British and Irish Castles

Are you looking for something to do in Scotland that will combine not only fun, but a little bit of learning and knowledge? If you are, then you should look no further than the abundance of castles in Scotland. Scotland is an old country whose history goes back through the centuries. Deep in the heart of each Scottish person is a love of country and understanding of where they came from and where they can go.

Scotland is a country that has survived many battles and many changes of power. Those facts are evident on the first stop of your Castles in Scotland tour. There is nothing like walking into a castle the first time. You feel yourself almost transported back in time as you look around you. And allow yourself to go there; allow yourself to be taken back to another place and another time. As you stand in the great throne room, allow yourself to see the kings and queens of old as they sit on their thrones and do their best to govern.

The only way to truly appreciate the experience of castles in Scotland is to know where you are and know the history of the castle. Make sure that you have a castle guide in your travel pack. It’s not hard to find a castle guide that includes descriptions of the main castles you will see in Scotland. In fact, there are so many castles in Scotland that you will probably not be able to see them all before you have to leave the country. For that reason, make sure you know what castles you want to see before you begin looking at castles in Scotland.

Many people are almost disappointed the first time they walk into a castle. They expect castles to be these great and glorious things, which they are, but at the same time it is important to keep in mind that these castles are old. Most, if not all, are no longer inhabited and all are in various states of disrepair. The draw of castles in Scotland is that they are old, not that they are still the current homes of kings and queens.

That being said, there are also many castles in Scotland that are in great shape and used regularly for functions. Those castles are also available to see and tour. People have long understood the allure of castles in Scotland and many families have restored the castles of their ancestors to their glory or at least made them habitable for people to see and tour. If you are looking for restored castles in Scotland, then make that a priority.

As you wander through the Scottish countryside, you will probably be surprised how many castles and remnants of castles in Scotland that you will see. As stated earlier, the history of Scotland is everywhere and everyone knows that. You will see just pieces of what once stood as the pride and joy of an area. You will see what could still be a working castle today. There is so much history and so much pride that surrounds castles in Scotland, you will always have something to see and something to experience. A word of caution; if you happen upon the ruins of a castle and want to explore, proceed with caution. While the Scottish people are kind and generous people, ruins are not always safe and not always place where visitors are welcome. If there is a home nearby, you would do well to inquire about the ruins before you enter. To some, castles in Scotland are sacred.

Whether you are looking for castles in Scotland that remain untouched by conveniences such as electricity and running water or are looking for castles in Scotland that could be the perfect place for a wedding reception, there is a castle that seems to have come right out of your dreams. Get familiar with local customs and geography and step back in time with castles in Scotland. Go exploring with an open mind, a curious heart, and a great attitude and you will see just how amazing castles in Scotland can really be!

Smooth Hound http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/ offers affordable hotel, guest house and bed & breakfast accommodation throughout Scotland and the rest of the world.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=S_Wander

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With it’s spectacular location, atop a rocky cliff, jutting out into the Firth of Forth, Tantallon Castle is one of Scotland and Britain’s most spectacular castles. The castle is built of local red sandstone which makes an already impressive building all the more striking.

Even more spectacular is the view from the castle itself with the ominous basalt plug of the Bass Rock immediately opposite and the Isle of May just the other side of the Firth of Forth. Tantallon is quite simply an astonishing castle.

With a history dating back to 1358, Tantallon castle has seen it’s fair share of history, from the Douglasses through to Cromwell. Beseiged on a number of occasions, the most notable seiges being in 1491, 1528 and when Oliver Cromwell besieged the castle in 1651. Cromwell undertook a twelve day siege which although it resulted in the defeat of the castles defenders, it was notable that they were granted mercy on account of their bravery.

Nowadays, Tantallon occupies a less bloody, if no less windswept place in the hearts of Scottish Castle enthusiasts. Having been allowed to deteriorate under successive owners from the 18^th century, Sir Hew Clifford Hamilton-Dalrymple handed over the castle to the Scottish nation in the early 20^th century and it is now in the care of Historic Scotland where it treated with the dignity and respect it deserves.

