Carmichael is the ancestral home of Clan Carmichael, the clan taking their surname from the are in which they lived. The Carmichael Estate has been owned by the Carmichael family for some 800 years, and at its centre is the Carmichael Visitor Centre and Farm Shop.

We called in to pick up a map of the walks on the estate, and some sweet apple chutney, then set off to explore. The path leaves the farm north then west, passing through a deer park, then through a small wood before crossing St. Michael’s bog. The bog has evidently been drained during the course of agricultural improvements, but still has tufts of reeds and bog grass which are perfect for the likes of pheasants to hide in.

On the other side of the track the land is drier, being on the lower slopes of Kirk Hill, and the field was full of sheep and lambs.

The track turns steeply uphill, past the farm of East Mains, before turning left to a set of impressive gate posts. These are the old entrance to Carmichael House.

Carmichael House was built in 1754 for Sir John Carmichael, the 3rd Earl of Hyndford, on the site of an earlier castle. In 1952 the roof was removed to avoid property taxes and death duties, and it is now a substantial ruin surrounded by woodland.

At the east and west are grand accommodation blocks, two storeys in height and five bays in width.

Between them is a small two storey square tower, once which stood at the centre of a corridor linking the two main wings. Most of this corridor has now gone, and this rather unusual H-plan is thought to possibly have some about as a result of the original design not being completed.

The east range is almost symmetrical to the west range.

The ceilings on the ground floor are vaulted, and while they would once have been decorated with elaborate plasterwork it has all fallen away and now the stone of the vaulting is visible.

In 2000 a plaque was erected on the central tower following consolidation of the walls, naming those who had contributed to the costs.

While access to the inside of Carmichael House isn’t allowed for safety reasons, looking in the windows it’s possible to get a feel for the grandeur that must once have been on display in these interiors.

It’s quite sad that such a grand building can be left to ruin, but the costs involved in restoring a property of this size would be enormous. Perhaps one day something can be done.

We made our way back down the track, stopping to take a photo of a pheasant which had flown up onto a wall.

To our left was Kirk Hill, which may have been an ancient hillfort. In the 12th century it was the site of a church, supposedly founded by Queen Margaret in the 11th century, and dedicated to St. Michael. It is said that the name Carmichael derives from this site, “caer” being the old word for a hillfort.

We made our way back down the track to St. Michael’s bog, pausing to take a photo of the cloud-enshrouded peak of Tinto Hill.

Instead of a pheasant in the grasses of the bog, this time we saw a lamb.

We returned back through the deer park, the deer observing us closely.

From the car park we could see the fort of Quothquan Law on the horizon. Although not the biggest of hills, it’s visible from all around this area, and we would see it several times over the course of the weekend.

We were now following the route of a second walk from the car park heading south in the direction of Eastend, a second ruined old Carmichael property.

It consists of an early 16th century keep around which a large mansion has grown up over the centuries. The main entrance is now at the bottom of a round stair tower.

Unlike Carmichael House, Eastend is boarded up, the interior being riddled with dry rot.

On the north side the keep is still clearly visible, although on the south side it has been remodelled beyond recognition with the addition of a Georgian bow-fronted façade.

The building features several carved panels carrying the initials “MTC”, presumably for Michael Thomson-Carmichael who succeeded to the estate in 1875, and what looks like it might be “NXMT”.

Scots baronial extensions were added to the west side of the house between 1853 and 1856 by David Bryce.

On the left side of the round tower is a carved armorial panel containing the combined arms of the Carmichael and Thomson families, with their respective mottoes “Toujours Prest” (“always ready”) and “Optima Est Veritas” (“truth is best”).

The state of this building is perhaps even more sad than that of Carmichael House, since having a roof makes it seem more habitable. However the reality is that again a significant investment would be required to make that so.

Details such as the sash and case windows, albeit with smashed panes, and the wooden shutters hint at its former glory.

It’s a real shame that this building is empty, although that’s being said from an idealistic point of view without the requirement to actually find the funds to restore it.

Returning back along the lengthy driveway, we emerged from the wooded estate to be greeted by heavy grey skies.

With the Visitor Centre now shut, we returned to the car and set off for Shieldhill Castle, now a luxury hotel, where we’d be spending the night.

We took a slightly indirect route however, heading north via Carstairs to Carnwath to see the Carnwath motte.

The motte was the site of a castle built by William de Somerville in the 12th century, and is now within Carnwath Golf Club. This early castle was later replaced by a new castle on the site of which now stands the clubhouse.

Carnwath House, which was demolished in 1970, was largely an early 19th mansion, although at its core was a much older building dating back to at least the 16th century. The presumably 19th century gate piers can still be seen, built into the golf club’s wall next to the main road.

It’s quite hard to imagine what was here before when surveying the scene today.

Across the road is St. Mary’s Aisle, the only remaining aisle of a 15th century Collegiate Church, built on the site of a 12th century church.

Just to the east of Carnwath is Carnwath Mill farmhouse, which looks pretty much like a farmhouse but is in fact an old bastle house. The tiny window on the first floor gives a suggestion as to its earlier incarnation.

Although it has a definite cottage look today, the walls are in fact over a metre thick, and the central first floor window was originally a doorway reached via an external stone staircase.

With time marching on, and a dinner reservation fast approaching, we finally made our way to Shieldhill Castle. Driving up the pink granite gravel driveway, the oldest part of the old castle was closest to us.

