Located in the Southwest of Scotland along the beautiful coastline, lies the amazing Culzean Castle!
Scotland is home to a lot of castles, (hundreds), but this is definitely a great one to visit. So if you’re thinking of visiting Culzean Castle on your Scotland trip, then keep reading as I’m about to tell you everything you need to know.
Culzean Castle is located near Ayrshire and is actually perched on the Asyhire cliffs. The home was designed by Robert Adam in the 18th century and there is so much history to explore on the site.
There are a few ways to get to Culzean Castle. The first is via your own transport. We visited Culzean Castle in our own campervan (which we converted ourselves in 3 months!). Or you can rent a camper or car for your journey. If you want you could even include your trip to Culzean Castle as part of a South West Coast road trip!
The entrance prices into Culzean Castle are as follows. If you have a national trust membership, then entrance and parking are free.
There are lots of things to do at Culzean Castle. It’s got something for everyone- whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, a group of friends, or a family! Some of the best things to do include…
There are 3 walking routes within the castle and its ground, and depending on your time and fitness level you can choose a certain one.
We opted for the yellow route as it seemed to take in all the best sights, but the other routes have extra things too, so if you’ve got all day, I’d say, see the lot!
If you want to see some deer, then this is a great spot. A perfect spot for children too. It’s located within the castle grounds, so won’t cost you extra!
The walled garden is a beautiful spot on the castle grounds. We visited in the autumn season, so most of the flowers had gone, so I would assume visiting in Spring, Summer is even more impressive!
When we visited it was during Covid, so, unfortunately, the castle itself wasn’t open.
This was a pity as I had heard great things about the famous Robert Adam’s Oval Staircase which is the centerpiece of the castle, so if it’s open when you visit, definitely explore inside and learn more about the history of the castle itself.
If you’re feeling like a king or queen, then it’s good to note that you can actually stay IN this castle if you wish...pretty cool eh!.
The castle has many great viewpoints from lots of different angles, so make sure you take lots of pictures and don't’ forget to just walk around the castle and admire it.
This one is for the kids! Located at the Swan Pond, they offer lots of great things to do including treehouses, soaring towers, climbing walls, slides, a maze house, and zip slides.
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You can take a path that leads down to the rocky lava platform where beautiful rock pools of water have been formed and you can spend hours relaxing on Culzean beach.
If the weather is particularly nice, you could even get yourself a picnic.
Search for starfish and sea urchins, or discover semi-precious stones including, jasper and even amethyst (if you’re lucky!). When you head north of the castle, you’ll see the landscape change to sandy bays and warmer old red sandstone.
If you’re feeling peckish then grab some delicious food at one of the many food sites available at Culzean Castle.
Whether you fancy a big meal, a light lunch, or a cup of coffee, they’ve got you covered. There’s even a farm shop on sight where you can buy some products to bring home with you.
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All year will have a different vibe and offer something different, however, I would imagine in the summer months it would be extremely busy. We visited in October time and the weather was pleasant and it wasn’t busy at all! The autumn colours were also really beautiful at this time...
So there you have it, my quick and easy guide to visiting Culzean Castle. I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and if you’ve got any questions, please drop them below!
Happy travels
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