Carbisdale Castle Hostel
Carbisdale is a real castle, steeped in history and located on a hill above the Kyle of Sutherland, just one hour’s drive north of Inverness, in the beautiful highlands of Scotland. The castle was built for Mary Caroline, the Duchess of Sutherland in 1906 and takes its design from the Gothic Revival architecture called Scots Baronial style. Carbisdale Castle has its fair share of towers, turrets, a large staircase, secret door, hundreds of windows, ornate rooms and all the things a castle should have.
When you stay at Carbisdale Castle hostel, you’ll be joining the many influential, wealthy and even royal people who have already stayed there before you. You’ll also be enjoying all the comforts that were available to them too including a large art collection dating back to 1680 and plenty of Italian marble statues that will be joining you as you walk through the fantastically decorated communal corridors and rooms.
Carbisdale Castle is an enchanting place to visit and even more so because it is located in fine woodlands, perfect for walks, cycle rides and generally just enjoying the great natural beauty of the Scottish highlands. The castle overlooks the river Kyle where jumping salmon offer a great spectacle as they make their way upstream to spawn, and has fantastic views over miles and miles of spectacular lush scenery.
Local Attractions
The castle is a popular venue for groups, families and weddings, maybe even more so since the world-renowned pop star Madonna had her wedding in the impressive Dornoch Cathedral just 20km away. The ‘Falls of Shin’ is one of the best known sights in the area and comprises of dramatic waterfalls and another castle, the magnificent Dunrobin Castle with over 700 years of history and towering conical spires resembling a French Chateau is a short drive away.
Castle Attractions
The castle is open between April and October and offers a café, a restaurant that serves excellent dinners all year round, games room and TV lounge. The castle is also thoughts to have a few guests that have never managed to leave. These include appearances of a lady in white; some fallen soldiers from the Battle of Carbisdale in 1650; and the castle gardener dressed in black with a hood who is known as ‘The Hooded Gardener’.
Whatever experience you have at Carbisdale Castle, I’m sure it will be a memorable one and a fantastic opportunity to stay in a real castle in one of the best countries to find them – Scotland!
Booking details, customer reviews and travel tips for Carbisdale Castle Hostel can be found here.
