Cawdor Castle

Cawdor castle (¹⁵⁄₁₆^th century build) is located near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands (towards the East). It took me about 15min to get there from Inverness, using a car and driving along country roads. The way is well sign posted, so you wont get lost. Many years back (my first visit) I took a local bus from Inverness town and this bus ride was the most turbulent one I have ever experienced. Maybe you have better luck today :-)
As far as I remember, there is one way in and another way out. The incoming and outgoing traffic is well organized. The way in is a long one. Don’t give up, you will get there in the end! Plenty of parking available, although the layout of the car park is a bit an unusual one (strange angles).
The castle and «specially designed gardens» are gated and I think I paid at least a tenner to get in (£10). Discounts are available for children and Seniors.
Once inside I made my way to the Portcullis. To the left there is the restaurant and coffee shop. Sadly, I missed the restaurant opening times. They close at 17.00.
To the right is the entrance to the castle. You show your ticket and will be asked to follow the signs around the castle. Everything is well displayed and each room is prepared to perfection. Nothing is out of place. If I would not know it any better, I believe the family might still reside there on occasion. Did I mention that this castle is still owned by the Cawdor Family who received the title of an Earl only a few hundred years back?
My favorite room was the room of the governess. Its small and round and colorfully decorated with nice views over the inner courtyard.
In the end you come to the castle shop with lots of souvenirs available for purchase.
Outside you can explore a well designed walled garden, general parkland and wild forest areas for which you need to cross a small bridge to get to the other side over the small river.
When up in the area a visit is definitely worth it!

Yes, Cawdor is «yet another castle» in the Highlands (with a £9.75 entry) and like the ladies who came before us and then immediately left, it is certainly *not* part of the National Trust.
But it’s fascinating to explore, has a decent café for lunch and an expertly-​manicured garden on the grounds. I’d mention the hedge maze as a top attraction as well, but alas it’s not open to the general public.
(Apparently holly isn’t all that suitable for traipsing younglings)
If you’re up north to see what all the fuss is about, then you certainly owe it to yourself to check it out. The interior is more interesting than Dunrobin Castle and you can see much more of it.
Oh, and there are secret sections in the castle gardens.

I’m not a huge fan of castles (but since this was part of my Princess Cruises shore excursion), I had to check it out.
Pretty cool venue after all. The rooms are amazing and full of history. The gardens are also a must-​see (there are two that I was aware of — the Walled Garden and Flower Garden. Only made it in to the Flower Garden as I’d spent most of the tour gawking at the castle itself…

Cawdor — castle of Macbeth fame & 1 of our absolute favorite castles
As you drive down the looooooong tree-​lined «driveway» to get to the castle, there are plush grounds & green, green, green, as far as the eye can see
Then little by little, the castle comes into view until poof — it’s screaming out at you in all its splendor & it’s *exactly* what little girl fairytale castle fantasies are made of
Ginormous castle (that still houses the Cawdor family to this day!) is lushly furnished & we had a marvellous tour guide show us around the many rooms & tell us all kinds of fun stories
Bit of trivia — the Stag & the Buckle are part of the family crest & consequently, there’s a Stag in every room save 1 & it’s a treat for the kiddies to try to identify which room doesn’t have a Stag — it’s actually fun for adults too
There are also 3 gorgeous gardens. The Walled Garden (became a kitchen garden) is the oldest and dates from 1600. The Flower Garden was built in 1700 & originally designed for enjoyment in late summer and autumn. The Wild Garden is the newest & bustling with flowers & wilderness
So now for the debunking…
The story of Macbeth as told by Shakespeare bears no relation to real events in Scottish history as Macbeth was an admired and able monarch
Although the murder of Duncan takes place in Inverness Castle, it is often associated with Cawdor Castle.
The truth is that as Cawdor Castle was not built until the late 14^th century, it is impossible for King Duncan to have lost any blood or Lady Macbeth much sleep in this particular house as Duncan died in 1040