Blackness Castle is an impressive 15th-century castle beautifully positioned along the shores of the Firth of Forth, in Scotland. Often referred to as ‘the ship that never sailed’ due to its great stone ship appearance, these days the castle is known by many for its use as the setting for Fort William in the TV series Outlander. Although originally intended as a royal fortress, the castle spent most of its existence as a state prison and later became a munitions depot. Despite its role in many conflicts and wars, the castle that you see today is almost entirely complete. Below we present our Blackness Castle Visiting Guide, which includes information on how to get to the Castle and how to make the most of your time there. Located a short distance from both Edinburgh and Glasgow, it makes for an excellent day trip from either city.
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You might also be interested in these pages:
Best Day Trips From Edinburgh
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7 of the Best Castles to Visit in Scotland
Location of Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle is located 27 km from the center of Edinburgh, which translates to about a 30-to-40-minute drive, depending on the specific traffic conditions. Despite the greater distance from Glasgow, Blackness Castle is only about a 50-minute drive away.
The easiest way to reach the Castle is with your own vehicle. For advice and tips on how to drive in Scotland, check out our Scotland Roadtrip Driving Guide.
If you haven’t booked your rental vehicle yet, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Scotland.
Alternatively, if you don’t have your own vehicle, a great way to see the castle is to join an organized tour that includes a visit to the castle in its itinerary.
History of Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle was built in the mid-15th century near the village of Blackness by one of Scotland’s most powerful families, the Crichtons. It is believed to have been built on the site of an earlier fort. Shortly after its completion the castle became the property of James II of Scotland in 1453 and started its life as a royal fortress, in addition to serving as a state prison
The castle underwent major fortification work during the first half of the 16th century and became one of the most advanced artillery fortifications of its time in Scotland. These new fortifications were later put to the test during the Marian civil war (1568–1573) when Mary Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate the throne. Blackness Castle changed hands and sides several times during the war and in the years that followed.
The castle’s defences were not tested again until 1650 during the Anglo-Scottish war when Oliver Cromwell’s army besieged Blackness during his invasion of Scotland. However, by this time artillery technology had improved beyond anything the castle’s defences could withstand, and the garrison soon surrendered under bombardment from land and sea. The damaged castle was abandoned shortly thereafter.
In the late 17th century, the castle was repaired and served as a minor garrison and again as a prison (holding several Covenanters; religious rebels who opposed the King’s interference in church affairs). After the Union of Scotland and England in 1707, the castle ceased to be a prison, instead being one of four Scottish fortresses to be maintained and garrisoned by the British Army, the others being Stirling, Dumbarton and Edinburgh.
Between 1759 and 1815 Blackness was again pressed into service as a prison, this time to hold French prisoners of war during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including the Seven Years’ War and the Napoleonic Wars. Afterwards, barracks and officers’ quarters were added in the 1870s, when the castle was used as an ammunition depot, until 1912. The castle was then briefly reused by the army during World War I. Blackness Castle like many others across the country, is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.
Some of the castle’s distinctive visual features, such as its long and narrow shape and because it appears to jut out into the Firth of Forth (the estuary next to which it was built) have earned it the nickname, “the ship that never sailed”. In fact, the north and south towers are often referred to as “stem” and “stern”, with the central tower referred to as the “main mast”.
Visiting Blackness Castle
Parking
There is a small car park by the Castle. Due to its small size, there is often a parking attendant there to guide you to a specific spot.
If the castle car park is full, you might find
Facilities
There’s also a small gift shop located by the car park. Public toilets are also located in the gift shop building.
Opening Hours (2024)
(29 Mar to 30 Sep) Daily 9:30 am – 5 pm (last entry at 4:15 pm)
(1 Oct to 28 Mar) Daily, 10 am to 4 pm (last entry 3:15 pm)
Ticket Prices
Castle & Gardens (£7.50 for adults, £4.50 for children).
There are also reduced fares for seniors and discounted family tickets are also available.
