Ballater, Aberdeenshire
★★
Deeside has several famous castles but Knock Castle near Ballater is very much off the beaten track. Hidden away in between areas of forest and a bit of a walk from the nearest parking spot, this four-storey tower house dates to the late 16th century and you can still carefully poke around inside. This is a pleasingly quiet and atmospheric place with none of the bluster of nearby Balmoral Castle.
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: NO 352952
GPS coordinates: 57.042876,-3.069107
No public transport within 1 mi
Space to park at track junction just east of Dalliefour Farm,
Key info
Always open
Free
From the track junction above it’s a 15-min walk (each way) to the castle (⬤ Easy). Follow the B976 right (east), eventually curving left and then right to reach a junction of five roads / tracks. Take the track on the right, uphill through forest and then across a field. The castle is on the right, reached by a grassy path.
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