Caithness dominates top travel magazine's list of must-see NC500 castles
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A top travel magazine has recommended nine must-see castles on the North Coast 500 tourist route – and six of them are in Caithness.
Dunbeath Castle, the Castle of Old Wick, Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, Old Keiss Castle, the Castle of Mey and Thurso Castle are all highlighted in a new feature on the Wanderlust website.
Also listed are Inverness Castle and two castles in Sutherland, Dunrobin and Ardvreck.
Wanderlust describes itself as is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine, “delivering inspiration and advice to travellers seeking unique and enriching travel experiences”.
Introducing its choice of “nine unmissable castles” along the NC500, the magazine says: “Scotland is blessed with picturesque castles, many of which can be seen along the NC500 – a coastal road trip starting and ending in Inverness.”
It describes Dunbeath Castle as “sitting on a peninsula overlooking the Moray Firth... it seemingly teeters on the edge of a cliff”. The article adds that the castle is a private residence.
Wanderlust notes that while little remains of the 12th-century Castle of Old Wick, “the location alone deserves its place as one of the unmissable castles on this road trip”.
And it says of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe: “Not to be outdone by the other jaw-dropping castle locations on the North Coast 500, these ruins might just be the most impressive location yet... one of the best preserved examples of medieval fortresses in Scotland.”
The article notes that exploring the area around Old Keiss Castle “is a reminder of the strategic importance of this region and why so many fortresses were built to protect it”, and points out the presence of World War II defensive pillboxes.
It explains how the Castle of Mey was in a poor state when it was sold in 1952 to the Queen Mother, who changed its name from Barrogill Castle and set about restoring it.
The ruined Thurso Castle, which is not open to the public, is a prominent landmark viewed from the town's beach and harbour area. “It is believed that the original fortification at this site was established by the Vikings around 900 AD,” the magazine says, adding: “Even the name, Thurso, roughly translates to Thor’s River in Old Norse.”
Dunrobin, home of the earls and dukes of Sutherland, is described as “enchanting”. Wanderlust says: “The castle is unlike any others you will see on your North Coast 500 journey. The perfectly manicured gardens would not make this fairytale castle look out of place in Disney’s Magic Kingdom.”
Ardvreck Castle, alongside Loch Assynt, is described as a majestic ruin standing “like a lone sentinel” on the western side of the NC500.
The writer notes that the 15th-century castle was built by the MacLeods and is associated with “sieges, battles, bloodshed and betrayal”.
Inverness Castle “dominates the skyline” of the Highland Capital, the magazine says. It points out that the current building is relatively new, dating from the 1830s and ’40s, after the previous one was destroyed by Jacobites prior to the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
Wanderlust's list of "unmissable" NC500 castles:
1 Inverness Castle
2 Dunrobin Castle
3 Dunbeath Castle
4 Castle of Old Wick
5 Castle Sinclair Girnigoe
6 Old Keiss Castle
7 Castle of Mey
8 Thurso Castle
9 Ardvreck Castle
- To minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus, current Scottish Government guidance is that people should stay at home as much as possible and avoid unnecessary travel.
