This museum has a fantastic collection of lighthouse lenses and is filled with all sorts of information. Included with your admission is a guided tour of the Kinnaird Head Lighthouse. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and the view from the top is great. We even got to see the mechanism that turns the light on action. This museum was a highlight of our trip.

I visited the museum with my wife a few weeks ago and it was a great experience. There is so much to see in the museum and whether you're into lighthouses or not, you'll definitely find it interesting! The tour is a must, our guide Sam was brilliant, made everyone feel welcome, encouraged questions and really knew about the lighthouse and it's history! I'm sure we'll be back again one day :)

This museum was amazing. The best part was the guided tour inside the lighthouse itself. Thanks to the guide’s explanation, you learn a lot of interesting information. Seeing how the lighthouse works with your own eyes fascinated even our children. We definitely recommend a visit.

Great museum. Paid for tour of lighthouse which was very imfomative and you were able to climb the stairs and see the light turning. Did not buy tickets in advance and luckily turned up just in time for a tour starting.

I did not go to the museum as it was shut However I parked the car and went a wee wonder Amazing views and great to see the light house Spectacular views along the cliffs which you can walk Bench area for enjoying the views Larger car park

Amazing! Michael gave us the tour of the lighthouse itself, fascinating and joyful experience throughout. Absolute must do for anyone that ever wondered what goes on inside a lighthouse, absolutely brilliant couple of hours spent here

It was an amazing visit, the tour was really interesting and it's amazing to see how a castle got to be a lighthouse. Our tour guide was incredibly nice and she knew a lot about the lighthouse, it's history and overall lighthouses.

We’d been looking forward to visiting BrewDog for a long time and it was absolutely worth the wait! From the moment we walked into the restaurant, we felt like kids in a candy store. The design is incredible, with attention to every little detail. Our waitress Sammy was so lovely ,she took the time to explain all the different beers with such patience and kindness. Later, we joined the brewery tour led by Lisa, who was simply amazing ,funny, cheerful and full of energy. She really made the whole experience even more enjoyable! We’ve been to quite a few breweries around the world, but this one was by far the most fun and unique. Thank you for everything! Highly recommend to anyone visiting!

Best burger ever? Might just be! Now we are back in Aberdeenshire, we stopped by BrewDog DogTap and tried the ETFB burger — honestly, incredible. Double smashed patties, bacon, cheese, jammy onions, candied jalapeños… every bite was unreal. So much flavour and just the right mix of sweet, spicy, and crispy. This for us was one of the best burgers we have tasted, and we have had many around the globe. Paired it with a pint of Punk IPA and it was perfect. The waitress suggested some beers for my wife and offered tasters to help her choose. Much better than expected (even though I’ve just been in the Dubai venue). If you like a big, messy, proper burger — this one’s worth the trip!

Visited today all the way from Brisbane Australia where we have had the great experience for flavour before. Staff were very polite and accommodating, such a huuuge venue food was amazing totally recommended.

We came for the brewery tour and we had a wonderful time with Lisa who takes us around the different parts of the brewery and tell us a lot of enjoyable stories along the way. She gives us interesting facts and stories about the brewery from its beginning to now. It's was a really great moment with nice beers (yes, plural) to enjoy during the visit. We also stayed for lunch and the burger and breakfast were great!

At a conference in Aberdeen. Wanted some fresh air so went to see the seals at nearby beach. Realised this was nearby. Friendly service, speedy great Mexican burger and Punk discount. Didn't fell awkward eating on my own at all.

There was a lot of gluten free options to choose from. Food was very good. All of the staff were friendly and approachable. I want to give a particular mention to our server (Meghan). She had great customer service skills. Nothing was too much trouble for her.. it’s good to experience great customer service as it can be a rarity in this day and age.

Sarah our server was so helpful and gave us good info on the menu …… top class

I really enjoyed my visit to the museum. It was a great way to learn about not only maritime facts such as oil rigs and ships but also Aberdeen history. All the displays were done with great care and the exhibitions were very informative. The view to the port was also splendid and the gift shop selection was nice.

An excellent experience. An easy walk from the Railway Station. This museum is free, but you can donate by card or cash. Very friendly staff and an amazing space over five floors and three buildings. The museum features the maritime history of the area as well as the oil and gas industry. It also features exhibits on occasion. A reasonably priced gift shop featuring local souvenirs. I would visit here if you have an interest in maritime history, but is interesting for those who aren't.

Lovely museum, lovely architecture. The cherry on the cake was the free guided tour tough, offered by knowledgeable and utmost kind Robert who made it special by picking a particular parts and making his lecture around these. Learned a lot and in a very friendly atmosphere, many thanks!!

A visit worth taking while in Aberdeen (or if residing here). Deployed in 4 floors, illustrates the history of Aberdeen shipbuilding and UK offshore drilling off Scotland coast. The abundance of wood all around creates a really cozy environment. Allow >1 hour to tour as it’s really interesting.

Can’t believe this amazing place is free! 😍 I love museums...they always take us back in time and make us feel part of history. The displays, ship models, and harbour views here were just beautiful. 🌊⚓️ The Aberdeen Maritime Museum, located on Shiprow overlooking the harbour, is one of the city’s most fascinating free attractions. It’s housed in a blend of historic and modern buildings, including Provost Ross’s House, which dates back to 1593. The museum beautifully showcases Aberdeen’s deep connection with the sea — from shipbuilding and fishing to the modern North Sea oil and gas industry. One of its main highlights is the impressive 9-metre model of the Murchison oil platform, along with intricate ship models, artefacts, and interactive displays spread across four floors. Visitors can also enjoy stunning views of the harbour from the upper galleries, making it a perfect mix of history, culture, and coastal charm. 🌊⚓️

Lovely area, a good way to undertake the deep history of Aberdeen trading and oil exploration, week preserved pieces of history, kept in good viewing condition, a good place for visitors on sightseeing and exploratory training.

I haven’t been here since I was a kid. Excellent displays presented very well in a fantastic building. Very informative and paints a great picture of Aberdeen’s fascinating fishing and oil industry past. What a way to spend a few hours. I especially loved the gigantic Murchison platform which fills several floors of the building, the working lighthouse mechanism and the models of boats. The view across the harbour is phenomenal!!

Duthie Park Winter Gardens is such a unique and beautiful spot for a wedding! Lush greenery, vibrant blooms, and the most gorgeous natural light—it’s like stepping into a little tropical paradise in the heart of Aberdeen. The atmosphere is so relaxed and romantic, making it the perfect backdrop for capturing love stories. Easily one of my favourite spots to photograph, and it never disappoints!

Peaceful and Beautiful Family Spot Duthie Park is a charming green oasis in Aberdeen—immaculately kept, with lovely flower beds, wide lawns, and serene pathways. The highlight is the breathtaking David Welch Winter Gardens, perfect for a nature escape. Great for family strolls, picnics, or quiet relaxation. Free to visit and easily accessible—highly recommended!

I have never been to Duthie Park despite going to school in Bridge of Don and visiting family in the city over the years. I forgot there is a winter garden and I was impressed by how lovely it was. Enjoyed the cafe too - great coffee and lovely cakes

Good place to walk, jogging, relax, play arrears, cycling etc etc… Also specially the “Temperature House” bring a huge value the place.

