UK 2013 part 10 - Scotland Castles

We have decided to visit 3 Castles while in Scotland.

After doing much search of many good and bad websites, I found that www.visitscotland.com actually has a list of Castles to visit and links to their websites.


Anyway, the first one will be:


  Edinburgh Castle

Why? Because it makes more sense, since we will be driving up from the Lake District.
Edinburgh Castle is open all year. In the summer months from 9:30 to 6.
The cost is £ 16 per person.

At 1pm (every day but Sundays and Black Friday) they fire a gun as a time signal to shipping in the Firth of Forth.

We tried visiting it last time we were there, but the lines were humongous, thanks to my inability of getting anything done on time. Has we been there at the time I had established - bright and early in the morning - things would have probably gone fine.
But, hey, we can avoid the lines by purchasing your ticket on line:
http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/
They also offer a print out of a Castle Visit Itinerary.  I've just printed it.
At the Castle they offer complimentary guided tours - but I am afraid I won't understand a word they say!!!!


Haunting
There is a story about ghost appearances because the city was built over the old city after the plague, entombing bodies and half-deads.
http://www.haunted-castles-and-hotels.com/Scotland/edinburgh.htm


When we leave the Castle we will walk down the Royal Mile

The Royal Mile goes from the Entrance of the Castle to the gates of Holyrood Palace. We will walk past St. Giles Cathedral one more time. And possibly check where John Knos is burried one more time - Parking spot 23.

Near the Castle, in the Roayl Mile is this nice restaurant called Ensign Ewart - where we ate before. We might eat there again.  http://www.ensignewart.demon.co.uk/ensign/

We might visit John Knox House as well.
http://www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk/john_knox_house/scottish_storytelling_jkhouse.asp
it costs £4.25 per person and they open from 10 to 6 M-Sat or 12 - 6 on July and Aug Sundays.

Parking - the website http://www.ncp.co.uk/ helped me find parking places for us.
this is the one we chose:

Morrison Crescent, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

It's the farthest one from the castle - a 25 minute walk - but it costs only  £4.80  to £ 12.50 to park there. Since I guess we will spend no more than 6 hours there we might pay around £8.40

After we leave this place we will do that Fife Coastal route then head to our B&B.
This will be a 307 mile day..... Here's the snapshot of the map:

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The next castle day will include two Castles

The first one will be ...

Castle Fraser

http://www.secret-scotland.com/Attractions/castle-fraser.html

Some quick info:
Castle Fraser is one of the grandest of the Scottish baronial tower houses.
Begun in 1575, the present castle contains an evocative Great Hall, fine furniture and many Fraser family portraits.
Castle Fraser is reminiscent of a French chateau filled with family treasures, furniture and interesting family portraits.

Dean wants to go there bc there are Frasers in his family.

The website for Castle Fraser stinks
http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/Castle-Fraser-Garden-Estate/#

Most of my info was obtained with the first website I posted.

Hours are:
Jul - Aug, daily 11 am – 5 pm
On the other months it is not open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday!

Last admission: 4:15! DON'T MESS WTH THAT TIME. Last time we got there at 4:20. and they made me cry.
Cost: £ 9.5 per person

Parking: £2.00

Haunting
Yes, Castle Fraser is haunted by a visiting princess who was murdered while asleep in the Green Room. She was dragged down the stone stairs.The blood was could not be cleaned, so it was covered with wood paneling. But she still roams the castle at night when a piano can be heard.
http://www.britainirelandcastles.com/Scotland/Aberdeenshire/Castle-Fraser.html

From there we will head to...

Glamis Castle

http://www.glamis-castle.co.uk/

Quick info:

The present owner is Michael, 18th Earl of Strathmore & Kinghorne.
The castle is famed as being the childhood home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother , birthplace of HRH The Princess Margaret and the setting for Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.


This will be our last of the three castles. It's the one I have wanted to see most of all. Last trip, we gave up on Glamsi to make to Fraser, and you see how well that worked out.

Haunting
The Glamis Castle has a a lot of haunting stories.
There one of the Baby Monster who was walled up inside the castle.
Another one is the story that to every generation there is a baby vampire who must be walked up inside a room.
There is the story of the servant vampire who was found sucking the blood of a victim.
There is Lady Janet Glamis, the Grey lady, who was hated by her nephew, King James V and condemed to be murdered in the stake. Her ghost still roams the castle.
There is the story fo the Earl Beardie, who played cards with a dark stranger on the Sabbath, after claiming, just minutes before the sabbath started at midnight, that he'd play with the Devil himself. Well, the Dark stranger took his soul and now he is condemned to play cards till dooms day.
http://www.britainirelandcastles.com/Scotland/Angus/Glamis-Castle.html
http://www.haunted-castles-and-hotels.com/Scotland/glamis.htm


Parking: free http://carparkmaps.co.uk/carparks/view/6610

Then Back to our B&B. This will be a 240mile day.