Scotland has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to castles. Here are some of the most dramatic to visit ...
Eilean Donan Castle is a famously picturesque Scottish castle that may be recognised from numerous photographs, film and television programmes. As well as its impressive siting, its position between Loch Ness and the Isle of Skye also puts it well on the tourist map.
Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. Located in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Balmoral Castle is one of two personal and private residences owned by the Royal Family, unlike the Royal Palaces (such as Buckingham Palace), that belong to the Crown.
Corgarff Castle, near Strathdon by Cairngorms National Park in Scotland, has a striking look - as a result of changes made over the years. Originally created as a tower house in the 1500s, it was altered in the Georgian period to create a fort for government troops, and this has left it looking strangely Napoleonic, sitting in splendid isolation beneath the Highland mountains.
One of the most spectacular Scottish vistas is that of Dunnottar Castle at Stonehaven, just south of Aberdeen on Scotland's east coast. It is the epitome of a romantic ruin, high on a spur of rock jutting out into the North Sea.
The powder pink castle in the foothills of the Cairngorms may look familiar. That's not too surprising, as Craigievar Castle in Aberdeenshire is said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s iconic 'Cinderella Castle' imagery.
Cawdor Castle is a castle in Nairnshire, Scotland, northeast of Inverness. The castle is perhaps best known for its literary connection to William Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth", in which the title character is made "Thane of Cawdor".
