🏰 COMPLETE CASTLE GUIDE

Braemar Castle — Scotland's First Community-Run Castle

Tucked into the Dee Valley on the edge of the Cairngorms, Braemar Castle has survived Jacobite burnings, government garrisons and near-abandonment to become something no other Scottish castle can claim: it’s run entirely by the local community. Built in 1628 as a hunting lodge for the Earl of Mar, this 17th-century tower house carries 400 years of clan rivalry, royal visits and Highland history — and now welcomes visitors thanks to the village that saved it.

Braemar Castle stands just outside Braemar village in Aberdeenshire, on Royal Deeside near the Cairngorms National Park. Built in 1628 by the Earl of Mar and later bought by the Farquharson family in 1732, it fell into community hands in 2007, when the village of Braemar leased it from the Invercauld Estate for 50 years. It has been run by Braemar Community Ltd. since 2008, making it Scotland’s first community-owned castle.

⚡ QUICK FACTS

📍 LOCATION

Braemar, Aberdeenshire
AB35 5XR · Royal Deeside

🎫 ADMISSION

Adults ~£9 · Concession/Child lower
Run by community volunteers

🕒 OPENING HOURS

Apr–Oct, seasonal days/hours
Check website for current schedule

🗺️ GETTING THERE

A93, edge of Braemar village
On-site parking · near Cairngorms NP

⏰ TIME NEEDED

1–2 hours · Self-guided or
guided tour of 10+ furnished rooms

🏰 OWNERSHIP

Braemar Community Ltd. since 2008
Scotland's first community-run castle

🏰 HISTORY — JACOBITE FIRE AND COMMUNITY RESCUE

🏹 A Hunting Lodge Turned Political Flashpoint

Built in 1628 by John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar, as a Highland hunting lodge, Braemar quickly became a focal point for Highland resistance to Lowland-dominated government. In 1689, government dragoons defending the castle were driven out by John Farquharson of Inverey — the "Black Colonel" — who burned it to prevent it being used as a garrison, leaving it roofless for decades.

⚜️ The Jacobite Standard and the '45

In 1715, the Earl of Mar gathered Highland clan chiefs at Braemar under the guise of a hunting party, then raised the Jacobite standard nearby, proclaiming James VIII king and igniting the 1715 Rising. The rebellion collapsed within months, Mar fled into exile, and the castle passed through further ruin before the Farquharson family bought it in 1732 — only for Jacobites to burn it again in 1745 after the Farquharsons refused to back Bonnie Prince Charlie.

🏡 From Private Party House to Community Ownership

Restored in the 1740s under government control, then later returned to the Farquharsons, Braemar became a lavish party venue by the 20th century under Frances Farquharson — a former Vogue and Harper's Bazaar fashion editor whose love of pink still colours several rooms. The castle closed in 2005, but in 2007 the village of Braemar leased it from the Invercauld Estate for 50 years, reopening it in 2008 as Scotland's first community-run castle.

👀 WHAT TO SEE

🏰 Ten Furnished Rooms & the Yett

Self-guided visitors can explore around ten rooms showing the story of Clan Farquharson, from austere Jacobite-era chambers to Frances Farquharson's pink 1960s interiors. Don't miss the castle's iron "yett" (gate) and the ventless basement, both distinctive defensive features, plus window graffiti carved by bored Hanoverian troops centuries ago — some still legible today.

🌳 Timeline Trail & the Fog House

Outside, the Timeline Trail leads through the grounds tracing key moments in the castle's history, passing a restored 1930s kitchen garden growing heritage fruit and vegetables. A path continues to the Fog House, a 19th-century folly with views toward the Invercauld Estate. Film fans may recognise the castle from its appearance in Outlander.

🚗 GETTING THERE & VISITOR INFORMATION

🚗 By Car

Braemar sits just off the A93 on Royal Deeside, about an hour's drive from Aberdeen and within easy reach of the Cairngorms National Park. There's parking on-site, and Braemar village itself — home to the famous Braemar Gathering Highland games — is worth combining with a castle visit.

🙌 Visitor Tips

As a volunteer-run castle, opening days and hours can vary seasonally — check the current schedule before travelling. A guided tour is well worth the small extra cost for the ghost stories and family history that bring the rooms to life. Kids can look out for hidden teddy bears placed around the castle, a nice touch for younger visitors.