Was great, I was up there when doing the kilt walk an was really nice despite the heavy rain had lovely day an beautiful sites an things to do an close to shops also, ado recommend going if get the chance people were really warm an friendly

Amazingly calm and has it's own charm specially the covered winter garden in it. Feel like lost in the warmth of the nature. Be there with kids, dogs, friends or alone... doesn't matter. It's a lovely place to be. Recommended. Special note - if you aren't aware of it's history then do find out while you are there. 😊🙏🏻👍🏻 ❤️

It is a vibrant and beautifully landscaped park. It has iconic David Welch Winter Gardens. With a playground, boating pond, and scenic walking paths, it’s perfect for families and nature lovers alike.

Beautiful indoor gardens – perfect all year round. A stunning collection of tropical, arid, and exotic plants in a peaceful glasshouse setting. Well-maintained, with themed areas like the cactus house and Japanese garden. Great place to relax, take photos, or explore with family. Free entry and located within Duthie Park – a true gem in Aberdeen.

This stunning winter garden is located inside Duthie Park. An assortment of glasshouses display superb botanical examples from a diverse range of environments, from arid to tropical, and most continents. Plants are of the most pristine quality and housed in immaculate conditions. Excellent place and well worth a visit. Highly recommended. 👍👍👍

Cool place especially for those who are more interested in plants and stuff. The kind of 'did you know' plates were fun! The only thing i can have a little but is that not all of the plants are taken care of the way they should be

A must visit place if you like conservatories and flora fauna varieties. Very well kept and maintained place with great number of plant species. I was amazed to see the quality of the plants in a cold climate like Scotland has. Beautiful flowers and some really oddball plants and trees. Someone has seriously put aome good thought into it and the staff seems to maintain it well too. No entry fee, but it’s run on donations. Takes about an hour to get through it. Will surely visit again!

I love the botanical gardens in Aberdeen - one of my favourite places to visit! I would really recommend to anyone who is here - even for a few days. To top it off, it's also completely free and family-friendly. Seriously, one of my favourite botanical garden in Scotland. The cacti area is a must see - it always amazes guests. The adjacent cafe is also quite cute and has good sweets/dessert. I think it would make a great place for a first date!

Wow. What an amazing winter wonderland. Sharing with you all some amazing pics which I took yesterday....

Absolutely fabulous place to visit. Well worth a donation to keep it open to the public. Immaculately kept plants that were interesting to see and well labelled. The cafe was great to visit too with a great vegan cake selection for people with intollerances.

Wonderful Castle! Very unique castle in comparison to many we had toured. Our guide was very knowledgeable and answered any questions we had. The walled garden was enjoyable to walk thru despite the rain. The fruit we purchased in the garden hut was very delicious after our tea!

Great time had, while they went inside for the guided tour, myself and the dog enjoyed the outdoors. The guided tour took about 2 hours, while we sat outdoors on picnic benches at the cafe. They loved the tour and the guide knew her stuff. Very impressive castle inside and out. Disabled parking right at entrance or your in the main car park 5-10 mins walk down a hill

I wasn't sure about our tour guide at first, honestly. But wow, they were amazing! The whole tour was hilarious thanks to their sarcastic and charming personality. Definitely made the experience 100% better. Beautiful castle inside and out.

Amazing place. Great tour of the castle. Tours run every 45mins. Nice cafe and shop. The gardens are nice to walk around.

What a beautiful castle! And the guided tour was amazing! It was totally worth it and I definitely recommend a visit!

Great place to visit you can only go round the inside of the castle as part of a guided tour witch we didn't mind because you get to understand the history of the place instead of just walking around looking at things our guide was very knowledgeable and great at telling us all about the castle through the years I definitely recommend a visit

Beautiful grounds to walk around. The tours are guided but worth it as it was very informative. Would recommend a visit.

Superb aquarium. Weather was looking iffy so we looked for something to do indoors. One of our teens chose this so off we went. Friendly staff and a large variety of fish. What made this especially interesting was that all the species were Scottish. Staff were excellent and the presentations informative but also child friendly: the staff obviously knew their stuff. We spent two hours here but would happily have spent longer.

This is one of the best aquariums I have ever visited. It may not be the biggest, but you'll see a lot in the space that is there! Very friendly and knowledgeable staff- we caught the jellyfish feed, and the feeder, Hannah, was very knowledgeable and was happy to answer questions. The Price Is super reasonable, and there's definitely something for everyone to enjoy- a great attraction!

Not been in some time but was brilliant. Not the biggest but it’s focus is our waters and they have done an absolutely tremendous job. A great catalogue of local marina. Was a good day out and the wee man had a smashing time. The staff are all so friendly and helpful and the feeding times were nice, get to learn more about the fish etc. will be back sooner this time.

Brilliant high quality family experience. Accessible for all. Packed with wonderful sealife viewing areas, informative displays and interactive features. We were very lucky and had opportunity for a hands-on experience with the starfish, crabs and anemones. A memory that will be with us forever. Thank you. Super scientific information and equipment such as digital magnifier and microscopes to use. Fun checklist sheet to do whilst going round. Challenged the adults too! Best of all, the most welcoming, knowledgeable and friendliest of staff! A thoroughly great afternoon out.

Spent a great time here yesterday with the visiting family. Friendly and informative staff on hand. Interesting and well set out aquarium with lots to see and lots to read. Came away with many lovely photographs and five grandchildren were kept completely entertained for the duration of our visit. Thanks very much :)

Fantastic aquarium, great value and very enjoyable. Kids loved it and the feeding and diving sessions were fun to watch! Staff were knowledgeable and friendly.

Still a hit with the kids, lots of different species to see. Some new bits and bobs since we were here a couple of years ago, as well. Managed to catch the show this time, too, good for kids and adults.

Lovely house steeped in History. Lovely staff. There are a lot of stairs, but there is a lift. It looks like they have a wee cafe on site. But sadly it was closed.

Fabulous house restored to contain wonderful art from the national collection. Glorious 2 floors telling the story of how not to deal with your architect even if it is William Adam! Top floor is exhibition space currently recounting story of Polish war time residents. Staff fabulous and keen to share passion for an amazing site. Closed over lunch and no cafe but sustenance is available in Banff walking distance away

This place is super cute for a quick walk. If you want to go inside, mornings are best. It's less crowded then, so you can really enjoy it. I highly recommend checking it out! Just make sure to go early if you want to head indoors.

Highly recommend a visit to Duff House. Staff are highly knowledge and happy to have a good chat. The artwork inside is stunning, floor to ceiling paintings from many famous artists.

Loved this place . Very helpful, welcoming and informative staff. Thank you for making our visit enjoyable and accommodating with access for my daughter as she is unable to walk up stairs they helped with the use of the lift. Highly recommended x Morag

This was good, however I felt cheated knowing most of the paintings and furniture are on loan from National Gallery etc, and there isn’t much to do with Duff House. However I do understand that it may be difficult finding original items, it felt off. Also the staff are nice but do follow you around, ready to pounce with facts and talking when you just want to look at areas. Although this may be informative to some people, I just wanted to look at everything in peace.

