Entry passes · The Castle Rolls
Historic Scotland Explorer Pass.
Historic Environment Scotland looks after 70 of the castles on the roll. 47 of them charge for entry - that is where this pass earns its keep - and 23 are free to walk into anyway, pass or no pass.
The pass, verified
Entry to over 60 Historic Environment Scotland sites - Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart castles among them - valid for 14 consecutive days from your chosen start date. Listed at £48 for an adult (summer 2026 season), with concession, child and family tiers. The covered sites vary by season, so check the current list before buying. Full details and current prices: the official Historic Scotland Explorer Pass page.
Confirm before you buy
Pass coverage is set by the operator and can change - a handful of sites, events or seasons are sometimes excluded. Before buying, check the castles you actually plan to visit against the official covered-places list on the page linked above.
Castles where the pass matters - 47 charging for entry, best-reviewed first
Edinburgh Castle
City of Edinburgh
Photo: Enric, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Stirling Castle
Stirling
Photo: John McPake, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Urquhart Castle
Highland
Photo: August Schwerdfeger, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Doune Castle
Stirling
Photo: Godot13, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Blackness Castle
Falkirk
Photo: Godot13, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
St Andrews Castle
Fife
Photo: Son of Groucho from Scotland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Caerlaverock Castle
Dumfries and Galloway
Photo: Simon Ledingham, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Craigmillar Castle
City of Edinburgh
Photo: Photograph by Stuart Yeates, from en:Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Tantallon Castle
East Lothian
Photo: D. Gordon E. Robertson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dumbarton Castle
West Dunbartonshire
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Inverlochy Castle
Highland
Photo: The original uploader was Jmb at English Wikipedia., CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Kilchurn Castle
Argyll and Bute
Photo: Brian Deegan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Broughty Castle
Dundee City
Photo: Euan Nelson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dunstaffnage Castle and Chapel
Argyll and Bute
Photo: Raibeart MacAoidh, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Aberdour Castle and Gardens
Fife
Photo: Andy Hawkins, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dirleton Castle
East Lothian
Photo: Jonathan Oldenbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dundonald Castle
South Ayrshire
Photo: DougRM, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Huntly Castle
Aberdeenshire
Photo: Iain Lees, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Castle Campbell
Clackmannanshire
Photo: eebAMDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Bothwell Castle
South Lanarkshire
Photo: Pradeep, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Huntingtower Castle
Perth and Kinross
Photo: PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Newark Castle
Inverclyde
Photo: Dave souza, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Rothesay Castle
Argyll and Bute
Photo: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Lochleven Castle
Perth and Kinross
Photo: Jonathan Oldenbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Balvenie Castle
Moray
Photo: Pjt56 --- If you use the picture outside Wikipedia I would appreciate a short e-, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Hermitage Castle
Scottish Borders
Photo: Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall
Orkney Islands
Photo: Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Threave Castle
Dumfries and Galloway
Photo: LornaMCampbell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Smailholm Tower
Scottish Borders
Photo: Taken by User:Supergolden, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
MacLellan's Castle
Dumfries and Galloway
Photo: Parrot of Doom, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Tolquhon Castle
Aberdeenshire
Photo: PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Auchindoun Castle
Moray
Photo: Bob Marshall, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Kildrummy Castle
Aberdeenshire
Photo: Gordon Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Spynie Palace
Moray
Photo: Billreid at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Edzell Castle and Garden
Angus
Photo: Jonathan Oldenbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Craignethan Castle
South Lanarkshire
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Supergolden assumed (based on copyright cla, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Crichton Castle
Midlothian
Photo: Godot13, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Corgarff Castle
Aberdeenshire
Photo: Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Clackmannan Tower
Clackmannanshire
Photo: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Claypotts Castle
Dundee City
Photo: Yelsned, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse
Aberdeenshire
Photo: Sagaciousphil, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Cardoness Castle
Dumfries and Galloway
Photo: Billy McCrorie, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Elcho Castle
Perth and Kinross
Kisimul Castle
Na h-Eileanan Siar
Photo: Conor Lawless from North Uist, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Glenbuchat Castle
Aberdeenshire
Photo: David Purchase, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Cadzow Castle
South Lanarkshire
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Supergolden assumed (based on copyright cla, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Scotstarvit Tower
Fife
Free anyway - no pass needed - 23 open-access Historic Environment Scotland castles
These are also in Historic Environment Scotland's care, but they are open-access ruins with no admission charge - a pass adds nothing here, which is worth knowing before you count them toward its value.
Duffus Castle
Moray Free entry
Photo: itmpa, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Ravenscraig Castle
Fife Free entry
Photo: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Earl's Palace, Birsay
Orkney Islands Free entry
Photo: Chmee2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Lochranza Castle
North Ayrshire Free entry
Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Castle of Old Wick
Highland Free entry
Photo: Flaxton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Loch Doon Castle
East Ayrshire Free entry
Photo: Graeme Maclean from Glasgow, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Carnasserie Castle
Argyll and Bute Free entry
Photo: Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Crookston Castle
Glasgow City Free entry
Photo: Dbrooke1829, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Hailes Castle
East Lothian Free entry
Photo: Supergolden, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Skipness Castle and Chapel
Argyll and Bute Free entry
Photo: chdphd, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Morton Castle
Dumfries and Galloway Free entry
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Balvaird Castle
Perth and Kinross Free entry
Photo: Billbowery, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Lochmaben Castle
Dumfries and Galloway Free entry
Photo: Jonathan Oldenbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Scalloway Castle
Shetland Islands Free entry
Photo: Marion Timperley, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Muness Castle
Shetland Islands Free entry
Photo: PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Castle Sween
Argyll and Bute Free entry
Photo: Rob Farrow, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Carsluith Castle
Dumfries and Galloway Free entry
Photo: Tom Parnell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Orchardton Tower
Dumfries and Galloway Free entry
Photo: Mike Palmer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Burleigh Castle
Perth and Kinross Free entry
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Noltland Castle
Orkney Islands Free entry
Photo: Liberaler Humanist, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Greenknowe Tower
Scottish Borders Free entry
Photo: Taken by user:Supergolden, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Drumcoltran Tower
Dumfries and Galloway Free entry
Photo: James Johnstone from Ecclefechan, Scotland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Cubbie Roo's Castle
Orkney Islands Free entry
Photo: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped