Craigievar in Aberdeenshire is an iconic tower house and amongst the best preserved and the most loved in Scotland. The Forbes family lived in the castle for 350 years, and when it was presented to the National Trust for Scotland, it came complete with the vast majority of the contents, collected and lovingly preserved over the centuries by the family. First and foremost, Craigievar was a home, and it is the special family atmosphere, which the Trust has tried to preserve, that endears it to so many visitors. The large estate features woodland, parkland with magnificent specimen trees, and farmland with extensive views over the surrounding countryside towards Bennachie.
The grounds are open all year, daily 11am–5.30pm. The Castle is open from 1st April to 30th June, Friday to Tuesday 11am–5.30pm; 1st July to 31st August, daily 11am–5.30pm; 1st September to 30th September, Friday to Tuesday 11am–5.30pm. You can only view the Castle with a guided tour. The last admission to the Castle is 45 minutes before closing.