Visitors will find the castle just east of North Berwick, near the small town of Whitekirk. The castle really is a spectacular place to visit for an ideal Sunday afternoon out with the family and it’s close proximity to Edinburgh means that if one is feeling particularly ‘Castle-ish’ then you could combine the trip with a visit to the equally spectacular Edinburgh Castle and nearby Dirleton Castle as well.

Tantallon Castle is one of East Lothians true gems. The spectacular view from the battlements is worth the entrance fee alone. Superb.

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Once upon a time, Scottish castles were associated with wild chieftains exacting brutal retribution on their neighbours and crofters. Then came the age of enlightenment, which saw the Scottish aristocracy trying to emulate their English neighbours and become a little more refined. This led to a lot of new properties being built of a less defensive nature and with more emphasis on comfort and elegance. The arrival of Queen Victoria for her long period of mourning, further heightened the desirability of a Scottish home and many large ones were built during this period, incorporating new inventions like heating and electric light.

Sadly for much of the early part of the 20th century, there followed a period of decline, as the great estates struggled to maintain their noble homes and were either broken up or fell into disrepair. Fortunately by the eighties a new renaissance was emerging and this combined with greater prosperity led to a period of recovery & rebirth for a lot of these wonderful homes. It took a while for some of the older families to raise the huge sums required to restore their crumbling homes but it was slowly achieved, often with some aid from government bodies. Newcomers with deeper pockets were able to achieve results quicker and now it is all the rage to own and restore a huge pile.

Throughout the country, homes that twenty years ago you could hardly give away are now selling for millions. Add on to this the huge refurbishment cost and indeed the massive upkeep costs and you have an expensive ’second’ or in many cases ‘third’ home! However demand has never been higher and finding suitable properties is now extremely hard. Of course, anyone can stay in a luxury hotel, charter a huge yacht but not everyone can hire a 500 year old castle, surrounded by several thousand acres and boasting private shooting, fishing and total seclusion. Throw in a few battlements, ghosts and old family retainers and you have the makings of a movie set.

Obviously most of these homes are deserted during the winter months but come summer and private jets are plopping down in every small airport throughout the country. A few gleaming range rovers will be on hand to whisk up the guests and within an hour or two, everyone will be lying on the heather with a wee dram in one hand and a smoke salmon sandwich in the other. It’s intoxicating stuff for urban types and there is no danger of some annoying Russian screaming past in his Ferrari or some helicopter buzzing overhead. Of course, guests can easily get bored, so some form of ‘retail therapy’ is vital and the local cashmere outlets are happy to help out.

Grouse shooting and salmon fishing once the preserve of the upper classes is now being enjoyed by clientele of all stripes and in any case new owners of large piles are quick to don their tweed suits and present themselves as lairds of long standing. This is perfectly natural and has been witnessed by the locals for centuries. What is wonderful for Scotland is the huge amounts of money poured into the local economy by these ‘Chelsea’ Highlanders. They head north and not only help preserve these old homes but through a multitude of suppliers, they keep a lot of shops and other companies busy, as well as employing a lot of local people to help look after the properties themselves.

Absentee landlords are often much criticised but in fact they are essential and need to be encouraged. They pump funds into rural and often poor parts of the country and take on properties that are not financially viable at all. They are of course ‘living a dream’ but life is all about fulfilling ones dreams and if wealthy folk from all over the world find romance and happiness in maintaining a little bit of our heritage, well then we should encourage them. It is a great era for Scotland’s ancestral houses & castles and it’s wonderful to see.

About the author:

Andrew Loyd is a director of Loyd & Townsend-Rose Ltd, who specialize in Scottish castles for hire - ideal for luxury vacations, family reunions, corporate events, or as venues for filming and sporting activities.

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