Portencross Castle

📌 Portencross, North Ayrshire
★★

Until 2007, Portencross Castle was a seemingly unloved ruin perched precariously above an exposed rocky inlet on the Firth of Clyde. Given that parts dated from 1360, it was perhaps fortunate that it was still standing at all. But in a dramatic change of fortunes, the Friends of Portencross Castle conservation group have since restored the building to a secure and fairly authentic state with the help of numerous grants, and the castle opened its doors to visitors in about 2010. Despite the building’s small size, there’s still space for a decent basement exhibition area, video display and impressive main hall. A modern spiral staircase also accesses the rooftop.