Dating back as far as the 12th century, the oldest visible part of the castle is probably 16th century in date. Originally a square keep it now forms the main entrance hall. An intramural staircase just inside the doorway hints at its history as a defensive structure.

Luckily for us any fears of castle hotels being cold, dark, draughty places were soon allayed when we were shown to our beautifully-decorated room.

After a delicious dinner we retired to the bar to plan tomorrow’s itinerary.

In the middle of the car park is the Cromartie Memorial, built by Sir George Mackenzie, the 1st Earl of Cromartie, around 1710. It is built on a slight mound which is all that is left of Dingwall’s moot hill, itself developed from a Viking “Thing” site.

Close to the car park is Dingwall Church, within the grounds of which stands Dingwall Churchyard symbol stone. Although not completely clear with the naked eye, it is decorated on one side with three circles at the top, below which is a crescent and V-rod symbol. This face is also decorated with six cup marks.

On the other side there is a double disc and Z-rod symbol at the top, a faint crescent and V-rod symbol in the centre, and a more defined crescent and V-rod symbol at the bottom.

This Pictish stone had been used as a lintel over a doorway in the church, built in 1801, but its significance was recognised in 1880 and it was re-erected in front of the church in the late 19th century.

We walked from the church down to the High Street and up Castle Street where, as its name suggests, a castle once stood. Dingwall Castle‘s origins go back to at least the 12th century, when there was a motte and bailey castle, and possibly even further. Indeed MacBeth may have been born at Dingwall Castle in 1005.

Dingwall Castle was a Royal castle, but it seems to have fallen out of favour following the death of James VI in 1625, at a time when Tulloch Castle was in ascendancy.

By the mid-18th century it was in ruins and being used as a source of stone for buildings in Dingwall, including the Castle House just behind the site of the castle, built in 1820. A 16th century doocot associated with the castle was rebuilt and restored in the 19th century, and now stands in a garden on Castle Street.

The doocot has cross-shaped gunloops or arrow slits, a rather unusual feature for a doocot.

Further along Castle Street, just within the driveway to Castle House, are the remains of Dingwall Castle. Since it was early on a Sunday morning we didn’t want to bother the owners, so took a couple of photos from a distance and left.

On a hill above the town is the MacDonald Monument, erected in 1907 in memory of “Fighting Mac”, Sir

Back on the High Street we stopped at Mansefield House, built in 1897 for Alexander Henderson. Above the door on the corner of the building is an ornate tiled plaque commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

On our way back to the car we cut down Church Street past the Town Hall, where there was another plaque. This time it was to mark the fact that The Beatles played Dingwall Town Hall in 1963, to an audience of 19 people!

A local band, The Melotones, were playing at another venue the same night, and attracted a crowd of 1200 people. Recently there was a bid to reunite the original Beatles audience.

We said our farewells to Dingwall, and headed south and east beyond Inverness on the first leg of our meandering journey home. Our first stop was at Castle Stuart.

A fantastically tall building, it’s typical of the style of castles found in the north-east of Scotland in particular. It was built in 1625 by the Earl of Moray, and consists of two square towers linked by a central wing.

We continued heading east, stopping for lunch at Brodie Countryfare before travelling the short distance to Brodie Castle. Next to the castle‘s driveway is Rodney’s Stone, a well-preserved Pictish cross slab.

On the reverse of the stone are several Pictish symbols, with two fish monsters, a Pictish elephant or beast, and a double disc and Z-rod.

Some people believe that the Pictish beast may represent a dolphin.

There several suggestions as to what the double disc and Z-rod may represent. I think the Z-rod is probably a broken arrow, and the discs may represent the sun, or perhaps shields.

The cross on the front of the stone is decorated with ornate knotwork.

We continued down the driveway to Brodie Castle, a 16th century tower which was extended in the 17th and 19th centuries.

The seat of Clan Brodie, the lands here have been owned by them since 1160, although the castle is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

While waiting for a tour guide to take us around the castle I took a photo of an armorial panel, before realising that photography wasn’t allowed inside. The rooms are very interesting, with architectural features spanning the centuries, and it’s well worth a visit.

In the 19th century the castle was significantly extended by William Burn, including a low range of buildings to the rear which housed the kitchens, and is now home to the tearoom and shop.

High on the west wall of the main tower is a small carved shield carrying the date 1567.

After wandering around the grounds for a while we headed back to the car and continued east, but again not for long, stopping at the far end of Forres to visit Sueno’s Stone.

Sueno’s Stone is the tallest of all the Pictish stones in Scotland, being some 6.5 metres tall. The face of it is carved with a tall cross decorated with intricate knotwork, below which is a carved panel showing bearded figures.

The knotwork is fantastically ornate, and well-preserved considering it was carved in the 9th or 10th centuries.

The sides of the stone slab are also carved with interlacing knotwork.

On the rear of the slab are dozens of carved figures, possibly representing a battle scene or procession of some kind.

It really is an awesome spectacle, and is considered to be one of the best examples of early sculpture in Britain.

Next we retraced our route back along the A96 towards Nairn. It was quite a surreal journey, as we drove through a sandstorm – not something you’d necessarily expect in Scotland! – and could see mini-tornadoes crossing the fields on either side of the road.

We were heading for Auldearn motte, all that is left of the Old Castle of Eren, built in the 12th century.

In a field below the motte were a pair of Shetland ponies enjoying the sun.

Standing in the middle of the motte is the Boath doocot, 17th century in date and presumably associated with the nearby Boath House.

