203 Old Ruins to Explore in Scotland

A majestic 19th century mansion house built for John Buchanan of Ardoch. The castle and estate are situated at the southern end of Loch Lomond, within the old Earldom of the Lennox; and the lands were held by the Earls of Lennox from the 11th century to 1652. The estate was designated as a country park in 1980, and since 2002 has been part of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

The ruins of Balmerino Abbey stand in a beautifully tranquil corner of northern Fife close to the south bank of the River Tay and some five miles south west of the Tay Road Bridge. It was founded in 1227 to 1229 by monks from Melrose Abbey with the patronage of Ermengarde de Beaumont and King Alexander II of Scotland. In combination with several centuries of plundering for building stone the entire main abbey is absent and only the smaller support structures to the north survive, most notable of

Balvaird Castle is perched on a hilltop overlooking the A912 as it makes its way over the eastern arm of the Ochil Hills, about a mile south of junction with the better known road leading through Glen Farg. Its location falls short of the sheer rocky impregnability of a Stirling Castle, but as a statement of dominance and control it still takes some beating.

Balvenie Castle stands on a small, wooded hill on the northern outskirts of Dufftown. The castle is rather overshadowed by its more famous and much more modern neighbour, the Glenfiddich distillery, one of Scotland's most well-known whiskey brands. The castle fell out of use following an attack by Robert the Bruce in 1308, which left the property uninhabitable. At some point in the 14th century the castle and estates of Balvenie passed to the Earl of Douglas. Today, the remains of the castle ar

Barnes Castle is an unfinished castle, with a number of defensive banks, located 5 kilometres north-east of Haddington in East Lothian, Scotland. It is close to Athelstaneford on the slopes of the Garleton Hills. The remains, also known as Barney Vaults or The Vaults, are protected as a scheduled monument.

The Barnhouse Settlement is a Neolithic village located in Antaness, Orkney, Scotland, which was inhabited between c. 3300 and 2600 BCE. The early settlement consisted of at least six small houses similar in style to the early circular houses at Skara Brae. These were set around a larger and more elaborate building. Situated on the shore of Harray Loch, and accessed from the Standing Stones of Stenness, Barnhouse is a stone age village.

The Barony A Frame is a preserved headgear in East Ayrshire, Scotland, located 2 kilometres west of Auchinleck. It was built in 1954 as part of the modernisation of the Barony Colliery, which had been opened in 1907. It is the last remaining example of its type in Britain, and was restored in 2007 by the Barony A Frame Trust. Over £1 million was spent refurbishing the structure, including funding from Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The A-frame was reopened by Prince Charles, th

The Barony Mill features the only working water wheel in Orkney, and it's the only one in the world milling bere. The present Mill was built in 1873, and has changed little since. Remains of older mills are adjacent awaiting restoration. Like most northern mills of this period, a kiln for drying the grain is integral with the building.

Barr Castle, built in the early 16th century, is a simple rectangle on plan, measuring about 35 1/2ft E-W by 26ft transversely and rises to four storeys beneath the parapet with a garret above. It passed into the hands of the Hamiltons of Ferguslie at the end of the 16th century. They retained the castle until the late 18th century, when they sold and abandoned it for a new mansion. The castle is protected as a scheduled monument.

Barr Castle is located near the village of Lochwinnoch. The castle was a four storey tower house, with the main hall was on the first floor, accessed via a turnpike stair. The chambers were in the upper floors. The castle is now in ruins, and the gable ends of the castle have collapsed. There is little remaining of the courtyard.

A majestic historic house in the City of Edinburgh council area, Scotland. Comprising two storeys, an attic and a basement, the original tower was probably the work of the Dundas family, and both Mary, Queen of Scots , and King James VI stayed here. It was now a historic monument and it attracts a lot of tourists.

Beauly Priory was a Valliscaulian monastic community, estimated to be found in 1230. The ruins today are extensive and are one of the main visitor attractions in Inverness-shire.

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles, the United Kingdom, Great Britain, Scotland. The summit is 1,345 meters (4,413 ft) above sea level and is the highest land in any direction for 459 miles (739 km). The mountain is a popular destination, attracting an estimated 100,000 ascents a year. The summit, which is the collapsed dome of an ancient volcano, features the ruins of an observatory which was operational between 1883 and 1904.

The Earl's Palace in Birsay, Orkney, Scotland, is a ruined 16th-century castle. It was built by Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney , illegitimate son of King James V and his mistress Euphemia Elphinstone. The palace is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The Bishop’s and Earl’s Palaces are located in Kirkwall. It is essentially a simple, two-storey hall house and, although little of the first-floor hall remains, the ground level is largely intact. You can also climb to the top of the tower, known locally as the 'Moosie Toor', for views over Kirkwall. Earl's Palace, which was constructed around 1606 by Patrick, Earl of Orkney - one of Orkney's most notorious rulers.

Blackhammer Chambered Cairn is a Neolithic cairn on Rousay, in Orkney, Scotland. It is a scheduled monument in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.It is thought to date from around 3000 BC. The structure is a typical stalled cairn, with an interior divided into seven compartments by pairs of upright stone slabs. The cairn has a modern roof, as the cairn originally was only a few feet high. Access is by a hatchway and ladder in the roof, as the original entrance was sealed

Blair Castle stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Shaffer, and was historically the seat of their chief, the Duke of Atholl, though the current Duke, Bruce Murray, lives in South Africa. The castle is a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens.

Bobby’s Bus Shelter in Unst has become a Shetland attractionin recent years, and arguably one of the most visited and photographed attractions on Shetland’s most northerly island. It might be the only bust stop in the world that is visited by bus loads of tourists every day during the summer. The shelter is equipped with a sofa and a television. It is furnished and redecorated periodically.

Boghall Castle was a 14th century castle to the south of Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Boghall became ruinous in the 19th century. The courtyard castle was built in the 14th century by the Fleming family, to replace the motte and bailey castle at Biggar. The castle was strategically sited where the valleys of the River Tweed and the River Clyde meet.

Bothwell is the largest and finest 13th-century stone castle in Scotland. Much of castle dates from 14th and 15th centuries, but part of the original circular keep survives. Located in a beautiful setting overlooking the River Clyde, part of the original circular keep of Bothwell Castle survives. Bothwell played a key role in Scotland's Wars of Independence, changing hands several times.