📌 Huntly, Aberdeenshire
★★★
The ruined of Huntly Castle dates to the mid 14th century, and should be the highlight of any visit to the town of Huntly. The first castle was a wooden motte and bailey affair (the “Peel of Strathbogie”) built by the Earls of Fife in the 12th century. Following incarnations were of stone, but the family supported the losing side at the Battle of Bannockburn and their lands were duly handed instead to the Gordons, who were later awarded the Earl of Huntly title. The Gordons went on to become one of Scotland’s most powerful families and carried out several lavish building projects in the 16th and 17th centuries, transforming the castle into a luxurious palace by the standards of the day.
🌍 Location
📌 Castle Avenue, 0.5 mi north of Huntly town centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NJ 532407
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.454589,-2.781808
🚌 Train / bus to Huntly
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
⌚ Daily, 29 March to September 2024; Saturday to Wednesday, October to 28 March
🎫 £7.50 adult / £4,50 child / free for Historic Environment Scotland members