From the top of the motte you can see for miles, so you can understand why the site was chosen for a castle. To the right of the picture below you can just see a sandstorm blowing across the fields.

After a somewhat stop-start journey so far, one that was actually taking is further away from home, we finally headed south and for a more considerable distance before our next stop.

Ardclach Bell Tower is a tiny castle standing high on a small hill above the River Findhorn.

The tower was adapted in the 18th century with the addition of a bell, and used to call people to Ardclach Old Parish Church at the bottom of the hill.

Inside the tower are just two small rooms, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor. The ground floor room is vaulted and has no windows.

The first floor room is slightly more luxurious, having a couple of small windows and a fireplace, above which are the initials “MGB” for Margaret Grant Brodie, the wife of the builder Alexander Brodie of Lethen.

The first floor is reached by a narrow stone staircase leading straight up from the front door.

The tower seems very isolated, high on a hill down this remote glen. But that is presumably what Brodie required, perhaps keeping out of the potential troubles found in more populated areas.

Time was marching on by now, so we pressed on and put some miles on the clock, stopping briefly in Grantown-on-Spey, then for dinner at the always wonderful Auld Smiddy Inn in Pitlochry, before finally getting back to Edinburgh late.

What a great weekend that was!

Possibly dating back as far as the 12th century, the earliest part of the current building is a tower that was built in the mid-16th century (you can read more about the history here).

After breakfast this morning we explored the public rooms of the castle. On the first floor of the old tower is what was the main hall, still with its huge fireplace on show, now used for functions.

The walls of the tower are massively thick, around 2.5 metres, as can be seen between the main hall and a later wing.

Below the main hall are a pair of vaulted chambers with several gun loops at each corner.

We headed outside to the car park, as luck would have it just as a red kite passed overhead.

The old tower is at the south-west corner of the hotel, with a later wing extending to the east.

This wing was added in the 17th century, with more additions made in the 18th century, but it was destroyed by two fires in the 19th century before being restored later that century. In the 1920s further additions and renovations were made by Sir Robert Lorimer.

At the north-west corner of the hotel is a former deer larder, converted in 2007 into a Clan Davidson museum. The Davidsons owned Tulloch Castle from 1762 until the early 20th century.

We drove down onto the Black Isle, heading for Chanonry Point, one of the best places in Britain for viewing dolphins from land. Chanonry Point is at the end of Chanonry Ness, a long, thin promontory sticking out onto the Moray Firth, on the opposite shore of which is the huge 18th century military fortress of Fort George.

There are thought to be more than 130 dolphins living in the Moray Firth, and they are the largest bottlenose dolphins in the World. The best time to see them is a couple of hours before high tide, when they chase salmon through the strong currents close to the shore.

We were lucky enough to see dolphins many times over the course of an hour or so, although it was quite tricky to catch them on camera as they were only coming to the surface for brief moments. Possibly they were feeling the wind chill as much as we were, and there were no full breaches performed on this occasion!

While we were watching the dolphins, we noticed a seal watching us!

Keen to get out of the cold wind, we made our way back along Chanonry Ness to Rosemarkie. We had hoped to visit the Groam House Museum, which is home to 15 Pictish stones, but unfortunately for once we were too early, as it doesn’t open until 2pm on a Saturday.

Instead we retired to the Plough Inn for an early lunch, warmed by a real fire.

After lunch it was still too early for the Groam House Museum, and we still had more time-critical things to see, so reluctantly we had to save it for another day and continued on our journey.

It wasn’t long before we stopped again, this time at the Clootie Well, an ancient sacred site. Tradition has it that soaking a piece of cloth belonging to you in the water then tying it to a nearby tree will rid you of whatever illness or ailment you are suffering from.

At this site the practice is thought to have been going on for thousands of years, back into pre-Christian times. It has certainly occurred here since at least the 7th century, when it became associated with St Boniface. Often these kind of pagan sites would be absorbed into Christian tradition, with a saint replacing the original god, goddess or spirit.

In Scots a “cloot” or “clootie” is a piece of cloth, hence the name of the well (which is actually a spring).

Back in the car, we drove north off the Black Isle on the Cromarty Bridge over the Cromarty Firth, but once again it wasn’t long before we stopped, as just over the bridge we spotted a seal basking in the sunshine on a rock.

We didn’t hang about for too long though as we were on our way to Dunrobin Castle which shuts at 4:30pm, so time was of the essence if we wanted a good look around.

The castle is approached via a long, tree-lined driveway.

It’s only once you get past the trees however that the full scale and splendour of the building is revealed, although even then there is only really a hint of the magnificence of the other side of the castle.

Entering through the large doorway at the bottom of the tall main tower takes you into a grand hallway, complete with roaring fire and an ornately-decorated panel over the fireplace.

Leading up from the hallway is a wide staircase, lined with artworks and stags’ heads, lit from above by an atrium roof.

Photography isn’t allowed beyond the entrance hall, so you’ll have to use your imagination. Suffice to say the interiors are as grand as the exterior.

The part of the castle I was most interested in is the oldest part, a simple square keep thought to have been built in 1401. It is now hemmed in within an internal courtyard, having been absorbed by later additions to the castle. The guides kindly let me take photos out of the windows of the old tower.

I was also allowed to take a photo of the beautifully-landscaped gardens, best viewed from a high vantage point.

Attached to the old tower in the courtyard is a circular stair tower, built in the 17th century to connect the tower to a new extensive house added to the west and south-west.

