15 Ruined Castles In Scotland That Are Waiting To Be Explored

Ancient walls still cling to Scotland’s wild hills, holding fast against wind and time. No polished tours, no velvet ropes—just crumbling stones and raw stories. If you like your history rough around the edges and wide open for exploring, you’re about to find plenty worth wandering through. Here are fifteen abandoned castles to discover.

Knock Castle

Knock Castle sits on a grassy hill above the Sound of Sleat. Built by the MacDonalds of Skye, the structure was involved in clan disputes and raids. Today, visitors find collapsed rooms, broken stairways, and a quiet path to the shore. No formal tours operate, so visitors explore independently.

Castle Tioram

Castle Tioram emerges twice a day as the sea recedes and reveals a stone path. Formerly a stronghold of the MacDonalds, it withstood the Jacobite rising before being burned. The blackened walls still carry echoes of past battles. Walk carefully across the causeway and feel the weight of history.

Buchanan Castle

Buchanan Castle rests quietly behind thick woodlands near Drymen, slowly fading into the forest floor. Originally the home of the Duke of Montrose’s family, the site later served as a military hospital during WWII. Ivy coils through empty windows, and collapsed floors reveal the open sky, where nature slowly reclaims its history.

Lochranza Castle

The gray stone walls of Lochranza Castle formed a sheltered bay once visited by kings and merchants. Visitors today can explore roofless chambers and climb stone staircases. Despite centuries of weathering, the castle’s placement still reflects its former role as a coastal stronghold guarding key maritime paths.

Sinclair and Girnigoe Castle

Sinclair and Girnigoe Castle stand on weather-beaten cliffs, their ancient stones marked by clan feuds and 17th-century conflicts over shifting political power. Its strategic position overlooking the North Sea once made it a contested seat among rival factions, and the remnants of fortified towers reflect the military innovations used to defend it during repeated sieges.

Findlater Castle

Findlater Castle perches on a steep cliff above the Moray Firth and offers an experience of dramatic coastal ruins. Broken walls cling to the rock, constantly battered by wind and sea. Once guarding vital shipping lanes, the site now feels isolated with strong winds sweeping across the cliff’s edge, emphasizing its defiance.

Castle Lachlan

Set along Loch Fyne’s eastern shore, this ruined stronghold stands as a quiet reminder of clan history. Once a site of conflict between the Lachlan and Campbell clans, it now overlooks serene grasslands and tides. You can also explore the informative plaques nearby that detail the centuries of changing alliances shaping the castle’s past.

Inverlochy Castle

Inverlochy Castle’s medieval fortress remains strong, its curtain walls enclosing a history of savage battles and royal legends. Founded by Comyns in the 1200s, Robert the Bruce’s victories echo through time. Surrounded by breathtaking views, the castle reveals its past importance as a strategic military stronghold.

Slains Castle

Once a mansion built by the 9th Earl of Erroll, Slains Castle, with its crumbling turrets, even inspired Bram Stoker. The castle now looms above Cruden Bay in eerie silence.  Its empty chambers and broken towers invite exploration, with every turn leading nowhere like a twisted labyrinth. Listen closely, and you might hear the sound of the sea against the castle’s ruins.

Ardvreck Castle

A battered tower and fragments of wall are all that remain of Ardvreck Castle, standing alone beside Loch Assynt. This isolated stronghold belonged to the MacLeods of Assynt and later witnessed the capture of a royalist leader during the 17th century. Light and weather constantly alter its appearance, giving every visit a different mood.

Hermitage Castle

Heavy stone towers dominate the Liddesdale valley, where Hermitage Castle once guarded Scotland’s lawless frontier. Known for harboring ruthless lords and notorious prisoners, it played a brutal role in centuries of border conflict. Surrounded by lonely hills, Hermitage today portrays a stubborn reminder of the harsh life carved into these remote lands.

Dunscaith Castle

Dunscaith Castle’s broken walls cling to the rugged cliffs, shaped by Skye’s fierce winds. Legend says this fortress was a training ground for mythic heroes, with a crumbled stone causeway linking the castle to the mainland. Now, Atlantic waves crash below and gulls soar above.

Castle Sween

Grassy slopes roll down toward the loch where Castle Sween’s ruins once faced Viking longships head-on. As one of Scotland’s oldest stone castles, it protected early settlements from sea invaders. Walk along the site and feel the remnants of an era where warriors once stood ready to defend.

Ravenscraig Castle

Facing the Firth of Forth, the thick stone walls were built with openings for cannons rather than slits for archers. This design reflects how castle defense changed with the rise of artillery. Ravenscraig marked a turning point in military architecture, and although weathered today, the structure still offers a striking coastal view.

Dunstaffnage Castle

Dunstaffnage Castle rises near Oban with thick walls that once protected Scotland’s western approaches. It played a significant role in battles between powerful clans. Today, visitors explore its towers and passageways. The castle once housed prisoners and the Stone of Destiny, and its commanding view highlights its strategic importance.