About
Urquhart Castle is one of Scotland's most iconic historic places, with more than 1,000 years of stirring history on a rocky promontory jutting into Loch Ness. St Columba may have visited around AD 580, baptising the dying Pictish nobleman Emchath at Airdchartdan, whose residence probably stood here. Once one of Scotland's largest castles, it saw great conflict through 500 years as a medieval fortress: Edward I captured it in 1296, in 1332 it was the only Highland castle to hold out against the English, and the MacDonald Lords of the Isles raided castle and glen until the 1500s. The Grants, granted the barony in 1509, built the five-storey Grant Tower, whose climb is rewarded with panoramic views of the loch and the Great Glen. In 1692 the departing garrison blew up the gatehouse. Explore the Great Hall, the gloomy prison cell and a full-sized trebuchet, with an audio guide included. Visitors watch the eight-minute film first and book ahead, as tickets and the free parking sell out.
Check today’s timesPick a day for times and prices
- Until 31 Oct
- Daily 09:30–17:00, last entry 16:00
- 1 Nov–23 Dec
- Daily 09:30–16:30, last entry 15:30
- 24–30 Dec
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun 09:30–16:30, last entry 15:30; Thu 09:30–16:00, last entry 15:00
Later dates are in the calendar.
Today, Saturday 24 October
- Urquhart Castle09:30 – 17:00last entry 16:00
Prices, non-members
| Ticket | On the day | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £16.00 | £14.00 |
| Concession | £13.00 | £11.00 |
| Child | £8.00 | £7.00 |
Opening times may change at short notice.
1 April to 31 August daily 9.30am to 8.15pm; 1 to 30 September daily 9.30am to 6pm; 1 to 31 October daily 9.30am to 5pm; 1 November to 31 March daily 9.30am to 4.30pm; open 9.30am to 4pm on 24 December and from 11am on 1 January; closed 25 and 26 December. Last entry one hour before closing. Tickets often sell out far in advance, especially in summer, and once online tickets are sold out none are available at the castle, so book online in advance; Historic Scotland names Urquhart among the busy sites where pre-booking is recommended for partner members, with bookings capped at six people per membership.
Suitcases and large rucksacks of 30 litres or more are not permitted in the castle, there is no luggage or pushchair storage, and bags may be searched. From the visitor centre a steep tarmac path leads down to the castle and a bridge into the keep, with tarmac or bound gravel paths throughout; the Grant Tower is climbed by wooden stairs, the Water Gate is down a steep flight of steps and the early castle and dovecot up a steep stepped path. Two mobility scooters and two wheelchairs are lent first come first served; adapted toilet, cafe, shop, cinema with an eight-minute film, picnic area, self-service tea and coffee, water refill and benches. Pet dogs are not admitted.
Photo: Urquhart Castle's ruins and Grant Tower on their promontory into Loch Ness, seen from the air with the far shore behind. Mingkai Zhang, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Urquhart_Castle_Aerial_Photography.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.
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