of the tower offers outstanding views of the surrounding countryside. 

Holyrood Palace, located in Edinburgh, is quite spectacular.  The interior reflects life during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots.  The ruins of the Abbey still stand out among the beauty of the surrounding gardens.

Falkland Palace was my favorite place to visit.  It is located on the outskirts of the town of Falkland and continues to hold an active Catholic Chapel. The furnishings were original to the building, and the grounds boast the oldest tennis court in the world.  The locals seem to be very excited by that fact. Mary loved staying at Falkland, and it is certainly easy to see why.

One of the places that we stumbled upon quite by accident was Kinneil house.  The estate was gifted to the Hamilton family from Robert the Bruce in the early 1300's.  What began as a small tower house in the 1400's, eventually expanded to a palace and a family home.  In the 1600's, major renovations were made to Kinneil house.  But, a century later,  the house was rented to tenants, and it fell into disrepair.

This building was scheduled for demolition in 1936 when it was discovered that rare Renaissance wall paintings were hiding under the plaster in two of the rooms in the tower.  The town council realized what a gem they nearly destroyed, and they began to make efforts to restore the house and rooms for viewing.  The earliest buildings had already been gutted at this point, so they continue to stand as ruins, but the rest of the house has been preserved and can be toured on certain days of the month.  And we happened to be lucky enough to be in Scotland on one of those open house days, so I could add that to my list of palaces that I visited.

The one thing that I never realized prior to visiting the Edinburgh area, was just how many of these castles and palaces Mary, Queen of Scots visited.  I just cannot imagine her entourage traveling to some of these locations, but the literature shows that she did, indeed, visit many of the residences that I have mentioned. 

Let me just give you a brief synopsis

Mary, Queen of Scots was born in Linlithgow Palace:

crowned Queen of Scotland at Stirling Castle at the age of 9 months:

As a very young child, she visited Callendar House, near Edinburgh.  Note the French influence in the construction of this manor home.  Mary's mother was French and felt comfortable in such surroundings

.

When she was five, a marriage agreement was made on her behalf with the eldest son of the King of France.  She was sent there shortly thereafter, where she grew up in the Palace and married the young prince, who became King upon his father's death, crowning her Queen of France.

But that was short-lived, when the young King died at a very young age from an ear infection.  Mary was then sent home from France to rule her own country of Scotland. 

Upon return, she stayed at Craigmillar Castle.

Her maids, most of whom where French, traveled with her, and stayed nearby in a little village which is still known to this day as "Little France". 

Mary attended a wedding celebration at Castle Campbell, where she stayed a few days during the festivities. 

While staying at Rossend Castle near Burntisland she was accosted by Pierre de Boscosel de Chastelard, who hid under her bed so that he could surprise her and  proclaim his love for her. That grave mistake on his part led to his beheading not long afterwards.  

Not sure who was more surprised by that action!

Mary frequently traveled  to St. Andrew's Castle, and often stopped at Dumfermline Castle.  

She gave birth to her son, James VI, at Edinburgh Castle. His painting hangs near the room where he was born.

Tantallon Castle is on the list of Mary's travels as well.

She spent much time in residence at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, but her favorite place of refuge was Falkland Palace.  It certainly isn't difficult to see why she would pick Falkland for relaxation.

Sadly, Lochleven Castle, which she visited frequently, became her original place of imprisonment, where she was forced to sign papers to abdicate her throne.

She managed to escape across the loch, but her freedom would prove to be short-lived.  Very sad, indeed.

And that about sums up my castle/palace adventures.  I hope that you have enjoyed my travels out and about Edinburgh.  I certainly had a grand time exploring!

Did I mention how much I enjoyed the scones?

The Best Castle to Date

Here you see Craigmillar Castle, a medieval castle located only about 2 miles from where we are staying on the outskirts of Edinburgh.  You know, I've visited a LOT of castles on my trips to Scotland, but I have to say that I think this is my favorite.

Because Cromwell never had an opportunity to ruin it, Craigmillar is actually a well-preserved property with a tower house, inner courtyard and a large garden area surrounded by a stone wall.

I was enchanted with it the minute that I walked through the gate.

Walking through the entrance added to my delight.

The trees growing in the courtyard just seemed so cozy.

The rain kept coming in waves while we were exploring the castle and the grounds, but there were plenty of roofed rooms that had survived all of these years.  So, Marty and I would just wait out the rain until it cleared, then head out to enjoy the views.

Look closely and you'll see Edinburgh Castle towards the left of the photo, with Arthur's seat on the right. 

