These books have been made possible with the help and support of a small team of dedicated individuals who have been instrumental in this publication. My heartfelt thanks go to Mr Ian Brocklehurst, Mrs Marjory Ramsay, Mrs Susan Marshall, Mrs Gillian Mackie and Mrs Lisa McRichie whose tireless efforts have been completely invaluable. My thanks also go to Mr Brian Collie of Personal Tours of Scotland, who has been a source of limitless optimism, especially during the dark COVID year of 2020. A special thank you goes to Mrs Trisha Powdrill, who has painstakingly edited each and every page, no easy task given my aversion to proper punctuation and my acute comma phobia, and also to Mr Lewis Cowan, whose support with all things tech has been utterly invaluable. To my wife, Dawn, whose support and understanding has been boundless – this and her remarkable artistic talents have inspired and motivated me and her work adorns many of the pages within. Finally, my extra special thanks go to Mr John and Mrs Sheila Parsonage, who have, from day one, gone way above and beyond the call of duty. Their boundless energy, support and ‘can-do’ attitude have been inspirational. They have been involved in every aspect of this publication and John’s artistic contribution with the coats of arms, crests, plant badges and castles have been pivotal; quite simply, this book would not have been possible without them.
From my earliest memory, I have been fascinated by Scotland’s history. There can be few countries with such a small population yet which have had such a dramatic impact on the wider world. The inventiveness of the Scots is legendary; many of the day-to-day items we take for granted originate here. The impact Scotland has had in the sciences is unequalled and its heroes have also shaped the political map of the world.
At the very heart of the Scottish psyche are the buildings which dominated the landscape and the lives of its people. From the most northerly island of the Shetlands to its southern border with England, from the western extreme of the Hebridean Islands to the rolling farmland of the east coast, Scotland’s beautiful landscape is awash with castles, tower houses and bastel (bastille) houses. It is estimated that in the castle heyday, there were as many as 3000 castles dotted around the Scottish landscape. These buildings took a multitude of different forms and designs, from the mighty edifices of Edinburgh and Stirling to the towers and bastel houses of the Scottish Borders, from the prehistoric brochs and crannogs found predominantly in the Scottish Highlands, to the of the Duns(forts) of the South.
I decided some time ago that I was going to attempt something which, to the best of my knowledge, has never been done before – I’m going to compile a list of Scottish castles which still have visible remains above ground. I’m going to find as many as I can and personally photograph each one, listing it with a brief history of each castle. I have included hand-painted coats of arms of the clan chiefs and nobility who owned them and, in many cases, I have included the clan crests of the people who once called these places home. On each castle page, I have also given detailed directions on how to find each castle and some tips on accessibility, facilities, nearby points of interest and an image of a highland targe (shield), the making of which is another passion of mine – visit scottishshields.com. This has been a labour of love. I have even spilt blood for this project; I have accumulated such a collection of cuts and bruises, including a black eye when I hit a tree stump. I have been knee-deep in mud and lost in woods, I have been chased by angry livestock and found myself with head in hands, wondering what the hell am I doing? In truth, I have enjoyed every minute of my continuing adventure.
Good luck and enjoy your castle-hunting; with this publication, I guarantee you will find it easier than I did!
Freedom to Roam in Scotland (Right to Roam)
Here in Scotland, we are privileged to enjoy freedoms that citizens of other countries, both here in the UK and around the world, can only dream of. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code is an invaluable guide to your rights when exploring Scotland. The Land Reform Act 2003 gives everyone rights of access over land and inland water throughout Scotland, subject to specific exclusions set out in the Act and as long as people behave in a responsible manner. These rights are referred to as ‘freedom to roam’, or the ‘right to roam’. Scottish legislation on public ‘freedom to roam’ was changed in 2003, and this marked the moment when the hills, glens, moorland and waters of Scotland became open to anyone who wanted to gain access to them for purposes of both recreation and education, as well as to give the public rights to make overland journeys.
So, as of 2003, this hard-won freedom can be enjoyed by visitors and residents of Scotland who are in search of adventure. They have more access to nature in Scotland than they do anywhere else in the UK, as well as to the scenery that accompanies it and includes access to ancient monuments such as castles, standing stones and battlefields, etc.
Most land in Scotland is owned by very few people, so the Scottish Access Rights basically give you the right to access that land in Scotland for recreational and educational purposes, be it for cycling, running, walking or pitching a tent. There are only a few exclusions, like the curtilage of buildings and farmyards, quarries, railway property and airfields. There are three key principles that are very important to mention: You have to respect the interests of other people, care for the environment and take responsibility for your own actions.