After working our way through many of the 189 rooms, we went back outside to look at the land side of the castle again. Over several windows are carved pediments carrying the Sutherland clan motto “Sans Peur” (French for “without fear”).

We then moved around to the sea side of the castle, where the gardens are. It’s on this side that the castle becomes seriously impressive, and very much like a template for the castles of Disney fairytales.

In summer the gardens must be a riot of colour, but on this now rather overcast grey day, with Spring seemingly delayed by a lengthy Winter, there wasn’t a huge amount to see save the trees and hedges. Although some colour was starting to appear.

It’s from the garden that you get arguably the best view of Dunrobin Castle, rising high with its conical Scots Baronial roofs pointing skywards.

Clan Sutherland’s crest includes a Scottish wildcat, and carved cat gargoyles appear all over the castle.

Having missed out on the Pictish stones at the Groam House Museum earlier, we made sure that we visited the Craigton symbol stone which stands to the east of Dunrobin Castle.

In the photo below you can clearly see the crescent part of a crescent and V-rod. The stone also has two further symbols, with a tuning fork carved above the crescent and a flower below.

As well as this stone, there is also a museum in the castle‘s grounds housing several Pictish stones. Unfortunately this would be the second museum we’d fail to visit today, as it shut at 4pm.

Instead we continued along the coast to the Carn Liath broch.

Just inside the entrance off to the right is a guard chamber within the thickness of the wall. The construction of it is very reminiscent of a souterrain.

Interestingly the entrance points directly out to sea to the south-east.

On the west side of the broch is an intramural staircase which would once have given access to the upper levels, although the broch now only stands to first floor height.

Climbing up the stairs gives a good view of the broch‘s interior.

Time was marching on and there was still more we wanted to see, so with the sun on its way slowly down, we continued north.

Our next stop was the town of Dornoch, an old Royal burgh famous for its golf course. Dornoch Castle was our main reason for visiting however, along with a search for something to eat. The castle was very obvious as we walked along the appropriately-named Castle Street.

Built from the 13th century onwards as a Bishop’s Palace for the Bishopric of Caithness, the oldest visible part is the 15th century tower.

Over the centuries the palace or castle was extended, with a later wing projecting eastwards which is now a hotel.

The palace was evidently a huge complex, as it extended even further east to the very end of what were once the county courthouse and jail.

Immediately across the road from Dornoch Castle is Dornoch Cathedral, built in 1224 by Gilbert of Moravia, Bishop of Caithness, and the reason for the existence of the Bishop’s Palace.

Dornoch Cathedral has since become famous for being the place that Madonna’s son Rocco was christened in December 2000, prior to her wedding to Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle.

Interestingly next to the door of the south transept is the carved head of a Green Man.

Back over the road at the castle we noticed a small doorway at the bottom of a round stair turret nestled between the tower and the later wing.

The Bishop’s Palace was extensively renovated in 1814 by the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland, and a panel on the castle wall commemorates this.

To the west of the tower is an arched gateway, above which is a carved panel carrying the words “purit” and “onoris” with some damage between. I presume that these are the Latin words “purit” (pure) and “honoris” (honour), although what was between them I’m not sure.

We passed through the gateway following a sign for the Garden Restaurant, which gave us a view of the rear of the castle.

Unfortunately the Dornoch Castle Hotel‘s menu was quite meaty, so we wandered around the town looking for other options, but were faced with a similar problem in most places.

The Eagle‘s menu looked more vegetarian-friendly, but disappointingly they were having a problem with their kitchen and only serving residents.

With Dornoch’s vegetarian dinner options seemingly exhausted (on the main streets at least), we headed south across the Dornoch Firth to Tain. Like Dornoch, Tain is a picturesque former Royal burgh. In fact it is the oldest Royal burgh in Scotland, receiving its original Royal charter in 1066.

Next to the tollbooth on the High Street is the old Mercat Cross, restored in 1895, with a lion holding an armorial shield on top of a newer stone column which rises from the original base.

Above the entrance to the tolbooth is an inset panel decorated with a bronze Lion Rampant.

To the left of the entrance is a plaque in memory of the 8432 members of the Seaforth Highlanders who lost their lives during the First World War. There are similar plaques at Fort George, Dingwall, Elgin, Stornoway and Wick.

Just across the road from the tolbooth is the Royal Hotel, and here we found what we were looking for – no fewer than five different vegetarian main courses on the menu, and what great food it was too!

After dinner we had a wander around the town, stopping to take a photo of the tolbooth lit up against the darkening sky.

Just off the High Street, running down the side of the tolbooth, is Castle Brae, so named because this is where Tain Castle once stood. The last remains of the castle were removed around 1820, and the site is now partly occupied by the Railway Hotel.

On the opposite side of Castle Brae is St Duthus’ Church, which dates back to the 14th century and is dedicated to St Duthac (also known as Duthus or Duthak).

Within the churchyard is the Ardjachie symbol stone, moved from its original position at Ardjachie Farm a few kilometres to the north-west of Tain.

Also within the churchyard is Tain and District Museum, which amongst other things contains several fragments of Pictish stones, the third such museum we’d failed to visit today! Obviously the museum was shut by this time, but we’d seen plenty, and couldn’t complain.

Winton House was originally a castle, built in the 15th century by the Seton family, but over the centuries it has been added to and modified, creating a grand country house. It is now owned by the Ogilvy family who open the house and grounds each year for an open day in aid of charity.