Here's a lovely view of the courtyard from the top of the castle.

And a view of the chapel ruins

Mary, Queen of Scots visited Craigmillar when she wanted peace and tranquility.  It's easy to see why this castle would be a haven for her.

The only downfall  of our visit was a brush with a pair of pigeons, who, unbeknownst to us, must have been nesting in one of the rooms.  I went to walk through the doorway  when one of the birds came flying directly towards my head.  I ducked and darted off in the opposite direction.  Marty stuck his head in the room, only to be startled by another pigeon who was obviously quite unhappy with our presence. That was enough to convince us to stay out of there!

I just think that we were fortunate that we didn't choose that particular spot to run into when the rain began to fall.  Who knows what our fate would have been?

The next stop on our list was the Glenkinchie Distillery.  The place wasn't that easy to find, hidden among the farmland of Midlothian, but we eventually found the place and headed in for a delightful and informative tour of just how whiskey is made.

The tour ends with whiskey tasting, and I must admit, that the single malt lowland whiskey, aged 12 years, was the first that I've tasted that didn't burn going down.  Not that I would be considered to be a Whiskey connoisseur by any means.  In fact, I generally can't stand the stuff.  But, I could see partaking in just a "wee bit"  of this stuff on occasion.  

Our last stop of the day, and of this trip, was at Rosslyn Chapel. 

This chapel was built in 1446 by William St. Clair and took 40 years to build.  The inside is filled with ornately carved sandstone depicting many stories from the Bible.  I cannot begin to describe the detail that is presented on the walls, ceilings and columns inside this building.  The ceiling in itself is a marvel to look at.

No photography was permitted, so I am sorry that I cannot share the beauty with you.

Rosslyn chapel became quite famous when it was featured in the plot climax of The Da Vinci Code.  The chapel became inundated with thousands of people, taking them quite by surprise.

As a result of this sudden interest, the chapel proprietors found themselves making quite a profit, and they decided to invest the money in a bigger and better, "state of the art" visitor center. 

From my viewpoint,  here's what state of the art will get you:  

Square bathroom fixtures. Certainly a first in my book. How about your's?

A Puffin Surprise

 With the weather boasting a bright blue sky this morning, Marty and I decided to make a trip to the East Lothian Shore, just along the southern edge of the Firth of Forth, before it reaches the North Sea.

Our first destination was Dirleton Castle.

The castle itself dates back to the 13th century .

Climbing to the top of one of the turrets offered a spectacular view of the surrounding farmland.

But there is one feature that makes Dirleton Castle truly unique:

It has the longest herbaceous border in the world.

Not that I ever realized that such a competition even existed, but if Guinness says it's so, then who am I to argue?  I will admit, that it sure was lovely!

We were quite taken by the charm of this town

and we soon found ourselves the only patrons in a small tea room, enjoying fresh baked scones.....mine served with scrumptious cream and jam.

We were soon joined by a local woman who stopped in for a bite to eat on her way home from an art lesson that she had just finished taking.  It was quite obvious that she was very excited about pursuing her artistic talent, as her face lit up as she went on to tell us that she had been sketching a live model today. 

Being the only customers in the place, the waitress became quite interested in the conversation and curiosity got the best of her. 

She politely asked the woman if the model had been dressed.  The woman said no.  

I'm not really sure if one's eyes can pop out of one's head, but the waitress's eyes came darn close to it!  Looking quite shocked, she gulped and asked the woman,  "Do you mean  NUDE?"  The woman nodded, to which the waitress, whose jaw was nearly on the floor at this point,  responded, "The man just stands there with no clothes on while you draw?"

The woman waved her hand, chuckled, and said, "There's no way a  BLOKE would do something like THAT!  These are young women that we draw....students from the University".  The waitress seemed a bit relieved at this point, and Marty and I were trying to stay composed as we felt very much as if we were part of one of those British Comedy  sitcoms.

We left the place still chuckling, and headed out along the coast towards yet another castle:  Tantallon, located just east of North Berwick.

This castle stands on a bluff that jets out as a peninsula  in the spot where the Firth of Forth meets the North Sea.

The views from this place were outstanding:

 Directly out from the castle, one can easily view Bass island:

Can you guess why that rock looks so white?  There are over 150,000 pairs of white birds nesting on it.  

But, what we found to be very exciting was the spotting of a pair of Puffins on the rocks below the castle. 

Ok, so I'll admit that they aren't that easy to see here. This is the best that my camera would let me zoom in.  But Marty and I watched them for quite some time, excited by the fact that we finally were able to see Puffins after not spotting one on Inchcolm island.

