A woodland walk, the site of a Roman fort, a traditionally built pedestrian bridge over the Ardoch Burn and a riverside walk below the castle, with a footpath to the village; free, outside the ticketed castle.
About
Doune Castle was the home of Robert Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany, Scotland's uncrowned king, who acquired it in 1361 on marrying the Countess of Menteith and ruled the kingdom as governor for all but two years from 1386 until his death in 1420. The cathedral-like great hall has a minstrels' gallery and a central hearth, the gatehouse holds the duke's apartments over an entry that still has its iron yett and drawbar, and the Duke's Hall was restored in 1883. The south and west ranges were never finished, leaving what feels like half a castle, which became royal in 1424. A popular filming location, it starred in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Game of Thrones and Outlander, and the included audio guide is voiced by Terry Jones and Sam Heughan. The grounds offer a woodland walk, a Roman fort site and views over the River Teith to Ben Lomond. Spiral stairs are steep and narrow; park free in the village and walk 20 minutes.
Check today’s timesPick a day for times and prices
- Until 24 Dec
- Daily 10:00–16:00, last entry 15:15
- 25 Dec–7 Jan
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun 10:00–16:00, last entry 15:15
- 8 Jan–31 Mar
- Daily 10:00–16:00, last entry 15:15
Later dates are in the calendar.
Today, Saturday 24 October
- Doune Castle10:00 – 16:00last entry 15:15
Prices, non-members
| Ticket | On the day | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Concession | £9.00 | £8.00 |
| Child | £5.50 | £5.00 |
Opening times may change at short notice.
1 April to 30 September daily 9.30am to 5.30pm; 1 October to 31 March daily 10am to 4pm; last entry 45 minutes before closing; closed 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January. All visits must be booked in advance to guarantee entry with an entry slot; Historic Scotland names Doune among the busy sites where partner members should pre-book, with bookings capped at six people per membership. No works notice on 18 October 2026.
The path from the car park to the castle is 275 m, starting on tarmac at a slight incline and ending in a very steep gradient on rough uneven cobbles, slippery when wet; the entrance is cobbled on an upward slope with a single handrail; the courtyard is grassed and uneven; the ground-floor shop is step-free, the kitchen and great hall 22 to 26 steps up from the courtyard with raised thresholds and the Duchess's Hall by uneven spiral stairs with handrails. Adapted toilet in the cottage; audio guide on your own phone included (internet needed); picnic area, self-service tea and coffee, baby changing, no cafe. Pet dogs are not admitted to the castle but may use the grounds and woodland walk on a lead.
Dogs: Visitors' dogs are not permitted inside Doune Castle; assistance dogs are permitted including roofed areas. HES's dog blog describes a dog exploring the woodland walk, the Roman fort site and the Ardoch Burn around the castle, which she cannot enter; HES's page asks for dogs on a lead at all times, not left unattended, and for owners to pick up.
Photo: Doune Castle's gatehouse tower and great hall range on their grassy mound. Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Doune_Castle_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4293414.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.
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