Absolutely stunning! Visited in the pouring rain, staff welcomed us and was very informative throughout our visit.

The sun was splitting the sky today so we decided to visit Crathes Castle & Estate. The location was very busy as there were extra activities on in the grounds, bouncy things of several shapes and sizes, face painting, arts and crafts etc. It Is a self guided tour through the castle going up one set of very tight circular stairs and returning back down to ground level on a second set of stairs. You do need good mobility to manage these stairs. All the rooms were temperature and humidity controlled to try and preserve the fabrics and furnishings within each room. All the items were most interesting to see but not as old as those in Glamis castle. One advantage of this castle Is that you may take photographs except for one small area. After we completed the tour the heat from the sun guided us to the nearby ice cream vendor followed by a walk around the gardens. The gardens are large and are the home to many exotic plants, trees and shrubs. It Is a full time job for five volunteer gardeners to keep the gardens and grounds in such a wondrous condition. We finished off the day with a quick snack in the cafe. Soft drinks, cakes and cappuccino were enjoyed at a leisurely pace. A great day out, highly recommended.

What a great castle, so well kept and the staff are so full of knowledge The gardens are fabulous and I would suggest a while day, half day at least in the castle if you want to read all the details and do it justice, then a good couple of hours minimum in the gardens. Also great walks around the area also and. A lovely cafe.

This was an absolutely lovely location to come for a day out. The place was really busy due to a family fun day event being on, but there was still so much open space that you never felt hemmed in or on top of other visitors. The lady in the gift shop, and indeed all of the staff we encountered, were very friendly and happy to help us out. The only sad thing was that, whilst the garden was amazing, me and my wife couldn't go in together because we brought our dog. I feel that it should be the case that as long as your dog is kept on a short lead, is well behaved, and they are picked up after (which should be the case on the whole estate anyway) then they should be allowed in the gardens too. Overall a lovely site to visit.

i absolutely loved this castle ...the painted ceilings are just amazing ...Standing against a backdrop of rolling hills and set within its own glorious gardens, Crathes Castle provides a memorable experience with its towers, turrets and stories of its resident ghosts. King Robert the Bruce granted the lands of Leys to the Burnett family in 1323: the ancient Horn of Leys, which can be seen today in the Great Hall, marks his gift. Inside you’ll find a labyrinth of cultural history, from family portraits to fine antique furniture. The walled garden is a wonderful jungle of history, split into eight sections that encompass every green delight imaginable a sculpted topiary, soft herbaceous colours and modern exotic blooms. The massive yew hedges are thought to have been planted as early as 1702. Crathes Castle Estate was once part of the Royal Forest of Drum. Today there are a range of waymarked and clearly signposted trails. Look out for wildlife along the way – you may see red squirrels, woodpeckers and herons.

We are having a family holiday in Crathes. My wife and I have spent the last two days driving to here, so were pleased of a quiet day. After breakfast, we walked along the Deeside Way, a relatively flat walk from Aberdeen to Ballater, which was as far as the Deeside Railway went. Queen Victoria didn't want the railway to spoil the countryside around Balmoral. We soon came across Crathes signal box now a private residence and the remains if the platforms. Walking on, we came to a fork, with the Deeside Way going left over a pack horse bridge or right, under the road. Little did we realise what a difference taking the right fork would make. Continuing on our walk we came across the Milton of Crathes, a selection of independent shops. From here, we passed some railway carriages and still no signs directing us to the castle. Eventually, we came out beside the main road at Banchory, nearly four Mike's away. It was a very day and would get hotter as the day went on. We asked a local lad which way to the castle and he directed us up a road. It was not the main entrance but one used countries ago. It was a long uphill climb through the welcoming shade of huge trees of all descriptions. Eventually, we arrived at the castle and it looked very different to other castles we have visited. The castle is steeped in history, the one notable thing being it was lived in by the same family for centuries. We had a walk around inside, partly to cool off and partly to find out more about its history. We had a fascinating journey throughout most of the castle. The most fascinating were the painted ceilings, especially the Room of the Nine Nobles, based on great heroes from the past and the Muses' Room, with paintings of nine Muses and seven Virtues. From here, we walked to the cafe to get refreshments, but could believe the scores of wasps making most families lives a misery. In all my years, I have never so many wasps in one place. We drank up and departed for the welcoming shade of a hirse chestnut tree where we ate our lunch. From here, we walked down to the garden where a token allows families access to the gardens. The tokens can be collected from the main desk. The garden is a place of wonder, as with every turn, you see something different and interesting. You can see the castle from different angles which is a treat. Considering the hot sommer we are experiencing, the gardeners have produced a magnificent show for everyone. It seemed every colour was on view, depending on the flowers and which garden beds we were at. We even passed a couple getting married in a centre piece of the garden. We were intrigued by two large bushes close together at the side nearest the castle. It was while we were sat in the gsrden entrance building that we found the answer. The trees were planted in the 1700, and clipped in what we would describe as small urns. (They obviously had some meaning!!) Today, one is an egg sitting on a eggcup and the other is waiting for an egg. We much prefer the latter version. From here, we walked down the main path, the white trail, to the main entrance , stopping to look at the Highland cattle. We came across a bridge which I guess would have been part of the old road. Underneath, water from the large pond flowed down to the river. We followed a path and lo and behold came out at the road bridge we saw earlier on. We were no walking home knowing we didn't have as long a walk as this morning. By now, the heat was building, so a shorter walk was very welcome. Crathes Castle is an interesting place to visit, with lots of space to run around. There is a children's play area and well behaved dogs are welcomed. Crathes Castle has a cafe catering for all tastes and a great gift shop, selling a range of gifts and food.

We didn't go to the castle but WHAT a garden! We went twice and even in the space of 10 days there were different things to see. Absolute must for garden enthusiasts, whether you enjoy the formal topiary or the amazing themed borders. We chatted for a long time with the volunteers, who were very informative. Will happily come back again and again.

It was very nice on the outside, but it was quite expensive to go in (I paid €17), it didn’t really feel like a castle on the inside, felt maybe too modernised? I was expecting something a little bit more medieval with more rooms and corridors to explore, but that’s my fault for not reading about it first! Staff very friendly though, and the gardens were very nice! lots of grass to sit on and relax.

Firt class ice cream shop / sit in. An amazing choice of Ice cream and desserts tucked away on the lovely village of Portsoy. An incredible array of flavours and toppings. Bubble waffle seems to be a popular choice in my family. I total recommend a visit , I will be returning.

Really nice place. Large variety of ice cream ,waffles etc. Good coffee. Friendly staff. Clean.

Great ice cream shop on the main street opposite the bakers and the church, which has a low wall and handy benches to sit on when eating your ice cream. Just watch out for the gulls! Make sure you head down to the Quay side, it is a very lovely location.

Never miss this place if you are in Portsoy.Best icecreams and sorbet bowls. Tried 3 scoops bowl of lotus biscoff, strawberry and cookies andcream. And a sorbet bowl with nuts and coconut bits and banana and raspberry with hot milk chocolates sauce. If sugar wasn't that diabetic I could eat this everyday 😍

Delicious ice cream with all the delights! We also bought a souvenir made from local driftwood to bring home.