We parked the car and walked through the walled garden, where there were stalls selling various locally-produced crafts, food, drink and plants.

Passing through the opposite wall of the garden we got our first view of Winton House.

In a pen in front of the house were a sheep and her two cute lambs.

Also in the pen was a common frog, although I’m not sure if this was planned!

We walked around the back of the house in search of a cosy spot to have a picnic – easier said than done on a day like today. But we found a sheltered bench on the edge of the terraced gardens, under a tree. Despite the chill in the air, there was evidence on the ground that Spring had indeed sprung.

In a bid to warm up, we went into the house itself in search of the promised Café Winton. We clearly weren’t the only ones to have this idea as the place was packed, so instead we had a quick look in the basement, somewhere I was keen to see.

The basement is vaulted, evidence of the house’s earlier origins as a castle.

Back outside we wandered around the house, the main façade was built around 1805 in the Tudor style.

Parked outside the front of the house was a vintage ice cream van from the famous S. Luca of Musseburgh.

The main entrance is also early 19th century, with it’s Gothic arch framing the doorway.

Moving around to the east of the house reveals some of the earlier fabric of the building however. The harled white gable end and extending wing are part of an L-shaped tower house, built between 1620 and 1627 by the King’s Master Mason, William Wallace, and topped off with wonderful twisted chimneys.

We moved down to the lowest of three terraces in the gardens to the south of the house, from where the full length of the L-plan Renaissance mansion can be seen.

Built into the walls of the upper terrace are three large carved stone details which presumably date from the early 17th century, and may have been removed at the time of the 19th century additions. The centre of the three is the Royal coat of arms of James VI.

While we were translating the Latin inscription, a rustling noise caught our attention. Below the carving, darting out from under the safety of a wooden plank, was a family of field mice, two tiny adults and an even tinier youngster.

We made our way back down to the lower terrace and followed a path along the edge of an ornamental pond which was lined with tall reeds, providing a golden splash of colour on an otherwise uniformly grey day.

Further along the path we caught sight of some hardy souls braving the weather in a pair of hovercraft. It looked good fun, but I’d imagine it was pretty chilly for those who dared.

We returned towards the house along a track which joined onto the driveway, giving us a view of the west side of the house. Although the 19th century west wing and square tower above dominate, behind them can be seen the north and west ends of the L-plan tower house and its octagonal stair turret within the re-entrant angle.

On our way back to the car we passed the old stables which now house Winton Pottery.

We left Winton House via the south driveway, turning through Pencaitland and over the three arched bridge, built in 1510, which crosses the River Tyne. At the west end of the village is Wester Pencaitland doocot, a 17th century lectern style example. I’m not sure if it is associated with Winton House or Pirn Castle, which stood in a field further west but no trace of which now remains.

We continued west, turning north past Cousland on our way to Carberry Tower, another castle extended and converted into a country house, and now operating as a luxury hotel.

Our room was on the top floor at the back of the hotel, overlooking the grounds.

After unpacking we set off to explore the public rooms. To the south of the hotel, visible from the Elphinstone Room, is an Italian rose garden which Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother gave to her sister, Lady Mary Bowes-Lyon, upon her marriage to Lord Elphinstone, the then owner of Carberry Tower. Beyond the garden is a large copper beech tree which is said to cover a third of an acre.

Along from the Elphinstone Room is the North Library, which has an ornate ceiling dating to the 1860s.

The South Library is notable for an intricately carved wooden 17th century Flemish fireplace.

Moving through thick walls into the old castle‘s tower reveals the Beacon Room, in what would presumably have originally been the Great Hall, now a snug.

The main staircase in the 19th century part of the hotel is a rather grand affair, Jacobean in style and lit by stained glass windows.

On the ground floor the old vaulting still survives, and makes for an atmospheric bar area.

We decided to head off into the 35 acres of grounds for a walk before dinner. There are various paths criss-crossing the estate, but we were heading for Carberry Hill, where a monument marks the spot where Mary Queen of Scots surrendered following the Battle of Carberry Hill in 1567.

On the way we spotted a pair of roe deer in a field.

Unfortunately, due to inappropriate footwear as a result of attempting to travel light, we were defeated by mud in the forest and didn’t make it to all the way to the summit of Carberry Hill. It was still an enjoyable walk, and there is a good view from one of the estate paths of the rear of Carberry Tower.

We also saw a large pine tree avenue which presumably was once a driveway into the estate.

Just before getting back to the hotel we heard and then saw a robin following us along a fence.

As impressive as the sprawling 19th century additions of Carberry Tower are, we were most interested in the tower itself, built in the 16th century and now the main entrance into the hotel.

After a quick spruce up we drove the short distance to Musselburgh, where we had booked a table at The Birdcage. While the restaurant is located in a thoroughly modern glass box, it is situated within the courtyard of a 19th century mill complex, with great views towards Stuart House.

Interestingly the mill was originally owned by Colonel James Paterson, a Musselburgh native who patented the first machine capable of tying the knots of fishing nets. The food was good, and it had a pleasant atmosphere despite us (strangely, we thought, for a Sunday night) being outnumbered by the staff.

With a peach and almond cheesecake summarily despatched, we drove back to Carberry Tower for a nightcap in the vaulted bar.

Winton House is a historic exclusive use hospitality venue in East Lothian near Edinburgh. To learn more about the services and events they offer, please visit their website.

For more on the history of Winton House, have a look at the Winton House page in the castles section.

