County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in Ayrshire
10 castles across Ayrshire, led by Culzean - the National Trust for Scotland's Robert Adam showpiece on the Firth of Clyde - taking in the island strongholds of Arran and the seashore tower at Portencross.
Map
Every castle on this list - 10 in total, 2 free to enter, 3 you can stay overnight in
Culzean Castle
South Ayrshire
Robert Adam clifftop castle; Eisenhower apartment and Brewhouse flat bookable
Photo: Jamesx12345, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dean Castle
East Ayrshire
Council leisure-trust run; free entry; restored 14th-century keep
Kelburn Castle
North Ayrshire
Country centre daily; castle by pre-booked guided tour; graffiti murals
Photo: Raibeart MacAoidh, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Brodick Castle
North Ayrshire
Isle of Arran; castle, garden and country park
Photo: Sir Gawain, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dundonald Castle
South Ayrshire
Visitor centre run by Friends of Dundonald Castle; also listed under Friends of Dundonald Castle SCIO
Photo: DougRM, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Lochranza Castle
North Ayrshire Free entry
Free tower house on Arran promontory
Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Portencross Castle
North Ayrshire
Mid-14th-century tower house on the Firth of Clyde, former seat of the Boyd family, restored by a volunteer trust.
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Glenapp Castle
South Ayrshire
Victorian baronial; Relais & Chateaux luxury hotel
Photo: Markchristenson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Loch Doon Castle
East Ayrshire Free entry
Free; eleven-sided curtain wall relocated in 1935
Photo: Graeme Maclean from Glasgow, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Common questions
How many castles are there in Ayrshire?
This roll lists 10 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses in Ayrshire. Of those, 2 are free to enter and 5 charge admission. The other 3 have restricted access.
Which castles in Ayrshire are free to visit?
2 of the 10 castles in Ayrshire are open-access sites with no admission charge, namely Lochranza Castle and Loch Doon Castle.
What is the best-rated castle in Ayrshire?
Glenapp Castle is among the highest-rated castles in Ayrshire on this roll - 4.8/5 from 513 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle in Ayrshire?
Yes - 3 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, namely Culzean Castle, Brodick Castle and Glenapp Castle.
Can you reach any castle in Ayrshire by train?
2 of the 10 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, namely Dean Castle (Kilmarnock, 0.8 miles) and Kelburn Castle (Fairlie, 1.2 miles). Those are straight-line distances from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle in Ayrshire?
Not all of them on the same terms. 3 of the 10 restrict what a visitor can see. Glenapp Castle is a hotel, so there is no way in without booking a room or a table. At Dalquharran Castle the building itself isn't open to visitors, so you see it from the grounds or from outside. At Portencross Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.