We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the castle and wandering the gardens next to it. We spent at least an hour going up and down stairs to see the bedrooms, living quarters, art, and modernized kitchen. The audio tour, available in other languages, was especially helpful. At the end of the tour, when we handed back our audio device, we got our picture next to a Scotsman. He was a little stiff, but that's probably why he let us pose with him! read more

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We toured the gardens first. They're quite beautiful even tho the maze was closed and no longer accessible to the public. Then we did the audio tour of the castle. There were many interesting rooms but the most interesting one for me was the dungeon. The areas I visited did not have a lived in feel altho much of the castle is off limits to the public. The gardens are really much better than the interior simply for their stunning masses of color and quirky objects around the corner and down the lanes. We had lunch in the small cafe. There's also a gift shop at the end of the audio tour. It's worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

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While in the Inverness area we took a tour of Cawdor Castle and it's beautiful gardens. Lady Cawdor still lives in the castle part of the year. You can tell when touring the rooms that someone still enjoys the home and gardens. Lord Cawdor passed away many years ago but you can see small personal objects with their initials and statues that are around the grounds. There is the Thorne Tree which the castle is built around in the tower area. There are many bedrooms with tapestries and four poster beds. You also see the old kitchen with all of the cooking utensils. The gardens are extensive with many interesting fountains and statues. There is a cafe on-site as well as a golf course. As usual the house tour ends in a nice gift shop. read more

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Part castle and part museum, it is the present day home to the Dowager Countess Cawdor, stepmother of the Earl of Cawdor (Colin Robert Vaughan Campbell). Cawdor Castle is set in a splendid country landscape with a surrounding small private arboretum. The Keep dates back to 1454 with 17th and 19th century additions. It has a drawbridge and moat. It contains various artifacts and objects including period furniture and tapestries notably a 17th century tapestry (Life of Noah).There are three gardens: the Walled Garden which is now a kitchen garden, the Flower Garden which is 17th century and the Wild Garden created in the 1960's. There is also a section of the property called the Big Wood. The tour is casual with plenty of background history, stories and informative signs. At 9 Pounds for an adult which is about $12 US, it is reasonable but not cheap. If you like castles this one is a good choice to see. Also Culloden Battlefield, think Braveheart and Clava Cairns a prehistoric burial site, are within seven mile of the castle. read more

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Interesting castle- kind of broody and fits in well with the backdrop of Scotland and the history that the Cawdors have. It was probably the first more modern castle that I saw- the inside was definitely updated with new touches and felt like someone loved and cared for the place and had their own personal take on how it should look. Photos arent allowed, since the castle is used 6 months out of the year as a residence. Also looks like they have a good sense of humour based on the art I saw! The guides are really well informed about the castle and the family, happy to take you through old and new history and there's lots of placards around the rooms- someone with a good sense of humour wrote those too! Loved the history of when and why the castle was built and also the remains that were found in there. I do recommend this place from a sensationalist historical perspective- and also to see the way one can breathe new life into an older castle. read more

August 2023 My husband and myself absolutely loved touring this castle, it's gardens and woodland trails. This was my favorite Castle. read more

Cawdor - castle of Macbeth fame & 1 of our absolute favorite castles As you drive down the looooooong tree-lined "driveway" to get to the castle, there are plush grounds & green, green, green, as far as the eye can see Then little by little, the castle comes into view until poof - it's screaming out at you in all its splendor & it's *exactly* what little girl fairytale castle fantasies are made of Ginormous castle ( that still houses the Cawdor family to this day! ) is lushly furnished & we had a marvellous tour guide show us around the many rooms & tell us all kinds of fun stories Bit of trivia - the Stag & the Buckle are part of the family crest & consequently, there's a Stag in every room save 1 & it's a treat for the kiddies to try to identify which room doesn't have a Stag - it's actually fun for adults too There are also 3 gorgeous gardens. The Walled Garden (became a kitchen garden) is the oldest and dates from 1600. The Flower Garden was built in 1700 & originally designed for enjoyment in late summer and autumn. The Wild Garden is the newest & bustling with flowers & wilderness So now for the debunking.... The story of Macbeth as told by Shakespeare bears no relation to real events in Scottish history as Macbeth was an admired and able monarch Although the murder of Duncan takes place in Inverness Castle, it is often associated with Cawdor Castle. The truth is that as Cawdor Castle was not built until the late 14th century, it is impossible for King Duncan to have lost any blood or Lady Macbeth much sleep in this particular house as Duncan died in 1040 read more

Cawdor Castle - adorable Highland Cow - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nairn, HLD

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I think this is an impressive castle in the highlands of Scotland. It is owned by Dowager Countess Cawdor, otherwise known as Angelika. From the outside it looks like 15th-16th century castle. Inside there are a lot of rooms. It looks very elderly and feminine in many rooms. There's art, interesting English interior design. Some of the rooms were not that interesting and just looked like an elderly woman's home. There's a new kitchen and an old-fashioned kitchen. There's a dungeon. The tour of the property takes you on unexpected turns and twists. You must check out the gardens. Part of the gardens has a maze with a minotaur. read more