Very busy. Queues likely to be long. The options and quality are amazing. It’s worth the wait, you’re not rushed. The area around is amazing too, close to a park so the kids can enjoy after all that ice cream! There is also plenty of free parking around the area.

Travelled a long way for this. Has been highly recommended. Great choices and was absolutely buzzing. Was very popular. Good value and tasty ice cream. Would recommend trying the cinnamon bun with ice cream in the middle 👌

Had a great couple of hours looking around the museum. We especially enjoyed viewing the Top Gear and Guy Martin exhibitions - Guy's world record bicycle and the crazy (smashed up) go kart are particular highlights. There's a lovely cafe with a good selection of gluten free lunches. It's all dog friendly and the staff were super friendly, even giving the dogs a gravy bone on arrival. It's well worth the fee to enter.

This is a lovely old school museum. Incredibly friendly staff, plenty to see and the Top Gear exhibition is well worth the lengthy drive from almost anywhere else in the country! It's totally accessible and set in a lovely part of the world. Gift shop and cafe are great and well priced too.

My partner and I visited the Grampian transport museum and was thoroughly impressed by its excellent presentation. It's a must see attraction for any car enthusiast, Top Gear or Guy Martin fan. It almost goes without saying but it's the Top Gear cars that brought me to the museum. I had only found out about it just days prior to my trip when Drivetribe (a popular YouTube channel) had released a video on the indestructible Toyota Hilux that Grampian are now the proud owners of. However, it doesn't stop at just the Hilux, they own many of the iconic TV cars such as the Rambulance, the P45 and even the amphibious vehicles that the legendary trio of Clarkson, Hammond and May tried crossing the English Channel in. Explaining the history of each vehicle was a passionate volunteer Finlay McHardy who really made the day for us. Listening to him talk about the episodes each vehicle was featured in and sharing knowledge not found on the information boards. He even shared some details about what the future may hold for the vehicles... Meaning, if you're thinking they might try and start the Hilux. You may be right. The team at Grampian are sent on courses and trained to try and preserve the exhibits they have on display. The Hilux being no exception. If the pickup truck does indeed still run after time has been added to the concoction of death it's had to endure then it'll be because of the amazing team at Grampian and not the Smallest Cog as many suspect. Moving away from the Top Gear exhibit the museum also features trams, bikes in both push and motorised varieties as well as historic 'transportation of the future' such as the Sinclair C5 a vehicle that I believe was ahead of its time. The museum really is a treasure trove of information with the sheer diversity it has to offer and with plenty to read for those that wish to do so. It's very clear a lot of care has gone into making the exhibits as enjoyable and informative as possible. If all of this sounds tiring or perhaps you're not as passionate as a partner, child or any other acquaintance that you may be travelling with is. Then not to worry there is a lovely café located inside the museum called Motorbites which I feel is a worthy pun. It offers a great range of food and drink at what I found to be a very reasonable price, making it the perfect spot for lunch or just a break! The only negative I can draw from my visit is the behaviour of a school group. The children seemed to treat the museum like a playground, running around without much supervision or respect for the exhibits. While this didn't entirely detract from my experience, it was a minor disruption. However, this is not Grampian's fault and more so the lack of supervision from the responsible adults of the school trip. Overall I had a great time. So much so that if you look hard enough you may find my name, Finlay's name or many others dotted around the exhibits as the museum offer a vehicle adoption scheme for a one of fee of £25. This goes towards running the museum and the upkeep of the exhibits as Grampian is owned and operated by a registered charity of which I was more than happy to support. So on that bombshell, it's a 5/5 from me

As someone who has watched endless Topgear, it was great to see some of the special episode cars here. The staff were all friendly, small cafe on side. Would recommend. Slight inconvenience we turned up at 3:30pm and were told they shut at 4pm despite it saying 5pm on the website. Came back in the morning though

Delightful small museum which I’ve visited several times over the years but never taken my granddaughter so decided to go yesterday & support local. Some new items since last time there. Top gear really good as you remember it from seeing it on tv & good to see their creations in real life. Sadly what let’s the place down is the cafe as my granddaughter wanted the kids lunch box which is a sandwich, juice, etc. they couldn’t do a tuna sandwich at 2.12pm ?? However said we could have egg /bacon? how difficult would it have been to make a wee tuna sandwich ?? So we didn’t have lunch. I mentioned this at desk on way out as a suggestion to do sandwiches at any time of the day but he didn’t seem very interested to hear what I had to say. Outdoor play area is disappointing- not kept well not clean. They used to have a super bit for kids to go round small circuit in cars in the play area but that’s not there anymore. So all in all they happy to charge £27 for 2 adults 1 child but clearly doesn’t go into maintaining the kids area.

The visit was great, there was lots to see while the top gear exhibit was on, it was like meeting my childhood heros 🤣

Great museum with information boards across all different cars, bikes and carriages. The top gear cars are brilliant for anyone who is a fan.

A car park big enough for over 6 vehicles. Short walk to entrance building with small shop selling gifts and treats. Entrance fee payable. The castle is big and an outhouse also exists to explore. The main castle has some restrictions to access and intricate details have been protected from the weather. Still an impressive size with prison, cellars, great hall, kitchen, bedrooms etc. Outside is a building with a bakery and a brew house. Part of the original medieval road exists just outside.

The castle ruins is incredible. The size is quite impressive, between the cellars, the prison, the living rooms and the different rooms you will spent 1h . All the explanations are really good, the story of it is fascinant. Highly recommanded.

Went first thing it opened, the older gentleman we chated with inside the castle was super happy to be there, he felt like a personal tour guide and you could tell he loved what he was doing.

this is a wonderful castle ruins and so definitely worth a visit...the site is home to a number of castles during its history ...a medieval road lays next to the current ruin as well ...Once a magnificent, sumptuous and ornate building, Huntly Castle is a large and ruinous old stronghold and palace in a pretty wooded location, long the seat of the powerful Gordon Earls and Marquises of Huntly and with a long and violent history, just north of the Aberdeenshire town of Huntly.

Huntly castle is a must see castle whilst visiting aberdeenshire for all its a ruin there is still allot to see and you can use your imagination to fill in the blanks. There is a well stocked shop that sells everything from books to souvenirs to fridge magnets the people who run the site are very friendly and welcoming and happy to answer any question that you might have. There is decent parking next to the castle so no issues there also toilets are avaliable. The views from on top of Huntly castle are well worth the effort. 10/10

A very beautiful Castle, I spent hours exploring and there are beautiful walks and praks in the surrounding area. A fantastic day out. 🤩🤩

Enjoyed a lovely family day out. Admission was reasonably priced. Walked around the ruins had inside and outdoor areas. Some pebbled areas, steps to climb and different levels to negotiate but not to much for the young children in the party aged between (3 and 6) Disabled access is limited to the surrounds as climbing stairs inside the towers may present difficulties. There was parking facilities outside and a nice park with play area and picnic area close to the river which was very picturesque.

Good little cafe and exhibition. Easy access to the shingle banks. Guided tours of the ice house available. Great walk around the nature reserve too. Managed to see an osprey too as an added bonus.

