Loch Leven Castle

Kinross, United Kingdom

Loch Leven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the location of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–1357). In the latter part of the 14th century, the castle was granted by his uncle to William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, and remained in the Douglases' hands for the next 300 years. Loch Leven Castle was strengthened in the 14th or early 15th century, by the addition of the five-storey tower house or keep.

Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned here in 1567–68, and forced to abdicate as queen, before escaping with the help of her gaoler's family. In 1588, the Queen's gaoler inherited the title Earl of Morton, and moved away from the castle. It was bought, in 1675, by Sir William Bruce, who used the castle as a focal point in his garden; it was never again used as a residence.

Loch Leven Castle had fallen into ruin by the 18th century, but the ruins were conserved and rubbish removed in 1840. Loch Leven Castle was given in to state care in 1939, and is now managed by Historic Environment Scotland. Today, the castle can be reached by a 12-person ferry operated from Kinross during the summer months.

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Founded: c. 1300
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Graham Malcolm (4 months ago)
A great castle full of history . Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoners here before escaping . It's a 45 min tour on the island as you can only access it by boat . Just for it's location it's well worth the visit .
Gareth Baird (4 months ago)
A unique experience for a Scottish castle. Picnic benches are available on the island, inside and outside the castle, so taking a picnic is definitely possible.
Scott Allan (5 months ago)
Another amazing wee Castle to visit if you find yourself in the area. This Castle sits on its own small island within Loch Leven. To get to the Castle you will need to take a small boat, the boat ride over takes like 10 or 15 minutes. The boat only takes up to 12 people at a time if I remember rightly. Probably best to book tickets in advance as the boat leaves at certain times of the day, im sure its every 45 minutes, so booking a ticket will let you know when to arrive saves you from waiting around. There are public toilets on the island and loads of places to take really nice. It's really easy to walk around the entire Castle and island although I'm not to sure if it would be suitable for prams or wheelchairs. Probably best to ask when booking tickets. There are some benches and tables on the island so maybe pack a small picnic there's no shops on the island to buy anything. It's uninhabited.
Yogaraj Senthil (6 months ago)
Visited using our explorer pass. The castle is on an Island and needs to be reached via boat which runs every 45 minutes with maximum capacity of 10-12 people. So, pre booking is necessary to avoid disappointment. Free car parking onsite.
Laguz Elbedottir (7 months ago)
Oh goodness, it was a gorgeous day! Took the first boat at 10am (bought ticket day before but highly recommended is to buy it a few days before!). Great experience on the loch, it was like a mirror, and at the interesting castle. Skipper was Steve, he explained about the wildlife a bit on the boat and answered questions. In the store is Ray who is real fun. Just a wonderful experience all around.
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