More than 30 seasonal sites run by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) across the country will reopen to visitors from Tuesday, April 1.
Whether you’re a history nerd, nature lover or just simply looking for a day out on the road, Scotland’s history is ready to be unlocked once more.
From the ancient Broch of Gurness in Orkney – home to one of Scotland’s best-preserved Iron Age villages – down to Dundrennan Abbey in Dumfries where Mary, Queen of Scots spent her last hours in Scotland, there are historic sites spread throughout the entire country.
Craig Mearns, director of operations at HES, said: “The start of the new visitor season is always exciting. As the weather warms up, there’s no better time to step outside, experience Scotland’s natural beauty and get a closer look at our past. With castles, palaces, priories and brochs all reopening, everyone will find an aspect of Scottish heritage to enjoy.
“These sites are part of Scotland’s history and offer an incredible range of experience and understanding. Our monuments include safe havens for key historical figures, strategic fortresses, Hanoverian munitions factories and sites of ceremonial importance to ancient tribes. Each place tells a unique story, and we look forward to sharing them with people from across the world.”
.jpeg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
1. Tolquhon Castle near Tarves, Aberdeenshire
Built more as a stylish country palace than a defensive castle, Tolquhon Castle near Tarves, Aberdeenshire, was built in the 16th Century around an earlier tower. In the outer walls are recesses where beehives - or skelps - were kept. The pile was in the hands of the Forbes family, a major lot in this part of the world. Sir William Forbes, the 7th laird an ally of Mary Queen of Scots, significantly rebuilt and expanded his seat but by the early 1700s, his descendants sold the castle to ease their financial difficulties. The 11th laird refused to abandon the castle and was eventually wounded and dislodged from his home by troopsi in September 1718. It was later used as lodgings for farm workers. | HES Photo: HES
2. Balvenie Castle near Dufftown, Moray
A pile at the heart of power in medieval Scotland, the once-mighty Balvenie Castle was built by the 'Black Comyns', the earls of Buchan, in the 1200s. After the family's downfall at the hands of Robert the Bruce in 1308, the castle disappeared from history until the 15th Century, when it emerged as a headquarters for the equally powerful 'Black Douglases'. | Craig Simpson/CC
3. Spynie Palace near Elgin, Moray
There is something special in the air at Spynie Palace near Elgin, the residence of the bishops of Moray for 500 years. This ruin evokes a place of sanctuary, with birdsong and wildlife creating a rare and peaceful environment. Here, royalty travelling through the are once stopped to use the palace for overnight stays. The scale of what survives hints at the pile's past grandeur. Despite the peace of the place, the palace stood at a time of terrifying religious turmoil. Features include the gun holes put in place by Bishop Hepburn just before the Protestant Reformation of 1560. | HES
4. Lochleven Castle, near Kinross.
Jump on the boat to Lochleven Castle and visit the island stronghold where Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned by its owner, Sir William Douglas, in 1567. She eventually escaped, never to see Scotland again. Set deep in the story of the doomed monarch, the castle was also at Lochleven where Mary suffered a miscarriage and was forced to abdicate in favour of her son, James VI. Earlier, she met John Knox, the Protestant reformer, at Lochleven. Much earlier than that, Robert the Bruce is known to have visited here. A fine, fun and interesting day out awaits on the water. | HES