You can visit this historic building with Scotland’s Explorer Pass
If you plan on visiting multiple Castles and Historic Buildings in Scotland, you might want to consider getting the Explorer Pass from Historic Environment Scotland.
The Explorer Pass costs £35 for adults and £21 for children. You can purchase your Explorer pass online here.
The pass is valid for 14 consecutive days.
The pass includes entry to all Historic Environment Scotland properties, which include Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Doune Castle, Urquhart Castle, St Andrews Castle, St Andrews Cathedral, Iona Abbey, Melrose Abbey, Fort George, and many more.
Important: To guarantee site entry, you should still pre-book your desired property visits (dates and timeslots).
Exclusions: Explorer passes do not include access to properties in the care of The National Trust for Scotland, The Palace of Holyroodhouse and Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, or properties in the care of private trusts.
Very occasionally a property may have to close at short notice due to adverse weather conditions or other reasons such as planned renovations. Please check the Historic Scotland closures page for any unexpected site closures.
Booking ahead
It is recommended to book online in advance to guarantee entry, as you must select a date and a time slot for your visit. This is also true for Explorer Pass holders, you won’t have to pay online but you still have to select a time slot for your visit.
Respecting your allotted time is important, as parking on site is limited to 75 minutes due to capacity restrictions.
The castle can accommodate some walk-ups, but these are subject to on-site availability. When tickets are sold out online there will be no further walk-up tickets available.
Exploring the Castle
Although not a particularly large castle, it was one of our favourites to explore in Scotland, as it still has a medieval feel about it, at least compared to other castles that had been lived in or renovated more recently. Another pleasant aspect of touring the castle is that there are far fewer tourists allowed on the site at any given time compared to other castles we visited. In fact, we often found ourselves alone at certain times during our visit.
Due to its small size, you could quickly tour the castle and all of its rooms in 20 minutes or so, but you would be missing out on the experience. It’s fun to take your time and read the informative display boards that are placed throughout the castle, and imagine how life would have been like in these rooms back when they were inhabited, used for military purposes, or as a prison cell.
When visiting the castle, you can climb its towers and along its curtain walls for stunning views of the castle’s interior. Turn around and the views of the surrounding area and the Firth of Forth towards the Forth Rail Bridge are equally stunning.
The scenery from the castle jetty is quite impressive also, which is also equipped with a telescope for taking a closer look at Fife on the other side of the Forth.
Blackness Castle is also a great place to enjoy a picnic. Just outside the castle is a large green lawn with several picnic tables, making an idyllic spot to enjoy a snack with beautiful views of the castle.
Blackness Castle on the Silver Screen
You might find it interesting to know that Blackness Castle has appeared in several movies and TV series, particularly in recent years. Here are a few examples :
- Mary Queen of Scots (2018): starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie, Blackness Castle featured as the Palace of Holyroodhouse
- Outlaw King (2018): starring Chris Pine as King Robert the Bruce, Blackness Castle features as the Yorkshire castle where Bruce’s wife, Elizabeth, is imprisoned.
- Outlander (2014- ) This impressive fortress provides the setting for the Fort William headquarters of Black Jack Randall.
- Hamlet (1990): Starring Mel Gibson and Glen Close, several scenes set in Elsinore Castle of the movie were filmed here.
- Ivanhoe (1997) – Several scenes of the movie were filmed here, amongst other castles across Scotland.
- Doomsday (2008)- The castle interior was used for filming the medieval scenes in the movie.
Nearby Sights and Activities
Stirling Castle
Located in the nearby town of Stirling, this castle was honestly our favorite Castle to visit in Scotland. The large and imposing Stirling Castle is one of the most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots spent most of her life here, the castle changed hands between the British and the Scots many times, and William Wallace (the main character of Braveheart) played a key role in one of Scotland’s victories in reclaiming the castle. The guided tour of the castle was also one of the more interesting ones we experienced.
Stirling Castle is just a 30-minute drive from the Blackness Castle. For more information on visiting this castle, check out our Stirling Castle Visiting Guide.
