A Scottish clifftop fortress has claimed the crown as Britain's best castle to visit, leaving some of the country's most famous landmarks trailing behind.
Dunnottar Castle near Stonehaven scored an impressive 9.65 out of 10 in a new study that measured visitor experience and value for money.
The dramatic ruins perched on rocky cliffs outperformed household names like Windsor and Edinburgh castles. Dating from 1276 AD, the fortress offers visitors one to two hours of exploration for £38 for a family of four.
People love the combination of stunning location, rich history and reasonable pricing that Dunnottar offers, according to the data by GO Outdoors.
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Dunnottar Castle in Scotland was in the top spot
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The castle's fascinating past centres on the Earl Marischal family, one of Scotland's most powerful dynasties. Sir William Keith, who became the 1st Earl Marischal, constructed the original stone fortress known as The Keep.
Later generations expanded the site dramatically. George Keith, the 5th Earl Marischal, built The Lion's Den in 1593 - it actually housed his pet lion.
The family's reign ended dramatically in 1715 when the 10th Earl Marischal joined the failed Jacobite Rising against King George I. He lost everything - his title, his estates, and the castle was sold to the York Building Company in 1717.
Best UK castles to visit
- Dunnottar Castle
- Pembroke Castle
- Windsor Castle
- Conwy Castle
- Bamburgh Castle
- Dover Castle
- Caernarfon Castle
- Stirling Castle
- Edinburgh Castle
- Leeds Castle
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Wales claimed the second spot with Pembroke Castle scoring 8.42 out of 10. The castle's star attraction is Wogan Cavern beneath the fortress, which has become a nationally significant archaeological treasure.
A survey funded by the Natural History Museum and British Cave Research Society in July 2022 made some incredible discoveries. Researchers found evidence of prehistoric megafauna, including reindeer and woolly mammoths.
It's brilliant that the cavern shows signs of human occupation dating back to the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods. The castle itself dates from 1093 AD and offers more than three hours of exploration for £41 for a family ticket.
Edinburgh Castle in Scotland was on the list
| GETTYWindsor Castle rounded out the top three with a score of 7.59 out of 10. The world's oldest and largest occupied castle has been home to 40 monarchs since William the Conqueror founded it in the 11th century.
Despite stellar reviews - 4.7 on Google and 4.6 on TripAdvisor - the castle's £93 family ticket price is more than double Dunnottar's. It's the most searched-for castle though, with nearly 370,000 monthly Google searches.
The castle has survived everything from the English Civil War to a 1992 fire that caused £36.5million in damage. It opened to the public to help fund those repairs.
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