What do people
think?
Linking
together castles, which have been variously described as "a
fairy tale castle par excellence", to "swaggering,
sophisticated and breathtaking", the Castle Trail offers
the visitor the opportunity to explore an incomparable collection
of castle treasures from the medieval fortresses of less peaceful
times, to fantastic extravaganzas of corbelled towers, intricate
stepped gables and crown like balustrades unique to this special
part of Scotland. Gardeners
delight
Lovers
of outstanding gardens will delight in the many examples of
both formal and country park designs. From the famous herbaceous
borders at Leith, which spill onto the pathways in a riotous
palette of colours, to the formal intricacy of four partrerre
gardens at Pitmedden, visitors can stroll in the footsteps
of generations past.
Architectural
Interest?
Rare example
of architectural details exist at most of the castles on the
trails - the wheel staircase at Fyvie, which was said to be
wide enough for the Gordon sons to ride their horses up the
tower as a wager, to the rare star-shaped ramparts at Corgarff
Castle.
History &
Heritage
Aberdeenshire
has more castles per acre than any other part of the UK and
on your travels along the Castle Trail you will pass castles
and historic properties at every turning. Many of these castles
are also open to the public including Dunnottar Castle, where
Mel Gibson's Hamlet was filmed, and the Royal residence of
Balmoral on Deeside, the gardens and ballroom of which are
open to the public from mid April to the end of July.
The properties
on Scotland's only Castle Trail have every credential which
castles need - romanticism, legend, history and even ghosts.
The trail is easy to follow with distinctive white on brown
signs and a blue castle logo leading you through the heart
of Aberdeenshire.
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