📌 Crathes, Aberdeenshire
★★★★
This 16th century tower house is one of Deeside’s crowning jewels, a short drive or walk from Banchory. The castle’s interior is somehow ornate and rustic in equal measure, but the superb grounds are just as much of a draw. 240 hectares is a serious amount of space to explore, and extends from manicured lawns and stunning walled gardens to ponds and quiet woodland. The main part of the site gets busy on sunny summer weekends, but you don’t have to wander far from the castle to escape the crowds.
🌍 Location
📌 Off the A93 at Milton of Crathes
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NO 734968
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.061494,-2.439957
🚌 Bus to Milton of Crathes (0.5 mi via castle grounds)
🚗 Car park (charge)
📝 Key info
⌚ Castle open daily, 5 May to 2 November 2025. Grounds: daily
🎫 £17 adult / £13.50 child / free for National Trust for Scotland members
