Glamis Castle is a beautiful castle in Angus, Scotland, that is currently lived in by Simon…read moreBowes-Lyon, 19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, who succeeded to the earldom in 2016. Therefore, no photos of the castle were allowed during the tour. Pictures were allowed in the waiting area prior to the tour as well as in a room at the end of the tour. There was plenty of information provided on the history of the family and castle. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Queen Mother) lived here, and her daughter, Princess Margaret, was born at Glamis Castle. It was also home to Queen Elizabeth II. This castle was the inspiration for William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Overall, the castle, gardens, and grounds were well maintained. When we got to the castle, we had to stand in a line to get in. The weather was on and off drizzly. However, the tour was well worth the wait. There is a gift shop and coffee shop. Glamis Castle has many beautiful gardens accessible to the public and are not a part of the tour. Weddings and other events are held at Glamis Castle.

This was a nice photogenic castle to visit, on the exterior anyway as no photos were allowed…read moreinside. It's located in the countryside about 30 minutes to the north of the town of Dundee. It was the childhood home of the late Queen Elizabeth. The grounds around the castle are open and well maintained as there is nothing else in the vicinity of the castle. Our tour group also had a nice little soup and sandwich lunch here in their on-site restaurant.

Dunkeld Cathedral was up a narrow road but had limited parking so we parked in the main city lot…read more It was less than 10 minutes to walk back. The cathedral was set back from the river with lots of trees and an expansive lawn that was quite beautiful. A nice place to lounge on one of the benches or on the grass. The main part of the cathedral (formerly the choir section) was the only part accessible. We were fortunate and got to listen to the organist practicing during our visit. Off to the side was a separate room with information about the church, the relics of St Columbra (since removed) and some other notables. Renovations were taking place on the main section so we could only walk around the exterior except the portion facing the river. Good stop if in or passing through Dunkeld.

Dunkeld is a very small village with a lot of charm and its cathedral is and especially in its past…read morewas the center point of village life. Today, one part of the cathedral is merely a ruin and maintained by Historic Scotland. The other part still functions as a church. You can walk around the building and observe its architectural beauty. Just imagine what it could have looked like during its high time and you will see why I gave 4 stars. There is a bit of park area to walk around, through the many massive trees and down to the river where you can sit down and relax. From there you can also enjoy a nice view towards Thomas Talfords Dunkeld bridge, which took ages to be build and played its part in history. All that remains of a large graveyard are graves towards the side cathedral entrance. The bell tower I believe is part of the ruin and not accessible. Inside the cathedral you can find a small room on the left near the altar. In there you can read through the cathedral history. The cathedral is also the resting place for the Wolf of Badenoch. Well, you will find its sarcophagus-effigy there. Born in the 14th century as the third surviving son of Robert II, the Earl of Buchan was known for his outbursts and short tempered nature and burning down Elgin cathedral. And as Im an old romantic I would think it had something to do with his mistress he could not marry :-). The cathedral is definitely worth a trip when around the area, and even if it's not Notre Dame, it still has kept part of its beauty in tact.

Loch Leven Castle lies tucked away from the world. A hidden jewel!…read moreHowever, I would guess that Mary, Queen of Scots would have thought differently during her imprisonment there for a year and loosing her twins in the progress of events outside her reach. The view towards the castle from the restaurant and coffee shop as well as Historic Scotland membership cottage is breath taking. There is no walkway to the castle and you need to book a boat/ferry trip in advance. A small ferry goes every hour and if you miss a time slot you can use the time to either eat in the restaurant or go for a walk. Presumably the castle was build during the 13th century and played its part during the Wars of Independence. It changed hands between the Bruce and the Douglas families. Nowadays it is a ruin and you can walk around the island to your own merit. I will definitely be back.

A beautiful old country house with historic charm. This gigantic mansion is home to one of the…read moreworlds finest art collections. The whole place can be rented for events and is truly worth it. Think Wayne Manor just for your group. We had a bbq reception there and it was just breathtaking to stand on the terrace and watch the sunset, and then going inside to listen to the jazz band playing their tunes.

I agree with the previous reviewer wholeheartedly. Ross Priory is one of the most overlooked…read morebuildings in Scotland. It is absolutely incredible. A must for visitors to Glasgow. Even the drink prices at the bar are reasonable. The only problem is, the priory is not anywhere near a train station. So you bring your car or get a train to Balloch then a taxi.

