Craigievar Castle
With a National Art Pass you get
Craigievar Castle near Cairngorms National Park is one of the best preserved tower houses in Scotland.
This fine example of Scottish Baronial architecture contains fine family portraits and a superb collection of 20th-century ceramics, including pieces by Michael Cardew, Hans Coper, Bernard Leach and Lucy Rie.
A castle existed on the site from the 14th century, but the building as it appears today was begun in 1610. In 1626 The Great Tower was built by William Forbes, and from that time it has been lived in by the Forbes and Forbes-Sempill family.
The castle was bought by a consortium in 1963 and donated to The National Trust For Scotland. Its large estate features woodland and parkland with magnificent specimen trees.
Why you should go
See a fairy-tale castle with pink sandstone walls and turrets.
Explore the interior of a well-preserved castle from the early 17th century.
Relax in a beautiful setting on a hilltop overlooking the River Don.
Visitor information
Address
Craigievar, Alford, Aberdeenshire, AB33 8JF
01339 883635
Opening times
The castle, shop, kiosk and toilets are now closed until 31st May 2024 due to a major conservation project - see website for full details.
The gardens and woodlands are still open.
Visitor information
Museums nearby
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.