Step 6 · Plan a day out of the city
Castle country: tower houses of Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire has more castles than almost anywhere in Scotland. How to choose a few and string them into a day.
Why so many castles?
The North-East's landowning families built and rebuilt fortified houses over several centuries, and many of them survived because the region's granite and harling weathered well and later owners kept them lived in. The result is a remarkable density of castles, from roofless ruins to fully furnished houses with gardens. Several are cared for by the National Trust for Scotland and open to visitors in season; others are private or in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.
A few to know
- Crathes Castle: on lower Deeside near Banchory. A sixteenth-century tower house with painted ceilings and celebrated walled gardens divided into themed "rooms".
- Craigievar Castle: west of Aberdeen in the hills between Deeside and Donside. Completed in the 1620s, its pink-harled tower with clustered turrets is one of the most photographed buildings in Scotland.
- Drum Castle: close to the city on Deeside, combining a medieval tower with a later mansion and a garden of historic roses.
- Castle Fraser: west of the city, a large Z-plan tower house in parkland.
- Fyvie Castle: north of Aberdeen, a grand castle with five towers and a loch in its grounds.
- Dunnottar Castle: the dramatic clifftop ruin south of Stonehaven — see our Dunnottar Castle page.
Planning a castle day
Two castles, with time for gardens and a meal, is a comfortable day; three is possible if you start early and are happy to skim. Group them geographically: Drum and Crathes sit close together on Deeside; Castle Fraser and Craigievar can be combined to the west; Fyvie pairs with the coast north of the city. Most of these are difficult to reach without a car.
Before you go
- Opening seasons vary. Many interiors open only between spring and autumn, while grounds and gardens may be open more widely.
- Some interiors are seen by guided tour with limited places, so booking ahead is sensible in summer.
- Members of heritage organisations may get free entry; check what your membership covers.
- Upper floors of tower houses are reached by narrow spiral stairs — check access information if this matters.
Where to stay for castles
A base on Deeside or west of the city keeps driving short. If you would rather stay in Aberdeen, pick a castle cluster for each day trip and leave the city early to avoid traffic.