Next in our guide to the best Scottish castles, we visit one of the most elegant with a simply stunning location. Culzean Castle, located 12 miles (19km) south of Ayr on Scotland’s wild west coast, lays claim to one of the most spectacular in the country. Designed as the ultimate castle accommodation in Scotland, this fine building takes extravagance to a whole new level. 

As far as castles go, it’s difficult to imagine a more remote and dramatic location than Dunnottar. Perhaps with the most impenetrable position of all Scottish castles, this one sits on top of its own cliff peninsula on the road to Aberdeen, defended on all sides by the forces of nature. Dunnottar Castle also comes with a good dose of dastardly history with an intrepid mix of torching, smuggling and pillaging. 

When it comes to location, Urquhart Castle ticks the boxes for both strategic and scenic. Dominating a rocky promontory on the iconic Loch Ness, the castle takes in the whole of the Loch and the surrounding countryside. Situated just south of Inverness, it also makes a prime spot on the route to the Highlands.

As far as Scottish castles go, they don’t come more romantic than Eilean Donan Castle. Perched in a stunning location at the head of no less than three sea lochs, the Castle features as one of the most photographed spots in the country. Its iconic status ranks alongside bagpipes, tartan and the Loch Ness Monster as symbols of Scotland. 

In the first of our guides about great Scottish castles we visit perhaps the grandest of them all: Stirling Castle.

The final instalment in our Scottish road trips series takes us to perhaps the most famous landscapes of all: the Highlands. The Highlands Tourist Route includes stunning scenery, amazing outdoor activities, a more than generous dose of castles, a dash of rather bloody history and, of course, a distillery or two. The 116-mile journey (187km) is one of the longer road trips in Scotland and comes jam-packed with one delight after another.

Along with tartan, bagpipes and thistles, castles represent one of the most iconic symbols of Scotland. The Scottish landscape is dotted with castles at almost every turn. In fact there are more than 1,500 castles in Scotland with their architecture and styles reflecting the country’s history. Many lie in ruins while many others continue to be used as homes or as castle stays in Scotland.

Who doesn’t love a named connection, a celebrity tie-in, a famous face to associate with? Admittedly not everyone, but castles with royal connections are certainly high on the hit list for those looking to stay in a castle.

The Perthshire Tourist Route might be short, but it’s certainly sweet and offers almost everything. While you drive the 43 miles (69km), you’ll take in simply gorgeous scenery, plenty of distilleries, golf courses and history with a good dose of castles.

Next up in our Scottish road trips series, we explore the north-west coast, home to some of the wildest landscapes in Great Britain. The North and West Highlands Route meanders around the coastline from Ullapool to John o’Groats along 158 miles (254km).