Beautiful architecture, a perfect setting, and several guest rooms make this a sublime wedding…read morevenue on Loch Lomond.

For historians, even those whose knowledge of Scottish "history" (used loosely) stems from multiple…read moreviewings of Braveheart (yeah, you know who you are!), there are several sites in Stirling that are must visits. The Old Stirling Bridge is one of them; the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle being at least two others. Fortunately, Stirling isn't all that big, and you can easily walk between the three without too much effort, and you'll be rewarded with gorgeous river views, and a bit of actual historical education along the way, for your trouble. Just make sure you end up on the Old Stirling Bridge, and not the adjacent A9 overpass. It may look similar, but you wouldn't want to get run over by a lorry while daydreaming about Mel Gibson in a kilt and wielding a claymore. That would just be weird.

I thought I would have been able to walk to this while at Stirling castle but it looked quite a…read morewalk away so I optedW to snatch some quick photos while driving past on the coach which was just as thrilling for me as actually being on it and it is a stunning bridge as bridges go due to its history. Hopefully one day I might get the chance to actually stand on it, touch it, feel it but for now I'm happy to have this stunning photo.

I'd normally start by telling you a little about the history. There's just way too much to…read moresummarize here. Just know that the castle was once in ruin like the others in the area. We can thank George Stuart (14th Earl of Moray) for repairing it by adding a new roof in the 1880s. That makes it very worth the £10 admission fee for an inside tour of the castle. It's worth a stop even if you don't plan on taking the tour. Have you ever seen the British comedy, Monty Python and the Holy Grail? It's the castle that you see in the funniest part of the movie when the French soldier is taunting King Arthur. There were other movie scenes filmed in and around the castle as well. What's cool is that there's a free transcript of the audio guide on their website that tells you where all the scenes took place. It was fun just to retrace the steps of the Trojan Rabbit on the pathway in front of the entrance. So funny! It's definitely a dry & satirical form of humor that I didn't quite understand the first time I saw it, but now I do. Duone Castle was also seen in Game of Thrones (the pilot episode) and Outlander. It's just a great filming location since it's out of the way, and along the River Teith. There are walking trails that will take you to the site of where a Roman fort used to be. The village is also nearby if you want to get a bite to eat. It was a nice stop on our way to Glencoe.

We were staying in the area for a few days. Didn't have much time though, got lots of plans. But…read morestill made some time to check out the famous Doune Castle. And since we are members of Historic Environment Scotland the entrance was free of charge. The carpark was full though - so we parked on the public lot behind the Co-op in town. An easy 10 minute walk away. The Castle is famous - many will know it from Game of Thrones or Outlander. But for me - and many many others - it will always be connected to Monty Python and the Holy Grail! The Audio-guide is even narrated by Terry Jones! The way the castle looks today is largely down to 'Scotland's uncrowned king'. Doune was the seat of Robert Stewart, the 1st Duke of Albany and Governor of Scotland. He acquired the castle in 1361. What we see today is probably only half a castle. Whether Doune was completed, and what might have been lost, is unclear. But even what remains today is very impressive and in great shape. If you do not feel like paying the entrance, you still can enjoy the outside views and even walk around it or enjoy the grounds outside. But going in (we took turns - since we were travelling with our Bulldog) is well worth the price and time. Monty Python used the exterior for shots as well as the interior. The courtyard inside is where the wedding party was taking place with John Cleese (as Lancelot) going berserk. But there's a lot more to see inside. Besides all the big halls inside, there are lots of small corners and hideaways to be discovered. As well as a lot of history to read (or listen to). A really good visit and not to be missed for fans or history buffs! Staff was wonderful, really friendly and welcoming. Surely a highlight on this years Road Trip through the UK. Highly recommended.

I've been there not so long ago and I'd recommend this place for anyone who wants to get away from…read morethe city rush but not move away from the city itself. Large gardens with lots of footpaths around the castle plus stunning views over the Firth of Forth (especially on a bright and sunny day), quiet with a bit of Victorian atmosphere stil in the air. A trip for a half a day with a picnic basket higly recommended!!