The Castle Trail

Executive summary by darmansjah

Scotland’s only dedicated Castle Trail lets you discover the dramatic stories of 17 of Aberdeenshire’s most famous castles.

This itinerary is organised into 4 broad areas of Aberdeenshire to group the castles around a main hub town. A visit to any of the castles makes an ideal day out or navigate your way along sections of the trail for a longer break.

Using Banff as a base, your first stop must be the town's Duff House, one of Scotland's architectural masterpieces. This Adam-designed historic house is a treasure house and cultural arts centre operated by a unique partnership of Historic Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council. With extensive grounds and woodland walks by the river Deveron you'll find a day is not enough.

Heading south on the A947, you encounter a series of enticing properties. Delgatie Castle at Delgaty dates from the 11th century and is steeped in Scottish history yet still has a surprising lived-in atmosphere. It has some of the finest painted ceilings in Scotland. A Best Visitor Experience award winner, the castle also boasts an award-winning restaurant and coffee shop.

Around 10 miles further south, Fyvie Castle at Turiff is an outstanding example of Scottish baronial architecture. Begun as a simple castle in the 13th century, five powerful families each added significantly to it until it reached its present form. Inside, the magnificent sweeping staircase is the most dramatic feature while many treasures are on display including a superb collection of arms, armour and paintings. You can also stroll around the loch or visit the racquets court and bowling alley.

The last two stops on this section of the trail are Haddo House near Methlick and Tolquhon Castle at Tarves.

Haddo is an elegant mansion house boasting sumptuous Victorian interiors beneath a crisp Georgian exterior. Noted for fne furniture and paintings, it also has a terraced garden and country park with lakes, walks and monuments.

Tolquhon is one of the most picturesque of the castles in the Grampian countryside. Largely built in the late 16th century by the Forbes family, it houses the Tolquhon Tomb, one of the best examples of Scotland’s so-called Jacobean ‘Glorious Tombs’.