Crathes is a pretty 16th century tower house standing on an estate granted to the Burnett family by King Robert the Bruce.
Crathes Castle was originally built to be defended and it has some ingenious defensive features. For example, the 11th step of the spiral staircase that you climb is slightly higher than the others. This ‘trip’ step, was intended to unbalance attackers storming the castle.
Through the years, Crathes Castle became an increasingly civilized residence and what you see today is a comfortably furnished and very attractive building.
The tour of Crathes starts in the castle's kitchens and store room. You then climb through several floors of the castle and pass through:
Knowledgeable guides are on hand to tell you about the history of the rooms and their ghosts.
A tour of Crathes will take about 45 mins, but don't forget to visit the walled garden, which is a beautiful feature of the castle.
Also beside Crathes, there is an excellent adventure playground called "Go Ape". This playground involves a series of wooden swing bridges suspended from trees.
Address: |
Banchory, AB31 5QJ |
Operated by: |
National Trust for Scotland |
Opening Hours: |
15 Feb - 28 Feb, Fri - Sun 10:00 - 15:00 / 1 Mar to 31 May, Fri - Mon 10:00 - 16:00 / 1 Jun to 31 Aug, daily 10.00 - 17:00 / 1 Sep to 31 Dec, Fri - Mon 10:00 - 16:00; (guided tours only) / Last entry to castle at 15:30 / Castle Grounds are open all year round from 9am to Sunset - Last entry 1 hour before closing. |
Admission: |
£ 14.50 adult, £ 11 senior, Family £ 33 |
Parking: |
Yes |
Languages: |
Explanatory text: Azerbaijani, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish |
Accessibility: |
Yes, ground floor of the Castle, part of the garden and grounds |
Toilets: |
Yes |
Shop: |
Yes |
Cafe/Restaurant: |
Yes (a very nice modern facility) |