Amy Green One of the best castles near Aberdeen to visit is Drum castle, with it’s fantastic Medieval style grand hall. It’s one of Scotland’s oldest tower houses and also boasts a beautiful chapel built in the 1500’s. It’s well kitted out for tourists with toilets and tea rooms. Drum Castle makes for a lovely day out.
Where is it located?
Drum Castle is located in the middle of Scotland, on a rocky outcrop above the River Dee. It has spectacular views and is surrounded by forestry and open hillsides. The castle can be found by following signs from Kingswells on the A93 to ‘Cycling Route’. It is also near Drumtochty just off the A90.
History of Drum Castle
It is thought the castle was built in 1273 by Henry de Ferrers. The stone used to build it came from a quarry in Drum Mines which were owned by the Drum family. In 1659, William Drum took part in the Rye House plot to kill King Charles II and his father had been a Cavalier during the Civil War. As a result, Drum Castle was besieged by Oliver Cromwells troops. They breached the walls and attacked on three sides. After a day of fierce fighting they set fire to the thatched roof and ended up winning, making William Drum pay heavy fines before he was allowed to keep his land.
The castle has been rebuilt many times since then. It was even used in the Second World War to house Polish soldiers.
Forest Trails
Apart from looking at the castle itself, there are several trails that lead through forestry with some great views of the Dee Valley. There is also a section of the Trans-Pennine Trail which runs through Drum Castle Wood.
Although this Castle currently looks very different from its original medieval design, it still provides a great insight into life in Scotland’s past.
If you enjoyed this article you might also like to read about Castles near Inverness
