Caerlaverock Castle

Visited the castle just as the shop was closing, did mean we then had the place to ourselves, hence the drone pictures, nobody around to be annoyed by the drone and it’s definitely a castle to be viewed from above. Nice walk round the outside with the dogs, that enjoyed the place as well.

Despite the ongoing work, the castle was still impressive to walk around. The family had a great day, especially enjoyed the chap who was demonstrating the swords and armour. Lovely grounds for a picnic, and you can walk to the nature reserve. Staff were friendly and had other kid activities on offer for free. However, BEWARE and take care driving, as there are some impressive deep pot holes on the road before you turn off to the castle.

A lovely little spot for a day out. The castle itself was off limits due to maintenance, but the grounds, play area, tea room and gift shop were all still open. The children loved exploring the woods containing the previous castle and reacting battles in the castle play area. A great little find.

Lovely place to visit. If you wish to go into the castle and the exhibition you have to purchase a ticket. However, you can walk round the grounds for free. Dogs welcome. Toilets on site. You can purchase refreshments from the shop to take out. Gifts in the shop rather pricey.

The only triangular castle in UK! Very impressive gatehouse and 17th century lodgings. Ticket is slightly cheaper (£6) if booked online in advance. There’s a path to the site of the old castle, 5 mins walk down towards coastline. Gift shop, exhibition space and toilets on site. Access road is covered in potholes is only downside.

Significant castle ruin in the marshes of the Solway near Dumfries. The newer castle is quite large with some stairs to explore for even better views. Along a path and through some woods are the remains of an older castle, too. A walk will take you to the Solway and to the nearby Wetland bird sanctuary. Take in the well stocked shop and view the film about one of the sieges with Tony Robinson.

One of a few remaining castles that have a moat around it. The shape is unusual as being a triangle design. The place has seen a lot of trials and tribulations and finally abandoned in 1640 after a 13-week siege. Currently, you can enter the castle and explore around. Some places are cordoned off as ongoing maintenance to keep it safe. When we visited, there was a nesting pair of swans with some fluffy cygnets. There is free on-site parking, and there are accessible WC and a gift shop with a cafe. Wheelchair users beware, there is a steep wooden slope to enter the castle, so watch you don't tip over and you have to wheel on some grass to get to ths gate of the castles For able bodied users, there are some stepped upper floors areas to explore.

Beautiful place . It was our 2nd visit. The first one, unfortunately, was unable to get inside , but it was more lucky this time. Castle is stunning and great funny and sweet story with the little duck , ask the stuff which is super friendly

My all time favorite castle! 'Home Sweet Home' to Clan Maxwell! All kinds of history pours from this property, we spent hours here at the castle & in the woods. Take your time climbing in the castle, there is a lovely tea room on site to rest. Absolutely precious architecture. A must see for castle hunters. #myfamilytree

Caerlaverock is unusual both for its triangular design and its pink limestone. Both make it quite a striking sight (see photographs). The castle is technically ruined, but the two front-facing walls and most of the rest of the superstructure remain intact. There is a classic moat surrounding the building, and a narrow wooden bridge gives access to the main gate. Like Dryburgh Abbey, this property is administered by Historic Scotland, so the grounds have been landscaped and the interior courtyard paved and gravelled, with railings added in spots. It's fun to climb around inside the towers and interior buildings, which are labelled to explain their original purpose and use. Like many castles, different portions date from various eras, so the design is a bit of a jumble. The main attraction is a 17th-century residence, with servery, kitchen, and private rooms. On the opposite side is a 15th-century structure which apparently contained a great hall and other residences. The two towers bestride the main gate were used as lord's residences in the 13th and 14th centuries. One interesting bit of history: in 1300, Edward I himself, with a 3000-man army, besieged the castle. The garrison of only sixty men held out for 36 hours. When Edward learned how few his enemy had been, he was so impressed that he allowed the Maxwell family to keep the castle after swearing an oath of loyalty to him. As wonderful as the castle is, the visitor's centre boasts a "museum" which is nothing but a sad joke. Breeze through it, just enough to get the story of the castle, the Maxwells, and the various military actions over the years, and then get right out onto the grounds. There is also a "nature trail" which leads about 200m to the site of the previous castle, used for only a few decades in the mid-13th century and abandoned due to the marshy ground (Caerlaverock is very near the Solway Firth). There are picnic tables, and on a day with good weather, this would be a great site to bring the family for an afternoon.