Carberry Tower is a luxurious castle hotel just outside Edinburgh. Please visit the Carberry Tower page in the accommodation section for more details.

More information on the history of Carberry Tower can be found on the Carberry Tower page in the castles section.

We set off for Falkland in Fife, but stopped on the way just outside Strathmiglo, primarily to take a photo of Corston Tower, but there was also a good view of the Lomond Hills, covered in snow.

Corston Tower is a ruined 16th century tower house, of which only the east gable still stands.

It was apparently almost intact until the 1880s, when a major collapse occurred leaving only the east end standing to its full height.

We continued on through Strathmiglo to Falkland, and parked in the centre of the village. As we walked up Cross Wynd to the High Street a vintage car passed us.

Despite the promising earlier sunshine, stormy clouds were gathering overhead, creating a rather dramatic backdrop for Falkland Palace.

Before visiting the Palace we took a few photos of buildings on the East Port and High Street, many of which have carved inscriptions with 17th century dates.

A cherry tree in front of the Palace was blossoming, a rare sign of Spring after an unusually long Winter.

Immediately outside the Palace is an old ornate street light featuring the village’s coat of arms, a stag under an oak tree. This represents the old Royal hunting forest of Falkland.

Finally we made our way into the Palace. Considered to be the finest French-influenced Renaissance architecture in Britain, it also served a defensive purpose, as the gun loops at the bottom of the round towers flanking the entrance suggest.

Above the entrance and on both of the round towers are carved and painted armorial panels showing the Lion Rampant.

Photography isn’t allowed inside the Palace, so you’ll have to use your imagination (or look at the RCAHMS’ images). Suffice to say the interior is rather grand as befits its status as a Royal palace.

Falkland Palace was begun in its current form around 1500 by James IV, replacing the earlier Falkland Castle. It consisted of three wings built around a courtyard, with a wall joining the north and south wings closing the courtyard on the west side.

Projecting from the middle of the ruined East Quarter is a small rectangular tower, known as the Cross House, and a round stair tower.

The ground floor of the East Quarter is vaulted and remains intact, as does the majority of its courtyard façade.

The Cross House stands to its full height, having been rebuilt from the first floor upwards during the 1890s.

The North Quarter contained the Great Hall, and dates back to the mid 15th century, and was probably built by James II. It is thought to have been similar in form to the palace at Stirling Castle. Only the foundations now remain, marked with paving slabs laid out by the 3rd Marquess of Bute following excavations in the 1890s.

Below the terrace is the site of Falkland Castle, built in the 12th century and seemingly superseded by the Palace in the 15th century. All that remains are the footings of two towers, one of which was consolidated during the excavations and renovations of the 1890s.

At the north end of the gardens is a real tennis court, built in 1539 and the World’s oldest tennis court still in use today.

After wandering through the gardens – disappointingly barren due to the seemingly delayed Spring – we returned to the Palace, where the slabs marking the North Quarter serve as a good viewpoint for the inner façade and circular stair tower of the East Quarter.

As we made our way along the edge of the courtyard we spotted the fantastic will sculpture of The Queen by

The north façade of the South Quarter features stained glass windows which give light to the gallery within.

At the west end of the South Quarter is the gatehouse, which when viewed from the inside has the distinct appearance of a 15th or 16th century tower house. The gatehouse was built between 1539 and 1541 but is thought to incorporate earlier work.

Passing through the gatehouse we stopped to take some more photos of the South Quarter’s outer façade, since the dark clouds had now given way to bright blue skies.

We wandered along the High Street to the Bruce Fountain, donated to Falkland in 1856 by Onesiphorous Tyndall-Bruce who was the Hereditary Keeper of Falkland Palace.

On the way back to the car we passed an old Victorian post box.

Falkland is a very picturesque and photogenic village, as befits its status as Scotland’s first conservation village.

On the way home we took a slight detour to visit the ruins of Kirkforthar House. It is approached via a track through a small wood, and as we emerged from the trees wildlife scattered in front of us, with a hare running up the field and a pheasant taking flight.

Although Kirkforthar House no longer has the look of a place of strength, it was once a castle surrounded by a moat, no trace of which now exists.

Kirkforthar was owned from at least the mid 15th century by the Lords Lindsay of the Byres.

Essentially all that is now left are the east and west gables which are thought to be part of a 17th century house that was remodelled in the 18th century.

To the west of the house is a 17th century doocot.

Since the field had young crops in it we had to make do with distance shots.

While what is left owes much to the styles of the 18th century, it’s interesting to know that this building has a much older history.

With the sun on its way down, we returned to the car and set off back to Edinburgh.

The 170 metre course ran up the cobbles of Victoria Street from the Grassmarket to the finish line at the junction with George IV Bridge. The street was packed with thousands of spectators, as was Victoria Terrace above, but we made our way along here in the hope that the higher vantage point would help us to see some of the racers.

The atmosphere was great, the crowds enthusiastic despite the cold, and Red Bull logos were being projected onto the buildings on the other side of Victoria Street.

There were so many people pressed against the railings that it was difficult to get even a glimpse of the riders, but we just about managed.

A big screen at the finish line was keeping the crowd up to date with what was going on, since although the course was short, the curve of Victoria Street meant that those at the finish couldn’t see the riders setting off from the start.

The crowds were several people deep on both Victoria Street below and Victoria Terrace above.

We decided to move down from Victoria Terrace to the finish line, where a camera crew and presenter were waiting for each rider to make it up the hill and across the line.