This is a beautiful centre, with a lovely cafe, where you can learn, explore and see dolphins enjoying their natural habitat. We were lucky enough to enjoy other wildlife on our visit such as ospreys, lizards and kingfishers. The staff are incredible, they shared so much knowledge and insight with us. You must listen to the informative talk about bones and join the Ice House tour for a real insight into our history. James and Hope were exceptional. A must do and see if you are in the area!

We didn't see any Dolphins but they don't guarantee that you will. Lovely walk on the beach, it is all pebbles so thick soled shoes/boots are advisable. Food and hot drinks available in cafe. Small gift shop.

Lovely place to visit lots of wildlife if you're lucky dolphins passing great for a walk with the dog there's toilets shop coffee

Really nice little cafe & Shop X the exhibition on the dolphins is full of useful information X lovely setting, and views X we were fortunate enough to be able to watch the Osprey hunting while we were there, he flew right over our heads & gave us both (separately) a 10/15 minute display x unfortunately didn't see any 🐬 dolphins but they hadn't been recorded for 2 days so clearly tides & winds weren't right X would recommend it to anyone x

Amazing place, amazing people, an absolutely amazing cause. Cafe is also excellent, very nice fresh food served with very little wait (as its all freshly prepared) they don't like waste and nor do we. Its also very very environmentally friendly both cafe and shop. Amazing products, supporting local artists as well as their own clothing which is all recycled 100% cotton, also supporting so many people with their citizen science programme. I can't say enough about how amazing this place is. Their is also a bird reserve just by as its at the mouth of the river Spey. Dolphins, porpoise seen nearly daily.

Wonderful place to visit. Be prepared to climb over rocks and the pebble beach to look for the Dolphins, although we did not see any the visitor centre was well worth a visit and cafe serves lovely food

Beautiful & Legendary Distillery We decided to visit Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, as we were visiting the nearby Balvenie castle. We really enjoyed it and thought this place was great. It looks the part, a bit Victorian a bit Scottish, it is really nice & well maintained. I have know this Whisky my whole life, even living in Switzerland, somehow it was always in the bars, clubs I was going to. I imagined it would of been a larger and more industrial place. I was happy to see it was more normal, smaller, etc. This is somewhat in the heart of Speyside's whisky region do visit if you can! The tour (like most of them in Scotland explains the production and making process, of whisky. Really worth your time and highly recommended from us. Note they also have a great shop and bar.

Had my first-ever distillery tour at Glenfiddich! Our guide was hilarious! super engaging and very informative 😂 The place itself is absolutely stunning and filled with history. The whisky tasting was alright, but it was still really fun to learn the story behind the drinks. Such an interesting and memorable experience!

Our tour guide was super knowledgeable, friendly, always stopped to ask us if we had any questions, and took his time with us and didn’t rush things along. The tasting room was super nice, very exclusive feeling, and there were only a handful of us on the tour together, so it felt very personal. 100% recommend.

Unforgettable Tasting Experience The Glenfiddich 1990 and 1992 Sherry Oak casks are hands down the best whiskies I’ve ever tasted, truly exceptional! Deep, rich, and perfectly balanced. A standout moment in an already fantastic tasting.

We were passing the Glenfiddich Distillery when we met a very friendly security guard. He invited us to have a look around so we did. All the tours were booked up. We chatted with various people and visited the shop which was very busy. Next time we visit we might book a tour and that would give a better understanding of this very popular industry.

Of course, Glenfiddich isn't exactly an insider tip. But the tour of the distillery is unparalleled—and we experienced many on our tour. Glenfiddich is one of the gold standards when it comes to Scottish whisky and shows that even a large distillery can impress with individuality and quality.

Visiting the iconic Glenfiddich Distillery near Dufftown, the heart of Speyside's whisky region, is a must. The tour offers a fascinating glimpse into their whisky-making process, from mashing to maturation. Tasting their renowned single malts is a highlight. While it can be busy, the chance to experience this Speyside icon and learn about their family history and innovative techniques is well worth it for any whisky lover in the area. The visitor center and shop are excellent too.

On my way to visit the Balmoral Castle, I was recommended to see this place for tasting. As you recognise, this place has got “royal” title which is quite rare among the distilleries. Once I stepped in, the staff was amazing and very helpful. I ve also got nice tricks for tasting a scotch and my point of view to whiskey is totally positively changed. I know what I am not supposed to do while drinking scotch anymore ☺️ Thanks everyone there

Visiting Royal Lochnagar Distillery was an absolute highlight of our trip. The distillery is charming, beautifully located, and rich in history. The tour was very well organized, with clear explanations of the whisky-making process and a welcoming atmosphere throughout. We especially appreciated how everything was presented with such detail and passion, which made the experience both educational and enjoyable. Stuart, our guide, was excellent and added to the overall quality of the visit. A must-see for anyone interested in Scotch whisky and Scottish heritage!

Hung out with Stuart (guide) here for an afternoon. Wonderfully self-deprecating humor, he had. Lovely walk from the castle nearby and you get 15% off if you show your castle ticket. Incredibly mild, but still complex whiskies. Great old distillery with lots of history, exposed stone and wood. I think I’ll have another.

Phenomenal experience learning about whiskey and sampled excellent batches! If you love whiskey I highly recommend. Our guide Marie was fantastic!

Very nice small batch distillery that offers a nice tour and tastings experience. Bar and restaurant on site. Staff is informative and very friendly.

It was great experience, small distillery, really cozy and visit is highly personalized. We made the tour with Dave, wonderful guy

Our distillery tour guide, Annie, was fantastic and extremely knowledgeable. Nice but small gift shop, free parking, clean bathrooms, and we enjoyed trying their products in their tasting room.

Very nice ruin. Well maintained. Very nice staff at main entrance who gave us a snippet of what to see and expect. Lovely view of Elgin from the top. The stairs up were well maintained, not too narrow, not a hard climb either. I do recommend. We used explorer pass to enter.

Signed up for annual Historic Scotland pass. Visited the cathedral while touring the Moray Firth area. Found the site to be well kept with loads of informative information on it's history. Staff were great and answered my questions. Recommend

remarkable abbey ruin ...would've been amazing to see in its day as what's left is looks pretty amazing ...lots carvings as well. . Even as a ruin, the cathedral shines out as one of Scotland's most ambitious and beautiful medieval buildings. Begun in 1224, Elgin was the principal church of the bishops of Moray. It lost its roof shortly after the Protestant Reformation of 1560, and later its central tower fell.

We visited Elgin Cathedral today and absolutely loved our experience. The staff were incredibly kind and welcoming, and to our delight, we were even allowed to bring our dogs with us onto the beautiful grounds. That made the visit extra special and unforgettable for us. We are so grateful for this wonderful experience!

Hauntingly evocative ruins in stone. Curated exhibitions in the surviving snd partially restored towers add to appreciation of the time and place when Elgin was an active cathedral. The decorative stone sculptures are unique surviving treasures; some are whimsical and others are quite skillfully made. There is a nearby parking lot for easy access.

This cathedral ruin was awesome, I really enjoyed walking around this place, reading all the information boards, seeing all the old stone work, and fragments. You have a great view over the entire area from the top of the tower. There are steep spiral stairs, but well worth the climb. £11 entry per adult.

