 Almost every major figure in Scottish history (e.g. Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots) spent time at this well-defended bastion of Scottish independence.
Some visitors are put off by the museum-like quality of the
presentation/staging of the castle to the public, while other revel in
the approach.
Parts of the palace are closed for renovation and will not reopen until
2011. For more information on visiting, see the official website at
Historic Scotland
Edinburgh Castle
Sitting majestically above the city of Edinburgh on a sheer, volcanic
bluff, Edinburgh Castle is the most popular attraction in Scotland. Dating
from the 12th century (parts added in the 16th and 17 centuries), the Castle
houses the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny (Stone of the Scone -
Scotland's coronation stone), the National War Museum of Scotland and
numerous antique cannons, including the monstrous Mons Meg. See the
official website of
Edinburgh
Castle for more information
This is the castle where Mary Queen of Scots (1542 -1567) gave birth to
her only child, a son, who later became the first king of Scotland and
England (James I). For more information on Mary Queen of Scots, see this
official
site.
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a world famous event featuring military
drum and marching squads, is held in August. See this
official
website for more information on the Tattoo. It is
popular ceremony, so make reservations well in advance.
Dunnottar Castle
The impressive Dunnottar Castle ruins provide one of the most photographed
scenes in eastern Scotland. The castle sits atop a tall rock knob with
sheer, smooth- faced cliffs dropping precipitously to the sea. The Castle
dates from the 14th Century and the location is believed to have been
fortified for over two thousand years.
Dunnottar Castle is along the
coast just south of Stonehaven. You may remember this castle as it was shown
in the background of Zeffirelli's version of Hamlet (1990). The official
website for Dunnottar can be found
here.
Eilean Donan Castle
One of the most photographed sites in the Western Highlands is the Eilean
Donan Castle, near the town of Dornie (on Highway A87). The Castle sits on a
small islet and is now connected to shore by a narrow stone causeway. The
site is majestic and has been marked by the building and destruction of four
different castles since the 13th century. The present castle, which sits on
a small peninsula near the joining of three sea lochs, lay in ruins for over
200 years and was reopened to the public in 1932 after years of restoration
work.
Eilean Donan castle was destroyed by British frigates in 1719. At the time
the Castle was in the possession of Spanish soldiers billeted there in
support of the Jacobite Rebellion. Unfortunately, the Spanish had stockpiled
gunpowder in support of the Rebellion and it was used to by the British to
destroy the parts of the castle that had not been damaged by the naval
bombardment.
The castle is open for touring and the interior is interesting but not
spectacular. Eilean Donan is most famous for its setting and if you wander
the area a bit, you will find some spectacular views of the castle, the
lochs and the local mountains. See the official website of the castle for
more detail on
visiting.
Tantallon Castle
Tantallon Castle in east Lothian (near Edinburgh) was built by the Douglases, Earls of Angus,
in the 14th century. It was the last of the great Scottish castles and
regarded as one of the most powerful ever built in Scotland. The
castle hugs the cliffs and is snuggled across a small headland that
protrudes into the Firth of Forth as it meets the North Sea (opposite Bass
Rock).
 The
castle’s construction featured massive curtain walls and a powerful
gatehouse. It was besieged at least three times and seriously damaged by
Cromwell’s forces in the 17th century. Little is left of the original construction and the site
is mostly ruins, but what is visible is very dramatic.
See this official site for more details on Tantallon's
history and visiting.
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