Before heading back to our B&B, we ventured half way up North Berwick Law, which offered spectacular views of the Firth over to Edinburgh in the distance in one direction, and of Tantallon Castle in the other. Here you can see the castle in the distance.

We didn't make it to the top, as the terrain became too steep for my foot to be happy.  So, I'll leave you with a road view of the top, which features the bone of a whale jaw.

I haven't a clue why that is up at the top of this "Law".  

But, one thing is for sure.  It sure is easy to spot while one is driving around.  It's just too bad that it isn't as easy to reach!

But despite failing to reach the destination, we found ourselves with a nearly picture perfect day. 

Could we ask for anything more?  I think not.

The Search for the Antonine Wall

After a leisurely breakfast at our B&B, we bid fond farewell to our lovely host, Laura, and headed towards the town of Bo'ness to visit Kinneil Estate.

The beginning of the Antonine Wall is located on the property behind the estate.  It was built after Hadrian's wall, by the Romans, in an attempt to lay claim to even more land.

Having seen photos of Amy walking Hadrian's Wall, I expected to find something similar, but this wall has not been preserved, probably because it never really held the property line between Scots and Romans for a very long time.

Our hunt led us to this:

I'll admit....it's not very impressive.  Luckily, the wall was not the only exciting feature of Kinneil.

A castle once stood on the grounds, belonging to James Hamilton, the man who actually ran the country as regent while Mary, Queen of Scots was just a baby.  The entire building was scheduled to be demolished in 1930 when someone found beautiful painted ceilings behind the plaster.  The ceilings were identical to the ones that are in Sterling Castle.

It turns out that James V visited here, often, with his daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots.  He loved the ceilings so much, that he had them duplicated at the palace.

The rooms are kept without lighting.  Only the light that enters through the room is available for viewing them, because light will destroy them.  So, unfortunately, I have no photos to share, but you can take my word for it when I tell you that they were very impressive.

Oh, and let me mention here, that a man named Roebuck brought James Watt to Kinneil Estate to improve the steam engine that was used to pump the water out of the coal mines.  Oh, and while I am sharing exciting historical facts...a man named Black discovered Carbon Dioxide in the area as well as Sulfuric Acid, which was used to dye fabrics.  

Come to think of it, we did pass Dow Chemicals just a mile or two from this place.  Perhaps there is a connection...

We traveled on to Falkirk where Callendar house stands.  The Antonine Wall runs through this property as well, although I had difficulty managing to see it myself. 

The house is filled with history and there were some lovely rooms, but most of the house is set up like a museum with a history of the town of Falkirk.

We decided to head to our B&B, since Stacey had a very early flight out of Edinburgh on  Monday morning.  I must say, that we couldn't beat the view from the room.

In the background, you can see Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park.  With the weather finally breaking, we decided to head out to the park and take the hike around the upper level of the mountain.

We walked along the ridge just above those yellow flowers.

We could see the castle in the distance.

How lucky were we, considering that it had rained nearly everyday up to this point?

And, how lucky is Stacey, that she is headed home, after cold, windy, rainy weather in Edinburgh to a forecast of 8 inches of snow?

But, it's a lovely day outside today, so Marty and I are going to enjoy it!

Day out in Stirling

Yesterday morning, we hiked up the hill behind our B&B which leads to a path that runs along the back wall of the castle through the woods.  It pops out just at the bottom of Stirling Castle, making it well worth the added effort of climbing upwards to get to our destination. 

Although the castle stands with  the original walls and structures, the inside has undergone a major refurbishing  with the National Trust making every effort to duplicate what the interior would have looked like in the time of King James IV.  While walking through the grandiose rooms, ladies-in-waiting and pages greet the visitor, and give one an idea of life in that time period.  

We were admiring tapestries in the King's Greeting Room that were on the wall, when the guide mentioned that they were copies, and that two more were being made to complete the collection, so that the room would stand as it had been when James IV would have been greeting important officials.

I inquired about the original tapestries and was quite surprised to hear that they are displayed in New York City's Metropolitan Museum. Once purchased by the Rockefeller family, they were donated to that museum.

I find it kind of crazy that  the National Trust is paying to duplicate tapestries to showcase Stirling Castle in its original grandeur while the originals are sitting in an American Museum.

I'll leave you with some photos that I took while walking through Stirling:

Above, the Wallace Monument stands in the distance.

And, we managed to get in some fun photos when Stacey wasn't looking.

Stacey would say that we were being ridiculous.  But, hey, we should be able to have some fun, don't you think?