Absolutely fantastic place to visit, with so much history and so much of the building to see, you could literally stay an entire day. Also home to Scotlands tallest gravestone, at over 5 meters long!

Such a wonderful experience to walk around the grounds and view the Castle. It was so beautiful. The Restaurant was amazing with excellent quality food. The Shop was beautifully stocked and the displays where awesome. Just a fantastic experience ✨️ Thank You

Had a guided tour, loved it but would have liked to see more. Everyone very friendly and knowledgeable. Well worth the snowy drive.

I enjoyed my visit and it was very interesting to see all the new planting taking place, especially the trees and maze. You do need to go when the weather is fine because there would be few places to shelter in the rain. I would recommend asking for an audible guide. This wasn't offered when I purchased my ticket and I believe it would have made my experience more interesting.

Lovely to see where Royal Family live during various times of year,even though not able to go in Castle!Cafe beautiful,but sadly sat outside in cold with our dog in snow blizzard!No dogs allowed. Shop beautiful and Shop Manager very helpful.

I have a special attachment to this castle since my grandmother and grandfather worked and met. I brought my grandson here to show him. The grounds are large, and the gardens are well maintained. We were only allowed into the ballroom, but that was impressive. There is a restaurant where you can have tea or lunch. I was surprised on how good the food was and how reasonable the price was.

Very quiet and tranquil place to visit. The grounds are extremely well presented and amazing views. Only 1 room which was a hall you visit which had an interesting display for the history of the castle. There are nice walks around the castle and on site cafe. It's a long drive to get there but great day out.

A wonderful experience at Balmoral Castle—worth the visit even without the full tour! Our visit to Balmoral Castle was memorable, even though the full interior tour was already sold out—which, we later learned, is common as those tickets often sell out months in advance. If you’re hoping for the full experience, definitely book well ahead. That said, the general access ticket still offers a great visit. We purchased ours in advance and had no issues. With this ticket, you can explore the beautifully maintained gardens, the expansive grounds, and the only room inside the castle open to the public—the grand ballroom. The ballroom alone is worth the visit. It’s the only part of the residence available for viewing, but it’s rich with royal memorabilia, including family portraits, historic artifacts, and displays highlighting the connection between Balmoral and the British Royal Family. It gives you a glimpse into the private life of the estate. The grounds and gardens are peaceful and impressive, with stunning views of the surrounding hills and woodlands. There are walking trails you can take around the estate, and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable, happy to answer questions and offer background on the property. The overall setting is magnificent—Balmoral is nestled in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, and the combination of royal history and natural beauty makes it a special stop. Even without the full tour, it’s a rewarding experience. Just being on the estate gives you a sense of the tranquility and grandeur the royal family must enjoy here.

Historical & fabulous Whisky & Tour Cardhu has ALWAYS been my favorite whisky. Even whilst living abroad (Switzerland, France, etc), I would always drink Cardhu. Not sure if it is the bottle, the colour of the whisky the taste & smell, but this was always clearly my favorite (since the end of the 90's probably). Therefore obviously visiting Scotland, this was a must stop for me. We visiting the Distillery with my family and really enjoyed it. The kids too thought it was really interesting. The tour is super informative but also fun. To be noted you end with a little tasting then you can also sample the shop, which is beautiful and one of the nicest I have seen for a distillery shop. This is a highly recommended tour by me!

Really enjoyed our tour of Cardhu. Very informative, interesting and very well presented y Alicia. I am not usually a whiskey drinker but would highly recommend doing this tour. We felt very welcome from the minute we walked through the doors. Lovely setting too. Great tour thanks so much!

Before visiting Scotland, my boyfriend and I weren’t familiar with Cardhu. We actually got the tip to visit Cardhu Distillery from an associate at the Johnny Walker Experience in Edinburgh. We booked ahead of time and had the pleasure of taking a tour with Erin. We ended up being the only ones who signed up for our tour time, which ended up being fantastic as we had a lot of questions! Erin is very kind and has a strong knowledge of whisky and we learned a lot about the whisky process. We truly enjoyed our visit to Cardhu Distillery thanks to Erin’s excellent tour.

Raise the red flag of Cardhu and many thanks to Kirsten for a fantastic tour and tasting! Perhaps the most compelling and enduring story of 2 women leaders, one a founder (Helen Cumming). Started as an illicit distillery (13 years) around 1811, before becoming legal and then combining forces as Johnny Walker’s supplier. Don’t miss the golden statues of Helen & Johnny walking into the bright future together!

We had a very nice family tour! If you want a real whisky journey and learn reasons behind each taste note in your sips of whisky, it’s your place! Zoe was a very good guide and we thank to her as whole family!

Our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable and passionated by the handcrafting of Cadhu whisky. Very detailed and friendly presentation of all the steps of distillation. The place is absolutely beautiful, lost in the middle of the Speyside. Worth a visit if you’re around the region.

Absolutely lovely guided tour. I strongly recommend it! If you drive, do not worry, they will provide for free small nice bottle kit for you to carry away after the tasting.

A Fantastic Experience at The Glenlivet! Our visit to The Glenlivet was absolutely wonderful! The distillery itself is stunning — surrounded by breathtaking scenery and beautifully maintained inside and out. Our tour guide, Caitlynn, made the experience even better. She was fun, friendly, and incredibly informative, sharing the history and process behind The Glenlivet with great enthusiasm. It was the perfect balance of education and enjoyment. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Speyside!

Wow, what a beautiful distillery and tasting room. We came in to the distillery while we were out hiking the Drumin Castle Circuit, which is the same hike as the George Smith Smugglers Trail, except for the starting point as the Smugglers Trail starts at the distillery. We had tastings, and my hen and I also had margaritas made with the Caribbean Reserve. Our tasting consisted of very generous pours of the Captain's Reserve, Caribbean Reserve and 15 years of age single malt scotch whisky. Honestly we were not too keen on any of them. I would say we may had needed to push on and try some more until we found the one to our liking, but we needed to finish our hike. If we had drank anymore I sure we would had crawled instead of walk the rest of the trail 😂 We did very much enjoyed the margaritas, but I think we will just keep using tequila instead of the Caribbean Reserve, as it cost £30 for a 70 cl bottle. We would like to thank the Glenlivet Estate and The Glenlivet Distillery staff for their wonderful hospitality as we had a grand time!

Wonderful tour, our tour guide (Jamie) has been wonderful. The tour itself it is a combination of a beautifully made visual experience, walk through the distillery, and whisky tasting. All in all a very nice way to get to know the Glenlivet even better.

We had an amazing time at The Glenlivet Distillery, Ross was an outstanding guide! He was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and made the whole experience both educational and fun. The history, the behind-the-scenes look at the whisky-making process, and of course, the tasting, absolutely top-notch. If you're visiting Speyside, this tour is a must. Thanks, Ross!

Had an awesome time at The Glenlivet Distillery! The tour isn’t as pricey as some others, but it’s packed with history and fun facts about both the brand and Scotch whisky in general. You get to try three whiskies at the end — the 12, 14, and 16-year-old — which is a nice change from the usual 12, 15, and 18. They also give you a 10% discount voucher for any whisky purchase, and you can sample more before you buy. Great whisky, great value, and a really enjoyable.