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Yes, Cawdor is "yet another castle" in the Highlands (with a £9.75 entry) and like the ladies who came before us and then immediately left, it is certainly *not* part of the National Trust. But it's fascinating to explore, has a decent cafe for lunch and an expertly-manicured garden on the grounds. I'd mention the hedge maze as a top attraction as well, but alas it's not open to the general public. (Apparently holly isn't all that suitable for traipsing younglings) If you're up north to see what all the fuss is about, then you certainly owe it to yourself to check it out. The interior is more interesting than Dunrobin Castle and you can see much more of it. Oh, and there are secret sections in the castle gardens. read more

Cawdor Castle - Baked potato with mature cheddar from the cafe - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nairn, HLD

Cawdor castle (15/16th century build) is located near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands (towards the East). It took me about 15min to get there from Inverness, using a car and driving along country roads. The way is well sign posted, so you wont get lost. Many years back (my first visit) I took a local bus from Inverness town and this bus ride was the most turbulent one I have ever experienced. Maybe you have better luck today :-) As far as I remember, there is one way in and another way out. The incoming and outgoing traffic is well organized. The way in is a long one. Don't give up, you will get there in the end! Plenty of parking available, although the layout of the car park is a bit an unusual one (strange angles). The castle and "specially designed gardens" are gated and I think I paid at least a tenner to get in (£10). Discounts are available for children and Seniors. Once inside I made my way to the Portcullis. To the left there is the restaurant and coffee shop. Sadly, I missed the restaurant opening times. They close at 17.00. To the right is the entrance to the castle. You show your ticket and will be asked to follow the signs around the castle. Everything is well displayed and each room is prepared to perfection. Nothing is out of place. If I would not know it any better, I believe the family might still reside there on occasion. Did I mention that this castle is still owned by the Cawdor Family who received the title of an Earl only a few hundred years back? My favorite room was the room of the governess. Its small and round and colorfully decorated with nice views over the inner courtyard. In the end you come to the castle shop with lots of souvenirs available for purchase. Outside you can explore a well designed walled garden , general parkland and wild forest areas for which you need to cross a small bridge to get to the other side over the small river. When up in the area a visit is definitely worth it! read more

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Beautiful castle to see. Great food as well. Scotland has the best bread. Lots to see and more then expected.

I'm not entirely sure when we decided to check this castle out. Maybe because it was nearby, and had connotations with MacB? Or maybe it was just a random castle search on Yelp... either way, I can't remember, and this was certainly an interesting experience from the other castle(s?) I checked out. (Yes, I didn't really check out that many during my trip...) Per usual, we hadn't really eaten all day so we stopped at their café and I got the Celebration Chicken sandwich. It was...not good. Probably one of the worst things I ate in the entire two weeks I was in the UK, actually. Anyways, now onto the castle experience itself. It was built around the late 14th century as a private fortress. There's a legend surrounding it about a holly tree, and in a darkened basement-like room, you'll find a withered, sunlight starved holly tree that was planted into the dirt. Choked off from light, it eventually stunted and then died. But hey, it's still around. Throughout the castle, there is a lot of beautiful artwork, furniture, and tapestries that have been passed down throughout the generations of the Cawdor family. They've gone to a lot of trouble to ensure you know what you're looking at in each room thanks to plaques detailing notable works and giving you a bit of background on them. So, something would say "The Woodcock Room," and then go on to detail that it was built in the 17th century and went through various uses: sitting room, dining room, bedroom, before being separated into two different bedrooms. "The Woodcock Room takes its family nickname from the improbably gamebird paining, by Stephen Elmer, which hangs over the Central door, although to generations of crusty butlers the room was always firmly called Number 7 - the number that came up on the bell-board." Then go on to detail that the carpet is Turkish. So if you were ever in a room and gazing at something you wanted to know more about, there was a plaque telling you just so. Though I believe it's a liking house, it reminded me of a "museum house," where you could peer into the rooms, but there was a velvet rope cutting you off from moving further into the room or touching anything. Of course my favorite rooms were the kitchens, and all the subsequent information about previous kitchens. One of my favorite anecdotes I read about the old kitchen was this: "The next kitchen was cited in the furthest possible position from the dining room, to make certain that the soup was not served too hot." One of the old kitchens had a huge prep island against the wall, with pots and pans arranged on it. There was a 19th century cooking ranger and a spit rotator, and behind that room was the larder with a bakehouse and a place used for wine and whiskey storage. THE VERDICT: It's definitely an interesting castle, and different from many you'll see since it is still occupied. Lovingly filled with cherished items for hundreds of years, it's probably one of the more informational castles I've seen (though I haven't seen a ton). I would say that if you have a respect and love for old artifacts, you will find this castle a worthwhile experience. The lady in the gift shop was very nice and knowledgeable about the castle, so that was a plus, too. We ended up chatting with her for a few minutes, and she was a delight. Maybe just don't eat at the café, eh? I'd say more of a 3.5 experience, but with the fact that it was so informative with all of its items, it deserves to be rounded up instead of down. read more

I'm not a huge fan of castles (but since this was part of my Princess Cruises shore excursion), I had to check it out. Pretty cool venue after all. The rooms are amazing and full of history. The gardens are also a must-see (there are two that I was aware of - the Walled Garden and Flower Garden. Only made it in to the Flower Garden as I'd spent most of the tour gawking at the castle itself... read more

Loved it! Gardens are gorgeous! My allergies were horrible as soon as o stepped out of the car because everything was in bloom, but it was well worth the continuous sneezing. read more