Craigievar Castle
Craigievar Castle
4.5
About
17th-century castle owned by the same family for over 350 years. Open April to September; access is by guided tours only. There are steep spiral stairs to the upper floors. A stunning castle in a wonderful setting, said to be the inspiration for Disney's castles. The castle operates guided tours only, with a first-come, first-served allocation to places. Advance booking is not possible. Tours are limited to a maximum of 10 people per tour and run at approximately 30-minute intervals, with the last tour at the times shown below. The castle, shop and kiosk close when the last tour starts.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- Karen D59 contributionsReopened after nearly 2 yearsVisited here on a wet Monday morning. You can't book the tours, so glad we arrived just after opening as tours were booking up fast, and you can't view unaccompanied. It was a real gem, smaller, cosier rooms than in lots of castles and a nice contrast to Fyvie castle & Haddo house that we had visited on previous days. Our guide Sophie, though only 18 was very engaging, able to answer all our questions & really knew her stuff. The spiral staircase was challenging, though Sophie gave us all plenty of time & safety warnings. The castle looked gorgeous after it's recent repairs & the re- colouring of its pink exterior. Well worth visitingVisited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 10, 2024
- Marco G4 contributionsInteresting insight into social history as fortunes ebb and flow!Lots of castles to choose from but 'the pink one' caught our eye. It was a guided tour with Myles, who was an engaging young man, who gave us a good history of the Castle and its social history i.e. how castles change ownership as fortunes ebb and flow. The tour is only about an hour but the grounds are extensive so you can go for walks on trails through the grounds too and you could spend hours here.Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 27, 2024
- Chloé P5 contributionsHighly recommendReally enjoyable place to visit, the recent works of the outside walls is beautiful, situated in a pretty countryside. Frequent guided tours of the museum, easy to join without booking. Really interesting and pretty castle, our guide Iona did a wonderful job! Careful on the tight steep stair cases!Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten July 23, 2024
- Liz CUnited Kingdom19 contributionsWell worth a visitReally enjoyed our visit to this beautiful castle. Our guide Lloyd was very informative and patient with my grandchildren who were excited and asking lots of questions. I would thoroughly recommend a visit but be mindful that you must go with a guide. We were fortunate in waiting only 10 minutes for our tour.Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten August 1, 2024
- Liz A4 contributionsThe Pink CastleThis castle is a gift to photography and makes a stunning backdrop. Internal visits are by guided tour only. We got the last 2 places but would have been hugely disappointed if we hadn't as there's not a lot to do otherwise if faced with a wait. The tour was really interesting and the guide was very knowledgeable. The stairs are not for the faint-hearted and may deter those less mobile.Visited August 2024Traveled with friendsWritten August 12, 2024
- John DIrvine, United Kingdom192 contributionsThe castle that inspired Walt Disney with almost 450 years of history.This is the first visit to Craigievar since it reopened after some refurbishment. This is a National Trust for Scotland property, free to members. Highly recommended joining as we recouped our annual membership fee visiting properties over this single weekend. Although there are some walks in the grounds, we concentrated on the castle itself. Visits are by guided tour only (every 30 minutes) and you can only book in person. Arriving at 10:30 for the castle opening, the first tour was at 10:45 and by the time we left on it, it was fully booked. When we finished an hour or so later, people were being told they’d have to wait an hour for a tour, so probably better to get here early on a weekend or during tourist season. The guide was really knowledgeable about the history of the castle and the tour included a few ghost stories, which I always feel add to the entertainment value. The castle is said to have inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella castle and you can see why, with all the turrets giving it a real fairy tale feel.Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten August 17, 2024
- Jason C2 contributionsGreat tour guide.The tour guide for this castle was brilliant. Gentle, knowledgeable and really funny. The castle itself is an amazing piece of living history visited occasionally but its now elderly former inhabitants. Even our teenage girls loved it and naturally, had to have many photos taken in front of this magical castle.Visited August 2024Traveled with familyWritten August 28, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
455 reviews
Excellent
285
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11
DMFL76
Northants
Aug 2021 • Couples
Extremely disappointing visit. We drove over an hour to get to Craigievar, paid the obligatory £3 parking to be told by a particularly unhelpful member of staff when we arrived at the house, that they were not accepting any further visitors for the day...it was shortly before 1.30 when we arrived and the castle closed at 4pm. He suggested we arrived for 10am the following day when the castle reopened in the hope we'd get in. It is not possible to book in advance and entry is on a first come, first served basis. He suggested people had been waiting for over 2 hours to gain access.
Other than the castle and grounds, there are no other facilities i.e. cafe to while away the time. Needless to say, we came away feeling annoyed.
On the whole, we felt the situation was mismanaged. Loads of people arrived after us, paid their parking and will have found out shortly after they couldn't gain access. Even if a notice had been put at the paying machine that entry to the castle was closed it would allow people to make their decision before paying mandatory parking charges. We hung around for about 20 mins letting people know they couldn't get in before paying parking while we figured out our new plan.
Come in Craigievar, get your act together. Sadly you've blotted your card with us. We won't be back.
