Finally, a castle – Doune

For my first featured castle, Doune was an obvious choice. Located not far from Stirling, it sits in a lovely wooded area by a river, and is easily recognised from a number of movies and TV shows including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Outlander, Outlaw/King, Game of Thrones, and more. It also holds many fond memories as one of my earliest castle explorations.

One has only to approach on foot to understand its appeal – it is in quite good shape for a castle built (in its present form anyway) in the late 14th century. The gatehouse and tower house are in good condition and can be explored, though on my recent visit I could not get as far up the tower as I had originally in 2003. This is likely due to safety, as many castles in Scotland are currently under refurbishment and are closed or partially closed to allow for safety checks and stonework. As of writing, Doune is open to the public with some restrictions.

Inside the castle itself there are numerous rooms to explore including a kitchen with enormous fireplaces and plenty of stairs and chambers.

But it is the outside where you can get some really excellent shots of the stonework and architecture of the castle, and there is a short walk from the castle along the Ardoch Burn to where it flows into the River Teith – highly recommended.

I visited Doune for the first time during my final year of university, when everyone else was studying for exams but I had turned in my dissertation and needed something to do for a few days. It was standard Scottish January, but I managed to find a local hotel that was open out of season and I spent the better part of a few hours in the castle, exploring and making friends with the keeper. It was much less famous then, and so when an overnight snowstorm drove me to return the next day, I was allowed to roam the castle again for free, the keeper clearly recognising me as a major fan. Somewhere I must have snowy pictures of the castle and countryside that I simply cannot find.

When I returned more recently, the Outlander craze had shaped the gift shop and there were far more people enjoying a guided tour. For me though, it will always be Robert of Albany’s castle – the villain in my mind of the story of King James I of Scotland and his long incarceration in England. James I was a long-standing obsession of mine ever since I had discovered a book of his poetry in a used bookstore, and I should point out that Robert’s villainous status is certainly in question. Historically accurate or not, Robert became the villain in the first novel I ever wrote, a fictionalised account of James I’s life, and I have been drawn to Doune ever since I learned that James may have walked the halls himself.

The January 2003 visit to Doune was one of my first solo adventures in Scotland and led to my first visit to another iconic local spot – Castle Campbell – but that will have to be a tale for another post!

Find out more about how to visit: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/doune-castle/