Scottish Castles and Gardens

There are the big and famous ones--Balmoral, Edinburgh, Stirling, Holyroodhouse, Glamis, Iverness--and the small country ones.  Built by kings and local lairds to protect families, clans, or the nation, Scottish castles still dot the landscape  in fields and towns and  on top of volcanic hills.  Many come with their own local ghosts.  From Shakepeare's tales of  King Duncan's supposed haunting of Macbeth  to  sightings of the green lady with her babe at Crathes Castle in Banchory  (Dee Valley), these castles are intertwined in the histories and mysteries of Scottish families in a turbulent era.

In two days, I walked by the Aboyne Castle, met the Bradfords (Julia's friends) at their home, Castle Kincardie, toured  Crathes Castle (maintained by the National Trust of Scotland), and hiked on part of the royal Balmoral Estate--leaving many more castles in the area unseen.  Crathes is a 16th century tower castle that was home to the Burdetts for 14 generations.  Still displayed is the treasured Horn of Leys given to their ancestor by Robert the Bruce.  Although somewhat austere on the outside with few low windows as part of its defense (common design), the interior beautifully showcases the eras of its occupation.  The castle is particularly noted for its Renaissance-era painted ceilings in the Room of the Nine Nobles (Hector of Troy; Julius Caesar; Alexander the Great; King David, Joshua, and Judas Maccabaeus; King Arthur; Charlemagne, and Godfrey de Bouillon, the Crusader), the Muses room with its painted figures of the 9 Muses and 7 Virtues, and the Green Lady's room with its paintings of grotesque faces and moralistic sayings.  But no ghost sightings that day.

While I had anticipated seeing many castles in Scotland, I had not expected to find such beautiful gardens.  With a short growing season, the Scots seem to delight in creating a profusion of flower colors and textures.  Julia's friends, the Salvesens, were having their garden opening at Findrack with remarkable floral borders and sunlit woodlands that could easily conceal a hobbit or two.  We then visited the gardens at Kincardie with its lovely roses, weathered benches, and an creative garden area interpreting medieval understanding of the universe.  At Crathes Castle, I followed the nature path through shaded pine forests with ferns and tall pink stalks of foxglove to its 3.75 acres of walled gardens.  What a delight!

Click link for slideshow:
Scottish Gardens and Castles

Interior photos from: National Trust of Scotland, Crathes Castle and Garden
Music: Pete Clark, Colisfield House, The Rough Guide to Scottish Music
More Information:
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/crathes/crathescastle/index.html
http://www.medieval-castle.com/scottish_haunted_castles.htm
http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/crathescastle.php