Other than the castle and grounds, there are no other facilities i.e. cafe to while away the time. Needless to say, we came away feeling annoyed.
On the whole, we felt the situation was mismanaged. Loads of people arrived after us, paid their parking and will have found out shortly after they couldn't gain access. Even if a notice had been put at the paying machine that entry to the castle was closed it would allow people to make their decision before paying mandatory parking charges. We hung around for about 20 mins letting people know they couldn't get in before paying parking while we figured out our new plan.
Come in Craigievar, get your act together. Sadly you've blotted your card with us. We won't be back.
Written August 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
While we appreciate your disappointment at not being able to get into the castle I hope that all our visitors appreciate that owing to the layout of the castle and in order to follow Covid-19 guidelines, we can only take family groups / bubbles at 10 minute intervals thus keeping our visitors and staff as safe as possible. This limits the total number of time-slots and therefore groups / bubbles we can admit to the castle in the course of a day. Depending on the number of visitors the wait for the next available time-slot can vary from a few minutes to hours; also there is no way we can predict the demand from hour to hour or day to day.
On the day in question the wait had varied from 45 minutes first thing in the morning, to 5 minutes around midday and then over a 20 minute period all the remaining time-slots had been taken on the 'first-come, first-served' basis that we, and many other NTS properties, operate. We don't offer a pre-booking system owing to the fact that when we have operated on in the past we have suffered from people not showing up at their pre-booked time and the 'knock-on' effect that has had.
We hope that next year we will be able return to a more normal way of welcoming our visitors to this historic castle.
Written September 1, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
rdjones687
Agadir, Morocco
Sep 2021
No pre-booking allowed, so after one hour drive, arrived at Craigievar Castle at 1230 Sunday 19/9/21. 1245 was offered 1545 admission. 3 hour wait with no walled garden or cafe? Declined. Complained via NTS website 19/9/21: no reply. 10/10/21 emailed NT Scotland: staff member of Craigievar who'd offered 3 hour wait replied 10/10/21 justifying his own position & attaching NTS Covid ponderings. Unhelpful!
NTS needs to consider:
Waste of time, petrol & damage to planet by average 2-hour round trip & no admittance
£3.00 parking charge for unlikely admittance to castle.
6 other NTS properties we visited during same 11-day holiday have similar issues, but were welcoming & readily accessible, particularly helpful for disabilities.
NTS needs to consider:
Waste of time, petrol & damage to planet by average 2-hour round trip & no admittance
£3.00 parking charge for unlikely admittance to castle.
6 other NTS properties we visited during same 11-day holiday have similar issues, but were welcoming & readily accessible, particularly helpful for disabilities.
Written October 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jan Dunn
Wrexham County, UK
Sep 2021 • Couples
This is a National Trust property that says you CAN'T book but works on a first come first serve basis which turns out not to be true.
We arrived there at 12.00 on a Saturday (because it only opens a few days a week).
We were told there were no spaces left (although they were open until 4). We asked him when they were next open and he said the Sunday.
So we went back the next day and arrived at 10.30am, as soon as they opened.
We were greeted by the same man as the day before who said there were no spaces until 12.30!
When we asked how this was possible if you can't book he didn't really have a decent answer. Then the people behind us said they had been given a time slot for that day as they had turned up the day before and not been able to get in either.
We asked why he had not suggested that to us the day before but again got no reasonable answer. He did tell us that some of the people in the cottages on the estate had already booked, which is fair enough but there are only three cottages there.
We could have paid £3 parking each day for no reason although luckily we are NT members. We have been to numerous NT properties with no problems.
We arrived there at 12.00 on a Saturday (because it only opens a few days a week).
We were told there were no spaces left (although they were open until 4). We asked him when they were next open and he said the Sunday.
So we went back the next day and arrived at 10.30am, as soon as they opened.
We were greeted by the same man as the day before who said there were no spaces until 12.30!
When we asked how this was possible if you can't book he didn't really have a decent answer. Then the people behind us said they had been given a time slot for that day as they had turned up the day before and not been able to get in either.
We asked why he had not suggested that to us the day before but again got no reasonable answer. He did tell us that some of the people in the cottages on the estate had already booked, which is fair enough but there are only three cottages there.
We could have paid £3 parking each day for no reason although luckily we are NT members. We have been to numerous NT properties with no problems.
Written September 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sep 2021 • Couples
Dont bother going unless you have the time to show up at 1030 and then to come back later that day. We understand Covid means reduced numbers but every other attraction we have visited (large or small) has dealt super well with it, this attraction is poor. We wasted £3 on 10 mins in the car park, only to be told nothing was available that today and to come back tomorrow. All issues could be resolved with online booking or at least a sign on the road to say "Full".
Written September 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bdon257
Morpeth, UK
Jul 2022 • Couples
We visited this wonderful castle which is in the care of the National Trust and were taken on a guided tour by a very knowledgeable member of staff. The history of the building and its custodians was well narrated by our guide. Certainly we’ll worth travelling to see.
Written July 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
910jackie
Aberdeen, UK
Aug 2022
Had an excellent guided tour on Sunday afternoon by National Trust at Craigievar Castle.