Although we didn’t get to join the tour, we were totally impressed by the place! The bar was exceptionally nice, and the staff were so sweet and welcoming. We picked up a few souvenirs on our way out and hopefully, we’ll get to try the tour next time!

During my visit to Scotland I wanted to have a whiskey tasting experience and I was thrilled to see the Glenlivet distillery was couple ours away from the place I stayed as Glenlivet is one of my favorite whiskeys. The day I had booked I was running late and called them and asked can they accommodate me and my friends for a later tour. Even it was clearly said they would not be able to reschedule for later time, in the booking details, they told me they will try their best to include me in a later tour as I mentioned I was visiting all the way from New York. Now for the tour I should mention, Amber was really welcoming, knowledgeable and very pleasant the way she interact with guests. Thanks Amber. The Distillery itself sits in a nice estate with beautiful surroundings. Inside the building is modern with a nice waiting area a bar and a store. Although they could improve the variety of merch they have in the store, they have decent offerings.

Viepoints 1 & 2 are benches, viewpoint 3 is a bench and picnic table and bench plus great view..... very peaceful

Brilliant place. The landscape varies with the seasons. Easy to get a wee bit lost, as we did, but a great place for a wonder

Great forest with loads of walks and wildlife, spoilt only by the fact that we didn't see a single dog ON a lead the twice we visited for a long walk. It's caper and other ground bird nesting season but the signs requesting that dogs be kept on short leads were being universally ignored :-(

Beautiful walk from the town down to the river Spey. Lots of side paths just waiting to be explored, which I would have done if I had been staying for longer. The main path is lined by painted stones, presumably done by the local schoolchildren.

Beautiful woods. Saw Red squirrel, Roe deer, lots of chanterelle and blaeberry. Paths are well made and clearly marked. Great place for a walk with wee ones

Excellent walks

Plenty walks or strolls all in all a lovely place to go

Gandalf must have walked up at some point and commanded the rocks to form into a nice staircase for a good chunk of the route. Well done Gandalf. One has to pass the skeletal remains of spidery ski lifts and snow machines, which looks absurd in the warmer months, but once above these there's a sense of some wildness (apart from Gandalf's DIY obvs). 10/10

Nice summit to climb (1250m) ! About 600m of difference with the starting point ! The climb is easy, can be done in family. If you want more, you can make a bigger loop going through the « Northern corries »

Spectacular hike here from Ben Macdui. Stunning and I really hope to be back for another go in the future

Disappointing- not even a KFC or Mac Donald’s, could take a tip a from Snowdon and get a train or bus to the summit. Shopping malls virtually non existent, weather was bad too! Otherwise great!

Absolutely magnificent. My daughter and I spent an incredibly breathtaking day there. The scenery is the stuff postcards are made of. Love ut and didn't want to leave. Thank you Scotland😘

for my outdoorsy brethren do not miss this spot while in Scotland.

I went up this as a teenager and 40 years later I'm trying to locate where Dad's slides were taken and it is NOT HELPED by this pin and the associated photosphere being on the wrong summit. Make sure you use a reputable map and don't just rely on your phone.

Fun and good with kids - won't hold the all day but half or a bit more. Queues at peak time can see you wait anywhere from 10 to over 30 minutes - especially for the main attractions (water slides...). While there are multiple things to see and do, we felt we were coming back to a couple mainly, trying to balance queues waiting time and value! Few fast food stands with the quality you would expect from this type of place - nothing gastro of course!

A bit expensive but with the money. Great fun for the whole family. You can easily spend whole day there having fun on various attractions. Always book your ticket in advance online for a nice discount.

This was the first of many activities we booked before arriving to stay in Aviemore and what a great place to start off our holiday. Fun activities for kids and grown ups alike, I personally went out of my comfort zone and did the high ropes, having never done anything like that before it really tested me but so glad I did it, my daughter even did the skydive and showed great bravery

Landmark Forest Adventure Park is a fantastic day out for families! The panoramic views from the treetop tower are absolutely breathtaking, with sweeping forests and Highland mountains as far as the eye can see. The Cairngorms lookout point is both scenic and informative. Our kids had an amazing time, especially enjoying the water slide and the climbing facilities, which were safe, exciting, and well-designed. We also loved spotting butterflies in the tropical area. Beautifully maintained, fun, and full of natural beauty. Highly recommended for all ages.

Nestled in the forest, this Adventure Park is brilliant, we came just as the local schools went back which meant there were no queues at all. There is so much to do and explore as well as some really good activities. My 3 year old has told us it's his favourite place now thanks to the water slides. Great for all ages!

Went with husband, you defenetly do not need children to enjoy an adventure and to go out your comfort zone. Staff were friendly, loads to do with or without children. Beautiful grounds, informative information especially about dinosaurs 🦕 my husband especially enjoyed the water ride and the bid trampoline. Butterfly 🦋 house has lots of other interesting things, defenetly worth a visit for young and old with or without children.

A truly exceptional experience - the best amusement park in Scotland. Even standing on its own, the amusement park is incredible; however, once you couple that with the nature interwoven within, it is taken to a whole new level. FIVE STARS! COULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE MORE!

A beautiful beach. Moray Firth views. Great for the kids, walking, dog walking, reading a book or just relaxing. At various points there are opportunities to come off for cold or warm refreshments and a bite to eat at the many first class establishments around Nairn. There’s also a playground and a couple of really nice places for ice cream around the links (which has a car park too). Watch out for the crabs and jellyfish!

it's just simply beautiful! There were alot of people there, but you could still find a bench to sit and watch the day go by

Nice experience. great place to go for the Beach nice and clean a great view out to see. & good for children to play. food and drinks good parking ok payments on parking by the Beach will call again next on holiday

This beach is simply spectacular, came here on the clearest of clear days. And I wish I could've stayed all day. It goes on for miles, & it's such a peaceful outstanding place to be. Plenty of nice cafes around, & Parkdean resort isn't too far away from here if you want to grab something to eat from one of their local restaurants.

Fantastic beaches with harbour and restaurants. Seafood bar. Large play area for thr kids.

I found one small and lovely place. From centre town is easy to arrive in large parking area with open space for play ⚽ or relax. Also beautifully landscaped walking trails connect with the riverside trail.

What a lovely beach! Enjoy a nice walk and if brave enough a nice swim!

Didn’t ride the train this time, but loved visiting the Strathspey Railway. Friendly volunteers, great atmosphere, and even got platform tickets for some photos with my 85mm lens. Knowing it’s run entirely by volunteers makes it even more special. Can’t wait to come back for the full trip!

I went to ride on the steam train from Aviemore to Broomhill and return with my parents when we were on holiday in Scotland and I am very pleased to say that our experiences were absolutely amazing! The volunteers were very friendly and helpful, the steam locomotive and carriages that we rode on were all immaculate, the views of the beautiful countryside was absolutely stunning and the journey was restful! Thank you to the volunteers for their amazing hospitality and service!

Quite an experience for anyone it's just 40min from Inverness and can be a detour for anyone going to Perth Glasgow or Edinburgh.the trains are beautiful and exploring the stations is magical. Overall a great experience

Brilliant experience going on the steam train, we sat in standard seats but ther is a trolly service. Afternoon tea is available too. Loved it. Got off at Boat of Garten and had a wonder then got next train back. The Observation carriage is brilliant too.

