📌 Dirleton, East Lothian
★★★★
🛠️ Castle open with some access restrictions – reduced admission fee (checked July 2025)
Halfway between Gullane and North Berwick, Dirleton Castle is one of the best all-round castles you can visit in Scotland. With the beauty of extensive grounds and gardens, dramatic drawbridge and gatehouse, the romance of a large ruin, but enough still standing to help you imagine the building’s layout, it’s a fitting centrepiece to Dirleton village. Some of the castle dates back to the 13th century, and its subsequent ownership by three different families allowed for its constant rebuilding and expansion. The resulting masterpiece sits perfectly on a small, rocky outcrop.
🌍 Location
📌 Main Road (B1345), Dirleton village centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 516839
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.045756,-2.778204
🚌 Bus to Dirleton
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
⌚ Daily, April to September; Saturday to Wednesday, October to March
🎫 £8 adult / £5 child / free for Historic Environment members – discount for booking online