The compère was encouraging the crowd to shout their support for the riders, and the noisiest welcome was for legendary trials cyclist Danny MacAskill.

Ever the trickster, he even managed to pull a wheelie while crossing the finish line.

He was closely followed by another rider who also pulled a wheelie, this time on a fixie however.

Amongst 500 riders taking part in the qualifiers there was just one female cyclist, Lee Craigie, who set a time of 22.912 seconds.

We had hoped to watch the finals, but with it getting ever colder and our stomachs rumbling, we decided to call it a night.

Liam Moynihan, a 22 year old student from Fort William, would later take victory with a time of 18.748 seconds, beating several professional athletes.

On the way home, with the skies more or less clear of clouds, we had to stop and take some photos of the Edinburgh skyline. The view from the North Bridge over Waverley station with Bank of Scotland on one side and the Scott Monument on the other is particularly iconic.

As is that from slightly further down the bridge, with the Bank of Scotland in the foreground and Edinburgh Castle beyond.

Pausing once again, I took a photo of the wonderful Gothic rocket-like Scott Monument before putting the camera way and heading for home.

To keep the blog ticking over, I headed into the centre of Edinburgh tonight, braving sub-zero conditions on my bike, to do some nighttime photography. I must admit at this stage that I originally hoped to catch the sun setting behind the Castle from the North Bridge, but I missed it by a matter of minutes.

I cycled up to Marchmont and then across to Bruntsfield, the plan being to work my way down from Bruntsfield Links, taking advantage of its high position and views towards Edinburgh Castle, and onwards to the Meadows.

With the sun having just disappeared over the horizon, it was still casting its rays up into the sky, illuminating the clouds behind the massive spire of Barclay Viewforth Church and the Castle beyond.

With its characteristic green lights shining brightly, I couldn’t not take a picture of The Golf Tavern, one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh with a history stretching back to 1456.

A bit further along Bruntsfield Links I paused to take a photo of Arthur’s Seat‘s iconic peak, looming against the dark sky, its shoulder covered with a dusting of snow.

Continuing along the tree-lined path as it descends towards the Meadows Edinburgh Castle once again comes into view, its bright white lights offering a contrast against the dark skies and the dull orange glow of the streetlights on Melville Drive.

Also illuminated against the darkening sky were the crisp, glass penthouses of the Quartermile development, shining like urban lighthouses.

Crossing Melville Drive I entered The Meadows via the whalebone archway, stopping almost immediately to take a photo of the tree tunnel along Coronation Walk.

From here I took advantage of a closer view of the Quartermile apartments.

I then continued along Jawbone Walk, busy despite the time and the temperature.

Halfway up Middle Meadow Walk I stopped at Quartermile to take a photo of one of the buildings lit up against a deep blue sky.

At the top of Middle Meadow Walk I turned around to look back along the path. I’ve always liked the line of lights stretching off into the distance, it somehow feels very European.

The cold was really starting to bite now, and I was beginning to think of home. However I couldn’t pass the statue of Greyfriar’s Bobby without stopping for a photo. It seems many other people feel the same way, and I duly joined the queue.

Bobby stands at one end of George IV Bridge, and at the other is the grand monument to money, the headquarters of the Bank of Scotland.

Where George IV Bridge meets the Royal Mile there is no shortage of interesting buildings, but chief amongst them is St. Giles’ Cathedral.

Taking pride of place on the Royal Mile is a sculpture of David Hume, the philosopher, historian and economist who was a key figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.

I walked part of the way down the Royal Mile to get a closer shot of St. Giles’ Cathedral’s famous crown steeple, chastising myself for forgetting to bring my zoom lens.

In front of the cathedral in Parliament Square is another statue, this one to the 19th century politician Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, the 5th Duke of Buccleuch and 7th Duke of Queensberry.

I turned off the Royal Mile onto St. Giles’ Street, which passes around the back of the High Court, where there is a view down to Princes Street from the side of the Bank of Scotland. Again, I could have done with a zoom lens here, and with my fingers becoming increasingly frozen I ended up with a not particularly great photo of Jenners and the Scott Monument.

Heading home was my main thought on the way down The Mound, however with so many grand buildings around actually getting home was going to take a bit longer still. I stopped to take a photo of the Castle and the iconic houses of Ramsay Gardens, but again, warmer fingers and more patience would have been of benefit.

Passing between the Royal Scottish Academy and the Scottish National Gallery, I made my way onto the terrace above East Princes Street Gardens, which has great views back up the Bank of Scotland and across to The Balmoral.

But that was most definitely enough for tonight. I had planned on taking more photos of the Castle from Princes Street, but the warmth of home was the only thing on my mind now, and those photos will have to wait for another day. Or night.

We parked at the north-east end of the reservoir, leaving the car to be watched over by a flock of sheep.

Crossing a bridge over the eastern spur of the reservoir, we looked west to see rather ominous grey clouds hanging menacingly in the air.

The first section of the walk is on a tarmac road up to Mauldslie farm, lining the side of which are a variety of picturesque trees.

The road climbs slightly, which gave us a view west over the reservoir. Formerly known as Moorfoot Loch, it is the largest body of freshwater in the Lothians, and was dammed and turned into a reservoir around 1878, to supply Edinburgh with fresh drinking water.

After passing Mauldslie we followed a track cutting south-west across a field, reaching a cross roads of farm and estate tracks. We took the track to the right, which heads north-west towards Huntley Cot before curving around to the north of the buildings there.

