Craigievar Castle

About the museum

Craigievar Castle is a Scottish Baronial tower house that was begun around 1576 and completed by William Forbes around 1626. Its outside has remained almost unchanged since then, and it is regarded as one of the best-preserved and best-loved tower houses in Scotland. The Forbes family lived here for about three hundred years, and the castle stayed a family home until the 1960s, which is why it combines cosy interiors with rare antiquities, armour and art.

In keeping with the wishes of the last private owner, there is no artificial lighting above the ground floor, so visitors see the collections in changing daylight, as the family did. The castle is also known for its pink harling. A conservation project called Pink Again brought back the original colour and improved conditions that protect the building and its interiors. The castle is said to have inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle.

The castle is open by guided tour only, in small groups of up to ten people. Outside there are lawns, woodland trails with waymarked paths, and one of the first house martin towers in Scotland. The National Trust for Scotland looks after the property, and admission is free for Trust members.

Highlights

• Pink Scottish Baronial tower house from the early seventeenth century
• Guided tours through rooms with armour, art and antiquities
• No artificial light above the ground floor
• Woodland trails and grounds
• House martin tower

Permanent exhibitions

• Guided castle tour – A tour through the tower house with its armour, art and antiquities, lit only by daylight above the ground floor.
• Grounds and woodland trails – Lawns around the castle and two waymarked trails through woodland and up the hill behind.

Founded

1626

Operated by

National Trust for Scotland

Admission & discounts

Castle prices are shown without the optional 10% donation (with donation adult £19.80, concession £15.40, family £44.55). The grounds and woodland are free. Admission is free for National Trust for Scotland members. Car park £5, free for members.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The castle is hard to reach for visitors with limited mobility: there is a 10 cm step at the 80 cm wide front door, 11 steps up to the first floor and then narrow, steep spiral staircases (140 steps in total). The shop is four steps down. The path from the car park (300 m) is fairly level, but the trails are steep and rough. Blue Badge spaces are in the main car park with priority drop-off by arrangement. The toilet block in the car park has an accessible toilet with baby changing. There are no toilets in the castle. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

Baby changing is in the accessible toilet in the car park block. The trails are steep and uneven and may not suit pushchairs.

Getting there & parking

The entrance and main drive are signposted off the A980 (Alford to Banchory road), 6 miles south of Alford. Some satnavs send drivers to the south drive, which is closed to vehicles; use the main drive.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

The Barmkin kiosk beside the castle sells hot and cold drinks, wrapped cakes, crisps and ice cream, with picnic benches nearby; small shop inside the castle. Mobile phone coverage is poor.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit