Dunrobin Castle (Scotland)

The Dunrobin Castle in Scotland is one of those fairy-tale looking places surrounded by a beautiful garden.
Located North of Inverness, the largest house of the highlands is worth the detour.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit.

Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Scotland:

My favorite platform to rent a car in Scotland: DiscoverCars

The unmissable boat tour: Seal spotting on Loch Linnhe from Fort William

My favorite excursion from Edinburgh: Glenfinnan and Glencoe

My favorite places to stay:

Edinburgh: see best rated hotels – e.g. Balmoral Hotel
Glencoe: see best rated hotels – e.g. The Glencoe House Hotel
Portree: see best rated hotels – e.g. The Cuillin Hills Hotel
Inverness: see best rated hotels – e.g. Kingsmills Hotel

Content

Why visit the Dunrobin Castle in Scotland?

PLANNING TIPS & Map – Dunrobin Castle Scotland

Arriving at the Castle

Entrance

Dunrobin Castle Interior

Dunrobin Castle Gardens

Views of the castle from the Dunrobin Gardens

Why visit the Dunrobin Castle in Scotland?

Dunrobin is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful castles to see in Scotland (my list here).
With turrets that give it a fairy-tale look and gardens below, its visit offers magnificent perspectives.

Dunrobin Castle Scotland is the largest house in the highlands with 189 rooms. It dates in part from the early 14th century (check this site it you want more info about its history).

The gardens were laid out in 1850 and inspired by those of Versailles. They have not changed much since then.

Below is a short video with different views of the Dunrobin castle from the entrance and from the garden.

More photos after the planning tips.

PLANNING TIPS & Map – Dunrobin Castle Scotland

How to get to Dunrobin Castle location – Map

Dunrobin Castle from Inverness – 50 miles to the North (1h15 min drive along A9)
4h30 drive from Edinburgh
Just North of the village of Golspie
There is a train station that welcomes trains from April to mid-October
Below is a map to get your oriented and locate the castle

Map - Dunrobin castle location — **Map – Dunrobin castle location**

It is included in my travel guide eBook that helps you plan your Scotland road trip:

Plan your dream trip in Scotland thanks to my guide

15 maps to easily plan your itinerary
170+ pre-selected locations
GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
Tips to make the most of your time
170+ original photos to help you choose

Discover it!

Visiting Dunrobin Castle

Open from end of March to mid-October (check dates every year on their website)
Dunrobin opening hours – Apr, May, Sept, Oct 10:30am to 4:30 pm (Sun noon to 4:30pm) / June, July, August – 10am to 5pm
Last entry 30min before closure
Price – £11
Gift shop and toilets
Lots of stairs both inside and to get down to the garden
Falconry displays during the day except on Sundays (normally at 11:30am and 2pm)
Plan 2 hours
Check out the best rated accommodations in the area

Where to stay in Scotland?

My favorites:

Edinburgh to explore the fascinating city – see best-rated accommodations
Portree to explore the isle of Skye – see best rated accommodations
Glencoe to take time in the magnificent valley – see best rated accommodations
Ullapool for the West coast on the North 500 – see best rated accommodations
Thurso for the North coast + ferry – see best rated accommodations
Kirkwall to explore the Orkneys – see best rated accommodations
Inverness for the Speyside whiskies – see best rated accommodations

See our article on where to stay

Arriving at the Castle

You cannot guess from the road coming from the North that such a beautiful castle is right next to you. A park full of trees surrounds the house and you can see it only when arriving on the carpark.

Need to rent a car in Scotland?

My tips:

Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
Prefer a compact car for the single-lane roads
Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

See all my tips

See available cars

Entrance

As you arrive on the carpark of Dunrobin Castle you are already excited about what there is to come. This side has a beautiful clock tower and what looks like a donjon where a princess could put her hair out.

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But I also like other drinks and sweets!
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Dunrobin Castle Interior

The visit starts with the interior of Dunrobin Castle. You get to have a look at the dining room, music room, and the beautiful library with wood panels.

You can then climb upstairs to see the nursery, bedrooms, dress… and many items showing how life used to be in the castle.

Please note that the visit is a little bit of a labyrinth with many stairs.

Dunrobin Castle Gardens

The main interest of Dunrobin is the garden and the view of the castle from it. From inside the castle, I was able to get a glimpse of it with the sea behind. So I rushed to get out and discover the view.

Many comments on the Internet state that the gardens are not what they used to be. I have no point of comparison. All I can say was that it was enjoyable to walk around.

Dunrobin Falconry show

I arrived late in the afternoon, so I did not see the falconry display. Comments on the Internet are generally good. The show is included in the entry. You can see pictures of the show on Debi Bradford wesbite.

There is also a museum on the ground. It was closed when I visited. From what I read, don’t go inside if you are an animal lover as it is filled with dead stuffed animals (shot by the family on safari).

Views of the castle from the Dunrobin Gardens

And here comes the best. As you go down into the gardens you see more and more of the castle and its conic towers, looking like it is out of a fairy-tale.

It looks really great being erected above the gardens. You can see it from everywhere.