Doune Castle
An imposing 14th-century courtyard castle in Doune, with a striking 100-foot high gatehouse and one of the best preserved great halls in Scotland. You are very likely to have seen Doune Castle in film or on TV, as it has been heavily featured in Month Python, was used as the Winterfell castle in the Game of Thrones pilot episode and has served as Castle Leoch in Outlander.
Recent research has shown that Doune Castle was originally built in the thirteenth century, then probably damaged in the Scottish Wars of Independence, before being rebuilt in its present form in the late 14th century.
Doune Castle is just a 40-minute drive from Blackness Castle (10 minutes past Stirling Castle from Blackness).
The Kelpies at Falkirk
Unveiled in 2014, standing just under 100 feet tall, and located within a community park known as The Helix, these giant horse sculptures quickly became a symbol of the town of Falkirk and the surrounding region. These beautiful sculptures are based on mythical water horse creatures known in Scotland as Kelpies and also pay homage to the Clydesdale workhorses that in the past would pull barges along the canal. Though many just make a quick stop at the Kelpies, there’s much to do here to keep you longer, including guided tours of the Kelpie interiors and beautiful walking trails along the canals.
The Kelpies are just a 25-minute drive from Edinburgh. For more information on visiting this attraction, check out our Kelpies Visiting Guide.
Highland Cows at Callander
A great spot to observe and take pictures of the famous Highland Cows (or the Hairy Coos as they are often referred to) is at the Trossachs Woollen Mill. This lovely gift shop is also home to three lovely hairy coos that you can visit and even feed if you would like! There’s also a small café on site.
The pictures shown above were taken from a farm along the side of the road, not far north from where the Trossachs Woollen Mill is located. However, since it wasn’t signposted or advertised, we haven’t been able to find the exact location on Google Maps unfortunately. If you are willing to drive up further north along the same road (A84) for 10-15 minutes (or if you are simply continuing along that road), you are likely to come across them.
The Wollen Mill is located a 50-minute drive northwest of Blackness Castle (10 minutes past Doune Castle from Blackness).
Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel was built as part of various projects to celebrate the millennium and was finalized in 2002. The Wheel is a great example of remarkable modern Scottish technical know-how and was designed to provide a link between two canals that are separated by 80 vertical feet: the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal. Historically these two canals were connected via a series of 11 locks, which were dismantled in the mid-20th century after falling into disuse.
At the visitor center, there is a cafe and a shop. here you can book a short canal boat journey up on the wheel and back. The Falkirk Wheel is just a 30-minute drive from Blackness Castle.
Dunmore Pinneaple
If you are looking for an extra stop to add to your roadtrip itinerary, this unique attraction might be for you. The eccentric pineapple-shaped structure, built by the Earl of Dunmore in 1761 as a summer home, is just a 30-minute drive from Blackness Castle.
Callendar House
Visit this French-renaissance-styled chateau located within the grounds of Callendar Park in Falkirk. The house lies on the line of the 2nd-century Antonine Wall, built by the Romans from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth. It now houses a public museum with permanent displays that tell the history of Callendar House and Falkirk District. During its 600-year history, Callendar House has hosted many prominent historical figures, including Mary, Queen of Scots, Oliver Cromwell, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Queen Victoria.
The Callendar House is just a 30-minute drive from Blackness Castle.
Preparing a trip to Edinburgh and the lowlands?
You might be interested in these pages:
Best Day Trips From Edinburgh
Best Things to See and Do in Edinburgh
Best Stops and Attractions Between Skye and Glasgow
Best Things to See and Do in St Andrews
7 of the Best Castles to Visit in Scotland
Preparing a trip to Scotland?
You might be interested in these Scotland pages:
10-Day Scotland Roadtrip Itinerary (Edinburgh and Highlands)
Scotland Driving Guide and Tips
7 of the Best Castles to Visit in Scotland
Best Things to See in the Scottish Highlands
Best Hikes to do in the Scottish Highlands
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Rick Steves Scotland
Lonely Planet Scotland’s Highlands
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Blackness Castle Visiting Guide and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to the beautiful Scottish Highlands.
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