The track continued to curve, crossing the River South Esk before turning north towards Moorfoot farm, with views across the river’s flood plain beyond to the hills from which it flows.

Moorfoot has an interesting history, the lands being granted to the monks of Newbattle Abbey by David I in the 12th century, who built a grange here.

Passing through the farm, a track leads up into the Moorfoot Hills, and Hirendean Castle finally came into view.

The track up from Moorfoot farm to Hirendean Castle roughly follows the line of the River South Esk, which twists its way down from the hills beyond.

As we approached a field boundary, we saw a line of old snow that had frozen after drifting up against the wall.

Just as we approached the castle the clouds parted and gave us a blue sky backdrop.

Built in the 16th century, much of the castle has now fallen, with just one wall and an attached corner still standing. Some details can still be seen, including what appears to be the carved surround of a door into the basement.

Hirendean Castle stands on a flattened mound beside the steep edges of the Hirenden Burn.

At some point in history a large chunk of masonry has evidently fallen off the castle and rolled down towards the burn.

The south wall of the castle is the only one of which a significant part still exists, standing to first floor height, with a section of the west gable attached.

Looking inside the castle, part of the old vaulting for the basement can be seen, as well as a beam hole indicating that the basement was split into two levels.

Climbing up behind the castle shows what commanding views it has, looking north-west towards the Pentland Hills, with Arthur’s Seat just visible on the horizon to the north. It also reveals the various lumps and bumps in the ground behind the castle, which probably represent the footings of ancillary buildings.

Slightly lower down the hill from Hirendean Castle is an old sheep fold.

With the sun starting to get low in the sky, we made our way back down the hill towards Moorfoot farm, stopping to take a picture looking back towards the castle.

Passing through the farm, we saw a flock of golden sheep waiting expectantly for the farmer to deliver their evening meal.

The setting sun bathed the landscape in red and golden hues, lighting up a row of trees by the side of the road.

It was then a race against time to get back around the west side of the reservoir to the car before the onset of darkness, which wasn’t helped by the need to stop and take photos as we went!

After a bit of a rush, we made it back to the car as darkness fell, then headed back to Edinburgh where we had booked the Circle Café for dinner. What a treat that was!

Although the sky was blue and the sun shining, looking out across Edinburgh and Leith to the Firth of Forth we could see the snow clouds rolling in.

In pretty much every direction Calton Hill has great views, but arguably the most famous is past the Dugald Stewart monument towards the castle.

Looking to the south-east is another of Edinburgh’s hills, Arthur’s Seat, with the Salisbury Crags projecting from it, dusted with snow.

On the top of Calton Hill is the National Monument of Scotland, built to commemorate the soldiers who died during the Napoleonic War.

Another iconic view from Calton Hill is that along Princes Street, with the Balmoral‘s famous tower in the foreground.

Before descending from Calton Hill, we left a small creation in snow.

Down from the hill, we headed along Princes Street to the Scottish National Gallery to see the “Turner in January” exhibition, an annual display of Turner watercolours. Collected by Henry Vaughan, he left strict instructions that the paintings be “exhibited to the public all at one time, free of charge, during the month of January”. By the time we left the gallery it was dark, and as we climbed The Mound behind the gallery, we stopped to take a photo, looking back towards the Scott Monument.

Rounding Bank Street we reached the Royal Mile, where St. Giles’ Cathedral can be seen behind a statue of David Hume.

The statue of David Hume is by the sculptor Sandy Stoddart, and was erected in 1996. Passing philosophy students are said to rub Hume’s toe in order to gain some of his knowledge, leaving the toe shiny and polished.

We were heading for the Grassmarket, where we ended up having what was a rather unremarkable dinner. Rather than retrace our steps, we walked down King’s Stables Road in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, along Lothian Road and onto Princes Street. There were low snow clouds behind the castle, and the light from the city was illuminating them.

Further along Princes Street we reached the Scott Monument, completed in 1844, with a marble sculpture of Walter Scott by John Steell at its centre.

The Scott Monument itself was designed by George Meikle Kemp, and stretches skywards like a great Gothic rocket ship.

The snow clouds that had been threatening all evening finally reached capacity, and large snowflakes began to fall as we made our way home.

We had hoped to have a look at Drochil Castle, a massive ruined 16th century castle which stands in the grounds of Drochil Castle Farmhouse bed and breakfast.

Unfortunately however, the owners weren’t there, so we took a photo from a distance and continued on to a place we’ve been meaning to visit for a while now.

Whitmuir The Organic Place is a fantastic development built on a working farm, with a café, restaurant, art gallery and well-stocked shop full of organic products.

After buying a few bits and pieces from the shop (including bread and stollen from the Breadshare Bakery), we resisted the temptation to go straight to the café, and instead followed one of the waymarked trails up behind the farm. It was pretty cold and getting colder, and there was ice forming on a pond up the hill.

Just climbing a small amount gives great views back over Whitmuir Farm to the Pentland Hills beyond.

Although it was not long after 3pm, the sun was starting to set as it does on these short winter days.

But that did mean a golden glow cast over the view to the east.

At the top of the field we discovered an escapee, who apparently discovered yesterday that she could knock down the fence of her field, and repeated it again today in search of tastier food.

With the chill increasing and the light decreasing, we made our way back down to the complex, and had another browse of the shop before going for organic coffee with freshly-baked organic cakes.

This really is a great place with delicious food and interesting produce in the shop, and I’m sure we’ll be back here again.