Crathes Castle and Fyvie Castle: Day 20 – Scotland 2017

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25 April 2017

When we woke in the morning, it was to a winter wonderland. There’s nothing like seeing the city covered in snow to make you thankful for the warmth of a hotel room! We had a big day planned with three castles on the agenda. So, as usual, we woke early, packed quickly, and got on the road.

Crathes Castle

Our first stop of the day was Crathes Castle, a 16th-century castle that the Burnett family built and lived in for over 350 years. Many beautiful design features have survived throughout the centuries and are still intact today. We were lucky to, yet again, have the entire castle to ourselves. The weather had a lot to do with that since it had started to sleet when we arrived. Unfortunately, the castle doesn’t allow photographs inside, so I don’t have any of the interior to share. Our tour, however, was incredible. We hadn’t paid for a guided tour, but we ended up getting one!

Since we were the only people there, one of the gentlemen working there walked around with us and pointed out all sorts of interesting tidbits throughout the castle. He told us so many stories about the castle, the family, and the artifacts of their lives still inside the castle that I can’t remember many at all. I wish I’d have thought to record our visit because it was an incredible information dump. If you’re lucky enough to visit, I hope you go on a cold, sleet-filled day so you can have as informative and friendly a visit as we did!

After touring the castle, we headed out to the gardens. I love strolling through the gardens, even if the weather is miserable. We bundled up and headed out into the sleet to have a look around. The walled garden is gorgeous and is split into eight different areas, each themed. One of our main draws to the garden was the giant yew hedges. Billy was excited to see them! There are 4 acres of gardens at Crathes Castle, and they really shine in the summer months when everything is in full bloom. It’s still lovely in late April, but one of these days, I’d like to see a garden in its prime season.

After freezing outside, we made our way to the gift shop to warm up. We bought a few postcards, fleece jumpers, and surprise, surprise, another book. Lord, help me. I have no self-control. This book put the total count at 12. The book bag was starting to get heavy.

Castle Fraser

Talking about Castle Fraser bums me out, so I’ll keep this section to the point. This was one of those planning flubs where we thought we were good, but we weren’t. Castle Fraser, when we visited, was closed on Tuesdays. We arrived at its magnificent walls on a Tuesday. The castle was closed, which was disappointment number one. We drove around, took a few pictures from the car, and then drove on to our next destination.

A few days later, disappointment number two reared its ugly head. My aunt informed me that I am, indeed, descended from Clan Fraser. Castle Fraser was home to the Fraser family for 400-some-odd years. And we’d missed it. By the time we learned this, we were too far away to turn back without throwing off the rest of our trip. Not only was this castle high on our list to see because of all of its quirks, now we had a tangible tie to it. I am not sure if we are Clan Fraser of the Lowlands or Clan Fraser of Lovat in the Highlands, but we are Clan Fraser nonetheless. One of these days, I’ll figure out where our ties lie, and no matter what, I’ll make it back to Castle Fraser.

Fyvie Castle

Our third and final stop of the day was at Fyvie Castle, a fortress that has stood the test of time for over 800 years. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take photos inside, but we had a spectacular tour. The castle has a long and storied past, and to my delight, has ghost stories galore. Guests and workers have sighted at least 9 different ghosts, but the ghost that makes their presence known the most is that of the Green Lady.

Known as Lilias Drummond before death, her husband locked her away in the castle because she had not provided him a son and heir. Her family attempted to rescue her but ultimately failed. Instead, she was forced to watch as her family members were killed and torn limb from limb. Eventually, Lilias starved to death in ‘The Chartered Room,’ now called ‘The Murder Room.’ On the night that her husband remarried, ghostly screams and scratching were heard outside the marital bedroom window. The next morning, he found the name Lilias Drummond carved into the stone windowsill on the outer side of the window. This particular window is a few floors up, not accessible from the ground.

Other frequent ghost interactions include that of John Pollock, whose death mask is on display in the library. The castle is also privy to a legend, that of the weeping stones. To learn more spooky tales about Fyvie Castle, check out this page.

Indoors For The Night

We left Fyvie Castle and headed toward the town of Maud. We had dinner and watched the sleet continue to fall as it had done for most of the day. Our campsite was booked at Aden Caravan and Camping and we were lucky enough to upgrade to a pod. We snuggled in for the night and watched the sleet build up outside.
Cheers,
Lydia