The train ride itself was good. I would have like to have someone announce when we passing something of significance. A big deal was Mde about keeping your tickets, but they were never checked. Nice scenic train ride though.

Beautifully presented station and friendly attentive staff we had a really enjoyable day on a beautiful line. Lots of fantastic information on the leaflet provided and a great little catering unit comes through the coaches definitely recommend.

Delightful experience for us and 3 kids age 10-15. Ability to break journey and take a later train back meant we could fit in a walk and some lunch. Great education from engine drivers and station master about the workings of engines and history of the railway.

Beautiful peaceful place. Single track road to car park, small shop for ice cream & drinks.

One of the visits I liked most on my trip to Scotland. A beautiful walk around the lake, seeing a small castle on the water. One of the very few places with free parking.

A fabulous 3.25 mile walk around the beautiful Loch an Eilein. The scenery is outstanding, and it’s a lovely place for a wild swim too!

A perfect place for a leisurely stroll around the loch. We came back this time with our daughter who loved playing in the rocks. I’d highly recommend this place for a visit.

We chose this spot because it was recommended for having an overnight car park. After a long drive, we were shocked to find the price had jumped from £15 last year to £38 this year — more than double. What was once a busy, welcoming and beautiful spot no longer feels worth the cost. A real shame, as it now seems like motorhomes are being priced out of what used to be a wonderful place to stay.. email of complaint inbound.

Lovely place to visit for a walk and relax. Well looked after path around the Loch with astonishing views of the island and castle in the middle of the loch. Lots of history about the Wolf of the Badenoch. Large parking area with toilets nearby. The shop has some local produce along with souvenirs.

Best walk ever in Scotland for me, beautiful views of mountains and lochs, the castle on the small island in the middle of the loch was just ethereal ⭐

Enjoyed this place. It is gloriously understated, especially when compared to other stately homes (and occupied castles) and yet remained regal, pleasant and interesting to visit. There were no vulgar displays of excessive wealth found in so many. Audio guide was good. Garden wasn't in the prime largely due to my arrival in the later part of September.

very impressive castle and gardens ..definitely a must see when visiting inverness...This fortification founded by William the Lion in 1179 was sited to command the ford over the river Nairn near the sea. That castle has since vanished without trace. The family had another residence at Old Calder which, according to the Exchequer accounts, was last repaired in 1398. Again, not much remains of that building apart from faint crop-marks. A new, more efficient site was chosen. The imposing, rectangular tower-house consisted of four storeys and a garret with only one entrance to the outside world. Repaired and enlarged every century since, the Castle as you see it today is a family home like no other

Really well organised castle and gardens. This is a real castle where the owners live in for the good part of the year and you can feel it. Modern "tour guide" technology in different languages is another advantage. Much better experience than the average medieval castle.

Lovely Castle to walk around with lots of interesting history. We spent around 2 hours there and also had some lunch at the cafe which had delicious apple juice made from the apples in their orchard and a selection of vegan cakes. Super friendly staff who were happy to answer all questions. Gardens were beautiful!

Excellent visitor attraction and a great day out. The castle is well preserved and still occupied by the descendants of the original Thane of Cawdor. Rich in history and interesting to explore. The gardens and grounds are beautiful. Highly recommend this castle if you are visiting the area. Cafe and gift shop on site.

Plenty of parking, beautiful castle and interesting history. Complimentary audio tour was easy to use. Cafe was good. Loved wandering around the gardens, which were very peaceful to sit in.

Absolutely exquisite visit. There are plenty of castle ruins in the Scottish Highlands and we craved to see one that was still standing. This was everything we asked for. Beautifully kept, amazing gardens and the most friendly staff. We loved that the outdoors was just as nice as the intriguing indoors along with the history of the Cawdor family. Shout out to Tony, who was a staff member we met along the self guided tour and gave us an over and above history lesson. We could've kept listening to him for hours! Photo of him and us. This capped our memorable visit to the Scotland in the best possible way. Thanks so much!

The story of Fort George is very interesting as you wander around the largely deserted camp. It is truly caught in a time warp with hints of the modern British Army thrown in for fine measure. Its palpable as you walk into the camp across the bridge. You sense what it must have been like for troops about to undergo training. There are toilets on site. There is also a very fine cafe. The staff are very welcoming. The cafe was spotless. The museum on site is run by dedicated people who really know all there is to know about the site and it's history. They are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. The items on display in the museum are exceptional and a lot of thought has gone into the layout. There is also a couple of gift shops on the site. Both offering items you would expect to find.

I TOTALLY LOVED FORT GEORGE!!! 🏰🐬. We visited Fort George on a Sunday, it was quite busy but we didn't have to wait long to buy our tickets, which were reasonably priced, £10-£11 for adults, £8-£9 concessions, and roughly £6 for kids. My mum is a carer for my dad so she got in for free. The Fort itself is massive, around the same size as 40 football fields. It is a star fort built in 1748 so it's steeped in military history. When you buy your ticket you are given a wee machine and a map with all the areas numbered, you type the number of an area into the machine and it plays, telling you all about that part of the Fort, it was very interesting. There are loads of little rooms you can go into that shows what it was like for soldiers years ago, there is also a cinema that you can sit in and watch the film. There is a cafe inside the fort which serves nice coffee. I liked how it is still a working barracks with soldiers living there. You can walk right up to the edge of the star fort and look out to the water, dolphins 🐬 can be seen sometimes but we didn't see any. I loved the big cannons, they were on track so they could be moved round in a half circle. I loved Fort George and I'm definitely glad we visited, well worth seeing, such an interesting place.

Beautiful place! The highlander museum was super interesting, lots of military history and the staff was amazing! You can also catch the dolphins that come out sometimes in the afternoon if you stand by the canons at the top of the fort! A must experience!

We popped in at around 4pm, they did prewarn us that we wouldn’t be able to get round it all, but we were more than welcome inside! We are so glad we did! In the museum a gentleman gave us a wonderful walk through of what they had going on inside! The grounds were to so clean and really well maintained! We will definitely be visiting again🥰 We even saw some little birds nesting 😍

What an incredible Fort. Massive and in fabulous condition. Current military barracks combined with beautiful tourist attraction. We got to see it & The Moray Firth on a lovely sunny September day, but it would have equally spectacular whatever the weather.

This was one of my favorite tourist visit. Make sure to visit at least 3,4 hours earlier vefore closing time if you like to explore in depth. Adult ticket price is £11 with vat and they will provide audio guide if you prefer to have. There is a big parking area able to park more than 30 cars at a time.

We discovered Fort George whilst visiting the highlands. We were immediately interested in visiting due to the military history. Upon arriving, we were warmly greeted and invited into the main office to buy tickets, and then offered a place on the free tour, with a man called Peter. He was extremely informative and friendly, and we learnt so much about Fort George and its history. My favourite thing that I learnt was regarding the history behind the stag and the Seaforth Highlanders. Their gift shop was also steeped in Scottish history, and had everything from magnets and souvenirs, to whiskey and guide books. We had a fantastic time exploring the grounds, and would highly recommend a visit!