We really enjoyed this castle, which our friends told us about, otherwise it would not have been on our radar. Unique shape, and very picturesque.

What a lovely visit. We visited the castle as we had driven to Dumfries to get a few things and were not disappointed. It's a lovely castle with great parking and very friendly staff. The story of the castle is fascinating and offers a lot of options for both old and young. There is a lovely video that explains how 60 people defended the castle against the army of the English king Edward. The castle grounds are great and the castle is spectacular. There are loads of different rooms to explore and try to get a feeling for the lifestyle of that time. You have to be a bit careful with the stairs depending on where you are going up. If you follow the path to the left of the castle you can visit the site of the first castle grounds. All in all it was a very enjoyable visit.

A love this traingle shaped castle, its not your normal shaped castle, but never the less its beautiful. The main 2 walls that still exist are explorable with stairs for you to go up and down. The 3rd wall is more delapidated but gives you interesting views in to the castle from the rear if you explore of go on the nature trail for the children. It was slightly cold round easter when we visited, but would love to go back in sunnier weather.

This is a weird shaped castle which is insde a double moat and is triangle in shape There are lots of in and out parts of the castle so be careful as you can miss things The Nithsdale Lodging is marvellous for its ornate carvings Well worth a visit The wildfowl and wetlands trust has a site ther with free parking and there is accomadation so a great place to go if your intrested in history and nature It is also a historic scotland sight so free entry to its member and english heritage members get a discount or free entry which depends on the length of time you have been a member

Caerlaverock Castle is located approx 7 miles South East of Dumfries on the B725 and is well worth the visit. Its triangular shape is unique to the UK and it is one of Scotland's best medieval battlements. There is a moat which runs right the way round the castle so this is a very good place to start to take in the great atmosphere carried by a building this age. There is however something for everyone at Caerlaverock including a nature trail in the close by woods which leads past the ruins of a much earlier castle and a children's play area which has a castle theme. It has a well appointed tearoom and gift shop in the grounds of the castle and the site itself is well maintained by Historic Scotland. Generally I would make sure that you visit on a fairly reasonable day as the castle is open to the element but I think it looks even more dramatic when the weather isn't as kind. Take your pick.

A short drive from Dumfries, Caerlaverock Castle dates from the 13th century and was built to control the South-West entrance to Scotland. It has been controlled by the English, Scottish and the Normans. After winning Scottish independence in 1314, Robert the Bruce ordered the destruction of Caerlaverock along with other border strongholds, to prevent them being used by an invading English army. The castle was rebuilt 200 years later, but after English-Scottish relations broke down in 1640, Caerlaverock was besieged, partially dismantled and fell into decay. The site remains an evocative experience as the unspoilt surrounding countryside enables you to imagine what it was like in medieval times. There's a siege warfare exhibition to see, a children's adventure park, a nature trail and cafe and shop on site.

About 20 minutes drive from the centre of Dumfries, Caerlaverock Castle is a proper old medieval castle ruin, complete with a moat, turrets and gatehouse. What remains of the castle is the front two sides and most of the back, it's triangular, therefore it's quite an exposed building so be prepared for poor weather. It's quite a romantic setting and couples often have some wedding photos taken here. There isn't a great deal to see of the building itself but there are other attractions in the grounds such as a children's play park and a wee giftshopy tearoom. There is also a nature trail which leads you round behind the castle though the marshy woodland and to the site of the old castle, it's more or less just the foundations of this remaining as the castle was moved due to subsidence in the soggy ground, you may or may not have to pay the entry fee to walk round the nature trail depending on who is tending the entrance to the Castle grounds. This is a Historic Scotland property and therefore free for members, non members fees are Adult £5.20, Child £2.60, Concession £4.20 and quite steep in my opinion, but worth a visit for members if you're in the area. Opening times are currently listed as Summer 21 March 2008 - 30 September 2008, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm Winter 1 October 2008 - 31 March 2009, 9.30 am to 4.30 pm