All staff were very helpful and knowledgeable about the history of the castle.
We were members when the kids were younger, and have now joined again as annual members, kids all grown up!
Looking forward to our next NTS visit.
All staff were very helpful and knowledgeable about the history of the castle.
We were members when the kids were younger, and have now joined again as annual members, kids all grown up!
Looking forward to our next NTS visit.
Written August 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ob1knbxtrail
Edinburgh
Jul 2024 • Couples
Bizarre visitor arrangments at Craigievar Castle.
Despite being NTS members and trekking all the way out there today, we could not get on a tour as they were all full and only 10 people allowed per tour.
I totally undertand that there has to be limits on numbers but it really is wrong there is no way of pre-booking a slot. Particularly when the Castle is off the beaten track.
DO NOT pay the £4 car parking charge on the car park machine until you are sure you can actually get on a tour!
Despite being NTS members and trekking all the way out there today, we could not get on a tour as they were all full and only 10 people allowed per tour.
I totally undertand that there has to be limits on numbers but it really is wrong there is no way of pre-booking a slot. Particularly when the Castle is off the beaten track.
DO NOT pay the £4 car parking charge on the car park machine until you are sure you can actually get on a tour!
Written July 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are occasions in the late afternoon when all the tours are full but often if visitors are prepared to wait we are usually able to accommodate the majority of them within an hour.
When we tried pre-booking it wasn't a success as people would book for a particular tour and then fail to turn up, or turn up late. Meanwhile, we had either re-scheduled people on later tours or they had been unable to wait. When there were 'no-shows' we had to try and fill the tours with people who were waiting. While if the booked group arrived late the tour would have already left without them and possibly the places filled by other visitors and no places available on subsequent tours.
These situations may not be a problem when tour sizes are larger, as they may be at other properties but here we are limited to 10 / tour due to room sizes and visitor enjoyment with 30 minutes between tours.
We would encourage all our visitors to pay the car parking charge as that contributes to maintaining the castle and grounds for all visitors to enjoy.
Written July 15, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
SMU1963
London, UK
Jun 2022 • Friends
A lovely little castle with a big heart. Excellent tour guide and helpful staff. Not for those who find stairs tricky. Multiple floors of atmospheric tower/castle rooms decorated with tartan a-plenty and exquisite 17th century plaster ceilings. The stories told are engaging and the whole castle is full to bursting with the belonging of the Forbes Family. Probably our favourite NTS property in Aberdeenshire.
Written June 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Connie-Dave
Watford, UK
Aug 2021
You have to book a slot to visit,we were very lucky and arrived early,getting the first slot. We loved the personal tour,the guides chatted for about 10 minutes,telling us wonderful history tales and then we were shown to the next area where another guide was waiting for us. The castle was beautiful and unique and the staff were extremely informative .
Written August 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dr Edward Crook
Nottingham, UK
Sep 2022 • Family
Wonderful. Very interesting. Paul was a brilliant tour guide, and made it a fantastic experience. We went with my 93 year old grandmother and 5 month old son, and he was very attentive to everyone. Would 100% recommend.
Written September 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wanda C
Waxahachie, Texas
Can we just pay to park and take pics outside without paying for inside tour?
Written June 11, 2024
Wanda C
Waxahachie, Texas
Can we just pay to park and take pics outside without paying for inside tour?
Written June 11, 2024
The e car park charge is £3 and at the moment it is cash only; we hope to accept cards in the not too distant future.
Written August 23, 2021
SILVIAT72
Treviso, Italy
Is it possible to have a break and eat some sandwiches in the gardens? Maybe having a pic-nic?
Written July 6, 2019
The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset and you are welcome to picnic here; we have a kiosk which serves takeaway hot & cold drinks, sweets, crisps, ice-creams and pre-wrapped cakes.
Written July 8, 2019
Benjamin-Borg
Zejtun, Malta
Rather then a cafe, it is more likely a kiosk where you can order refreshments.
Written September 10, 2019
Visiting after operating hours. Ok to drive around and get good pictures from the outside?
Written June 2, 2019
ABP
Selkirk, United Kingdom
Don't remember gates. I would say you should be able to drive to car park then walk in the grounds and round the castle. There are holiday cottages in the grounds at the rear of the castle and I would say they will have open access from the main road.
Written June 3, 2019
Expedition240610
Doncaster, United Kingdom
Are there any age restrictions for kids visiting the castle?
Written March 22, 2019
There are no age restrictions for children visiting the castle; however, access to the upper floors is via quite narrow, steep, stone spiral staircases which can present problems for very young children. It can also be difficult to carry very young children on the stairs due to width, steepness and headroom, it is for this reason that we don't allow backpacks in the castle.
The one area we do not allow children is the viewing platform on the roof due to access.
Written March 22, 2019
Natalia
Molina de Aragon, Spain
Se puede ver el castillo desde fuera sin necesidad de entrar?
Written July 14, 2018
Guided tours last between 45 minutes and an hour, numbers are restricted to 10 per tour for conservation purposes and also to ensure you get the best experience of the interior. They are "first come, first served" and run about every 30 minutes.
Written May 14, 2018
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