Urquart Castle, Drumnadrochit, Inverness

Hmmm. I kind of feel I should like this place more but it is very expensive to get in and while everything is nicely kept and presented it is a ruin with little to do.

The whole place is very busy and very commercialised – obviously aimed at tourists who are more interested in having a picture of themselves next to Loch Ness than the historic and cultural significance of Urquart Castle itself to The Highlands, Scotland and the UK.

I suspect the vast majority of the entrance fee goes toward the upkeep of the visitor’s centre and I left feeling I had been lured in by the castle only to give my money to an oversized cafe.

When compared with some of Historic Scotland’s other properties like Doune Castle and Fort George this place seems like a lazy tourist trap.

Interesting but not really worth your money, unless you’re a connoisseur of visitor’s centres.

a beautiful ruin and views but the enterance fees were expensive so we looked from the carpark and took some lovely pics. I'm sure the money is put to good use to preserve the site but if your on a budget its alot

Rip off, wonderful location but to pay 20 quid for 2 adults and baby is ridiculous. im not interesred in the stupid castle, i just wanted to get to the banks of loch ness.

Urquhart Castle stands as a ruin however with Loch Ness as its back drop it offers a very picturesque and almost romantic setting. The castles location meant that it had a key role to play in the Scottish battle for independence coming under control of Robert the Bruce before a 150 year power struggle between the Stewart and the McDonald clans.

As with most historic Scotland properties this castle is on the prices side, especially as you have to pay entrance just to take a comfort break. However you will not be disappointed if you visit. It is a distance from the visitor centre to the castle itself but there is a well paved path. Something to note is that it is not all that friendly for wheelchairs or pushchairs as to move about the ruin there is a lot of up and down. Having said that they have done quite a bit to make it as accessible as possible so this may not distract from the experience.

If you are anything like me you will be captivated by the loch if for no other reason than to look for a glimpse of nessie!

oh wow, this is straight back to the days of william wallace and robert the bruce. it is a big dank castle that is pretty much tumbledown now. the windows are slits in the stone walls. it must have been freezing! the castle has a new car park and visitor centre now which i should say i haven’t been to. a group of us used to go down of an evening and jump the fence and play in the castle when it was closed.
this is probably one of the finest views in the north. if you visit make a point of getting down to the lochside and haivng a splash in the water - it is under this castle that the loch ness film had the (fictional) cave where nessie lives and evades capture. apparently the water is twice the equivalent depth of three jumbo jets wing tip to wing tip

This is a great place to visit if you like history. I have been here twice and it is nice to see the ruins of the castle and the model of a trebuchet they have there. It is a very pretty place as well as it is on Loch Ness. You can also take a cruise on loch ness to the castle or you can visit the centre and see a presentation on the history of the place.

great castle to visit, and the scenery at the lochside is awesome, my one gripe is how much they charge you to get in.

As i am scottish, and pay my taxes, I object to paying full whack for a visit to a castle in my own country.

does that make me a scrooge scotsman, fullfilling the usual stereotype which non scots have.

I hope not, but I just think that british citizens should get in at least a bit cheaper than the tourists.

controversial i know.

It’s my local castle and I love tramping around the ruins. Although it’s a ruin it is very well managed and it’s easy to imagine how spectacular it must have been.
The visitor cente and shop is pretty impressive and is built into the side of the hill and therefore doesn’t spoil the view from the other end of the loch. If it’s your first visit don’t miss the film (I won’t spoil the fantastic ending!).
The cafe is ok but expect tourist prices.

set on the spooky Loch Ness, Urquart castle is a famous castle ruin. It has a brilliant visitors centre and souvenir shop with all the friendliness you would expect from the locals. The visit starts with a movie presentation which details the history of the castle. At the end of the movie the curtains are drawn automatically to reveal the beautiful setting of the castle and the Loch. Even in winter with the snow on the hills this is a truly magic place.
Get a Historic Scotland pass and you are away laughing. Also the castle can been seen from on a sightseeing boat on the Loch. Check out Jacobite cruises.

I like castles. I like ruins even better. Urquart Castle must have been amazing when it was actually in use what with the beautiful countryside surrounding it and the astounding view of the loch in front of it. Now it’s a bit too didactic for me, with the learning center, gift shop, etc and there’s not much of it’s old magic left still it is striking and the panorama more so

Definitely not my favourite castle in Scotland. It’s a ruin and therefore there isn’t much to see.