crichton castle

Went for a walk just before sunset up to Crichton Castle and Glen, was lovely winter afternoon the views are pretty amazing! Had a good wonder around the castle but couldn't enter as was locked and no one in at the time which was a shame, but was a lovely visit!

We were married in August 2014 at Crichton Church, a short walk down a path from the Castle. After the ceremony, everyone had refreshments and walked down to the castle before heading to our reception. It's a beautiful ruin, full of artistic detail and a perfect backdrop for an intimate event. Although it's open to the public, there wasn't anyone around and we had the place to ourselves. Really beautiful and bucolic countryside. There is a fee to go inside but you can wander around and there is much to see for free!

When you take the time to find Crichton Castle, you'll hardly believe you are a stones throw away from Scotland's capital city. The ruined castle stands eerily in the middle of a field only a few miles from Edinburgh and by the modern landscape it seems entirely random that it was built where it is. It's worth a visit if you are in the area, though you have to walk round it yourself. There's no real tourist paraphernalia here beyond some intructive plaques. Also visit the nearby Crichton Collegiate Church.

If you enjoy poking about Scottish ruins,this one is well worth a visit. We took bus to Pathead,from Edinburgh,several in the day. About a 2-mile walk up a quiet country road brings you to hamlet of Crichton. A little further on Crichton Castle comes into view,perched on a hill,with lovely views all around. Historic Scotland's attendant was welcoming and helpful. Castle was interesting,with info. boards. There are no toilets on the site. On the walk back we spent some looking at the stones in the old cemetery,which were also interesting. One poor man,in the late1700's,had been buried there,as there was too much snow to get his corpse to Stow. We could imagine in a bad winter,Crichton would feel remote. Back in Pathead,we got bus back to town. Enjoyable afternoon.

Well worth a visit to see the architecture.Resident guide very helpful and a great ambassador for Historic Scotland.Actually found some of my ancestors names etched on the wall from the 1800's. (Apologies to Historic Scotland)

If you ask me, the best castles to visit in Scotland are the ruined, more out-of-the-way ones (e.g., Kilchurn, Tioram) - really gives you a (romantic) sense of history, plus reasonable entry fees (if any) and light on the crowds. Crichton Castle is a prime example.Located maybe 30 minutes south of Edinburgh out in the country, but just 10-15 minutes from major routes, we were the only visitors at that time, on a weekday early afternoon. After traversing a short section of one-lane road, we parked at the dirt parking area, and hiked the short distance (1/4 mile?) to the castle, which is on a hill overlooking a modest country glen. Besides the enjoyable outside views (ruined castle in the country), the interior was fun to explore, featured some very interesting/unique features (the Italianesque courtyard facade), and the steward (Mr. Michael Scott) was very friendly and informative, kindly giving us a history of the castle. Very recommended if you like visiting castles.

Bit of a thin road to get there. It was worth it though.Ruined haunting castle. Fantastic views all around. Also a ruined animal shelter which was beautiful. Crichton church has some great Staines glass. Big thumbs up to the guy who looks after it.

It was a reasonably pleasant walk along a track to get to the castle, but proper shoes are required. The last bit of the track is steeper and might be a problem for someone who is not good on their feet as are the stairs to climb inside. The ruins of the castle are fairly substantial and set on the side of a wooded valley. When you enter the castle it is quite a surprise to see the Italian Renaissance facade of Francis Stewart, Earl Bothwell's accommodation to the right. This is a quite unexpected feature in a rural Scottish castle. This accommodation also contains the earliest example of a Renaissance square staircase in Scotland. Earlier staircases were always round for defensive purposes. If you look carefully, you can still see the remains of the carved stone ceiling of the staircase which must have been quite grand in its day. Exploring further, you can still find the remains of the grand fireplace of Chancellor Crichton's great hall fire place and many more interesting features. I spent an interesting few hours exploring this castle.

This was an unplanned visit to the castle as we were at Vogry Park on a rainy day with the dog. We found the Castle was pretty and interesting for an impromptu visit, however must advise decent walking shoes as there is quite a walk from the car park up a hill and also stairs to climb once inside.

The remains are fairly substantial and the location is fine but I just didn't find all that much of interest in this castle, despite its historical connections, not least with the entertaining rascal Francis Stewart (whose architectural contribution is unusual, but not, to my mind, very attractive) but also, and more vaguely, with his more famous predecessor, the fourth Earl of Bothwell.There is a small, free car park and from there a longish, pleasant walk to the castle.