Castle Trail

Moray, Grampian and the Highlands ha an abundance of castles and historic buildings and is renowed for our famous Castle Trail.  Below is a small example of some our famous landmarks:

Spynie Palace, Lossiemouth >>>
Spynie Palace was the residence of the Bishops of Moray.  The earliest existing buildings at Spynie date from the 1300s but the history of the palace goes back to Bishop Brice of Douglas, who chose the church here as his cathedral church in 1207-8.

Brodie Castle, near Forres, Moray >>>
Owned by the Natiional Trust for Scotland, Brodie Castle is a 16th century tower house with major collections of paintings and furniture.  It contains fine French furniture; English, continental and Chinese porcelain; and a major collection of paintings, including 17th-century Dutch art, 19th-century English watercolours, Scottish Colourists and early 20th-century works.

Balvenie Castle, Dufftown >>>
Originally the seat of the powerful Comyn earls of Buchan, Balvenie is a castle of enclosure with massive curtain wall.  It dates to the 1200s when Marjory, daughter of Fergus, the last Celtic Earl of Buchan, married William Comyn, one of the new breed of Scottish noblemen.

Duffus Castle, near Elgin >>>
One of the finest examples of a motte and bailey castle in Scotland with a later, very fine, stone hall house and curtain wall. The original seat of the Moray family.

Elgin Cathedral >>>
One of Scotland’s most beautiful medieval buildings, Elgin Cathedral is a magnificent ruin, much of which dates back to the 13th century.  Its many outstanding architectural features include the country’s finest octagonal chapter house.

Ballindalloch Castle >>>
Ballindalloch is one of the few privately owned castles to have been lived in continuously by its original family. The Macpherson-Grants have resided here since 1546.

Cawdor Castle >>>
Cawdor Castle dates from the late 14th century and was built as a private fortress by the Thanes of Cawdor.

Lossiemouth and the Moray Firth are blessed with fanatasic scenery, wildlife and history.
Sailing, dolphin watching, and mountain biking are very popular.

And, of course, you can't visit the area without trying your hand at golf. Skerry Brae provides excellent offers for the Moray Golf Course, right next door.

Go to the Visit Scotland website for details of activities in Moray and Speyside.

With approximately 50 whisky distilleries nearby, you can have access to the best malts in the world. Most of which can be sampled in the Skerry Brae bar. Visit the Malt Whisky Trail website for more information.

For advice on dolphin watching and other wildlife pursuits please visit the WDCS website.

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