Auchindoun Castle

🏰 Auchindoun Castle: A Story of Fire, Feuds, and Highland History 🔥

 

Fancy a trip to a truly dramatic Scottish ruin? The lonely walls of Auchindoun Castle near Dufftown tell a turbulent tale of ambition, betrayal, and deadly clan rivalry!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 A History Written in Blood and Stone 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Perched on a hill overlooking the River Fiddich, Auchindoun was built around 1480, possibly for Thomas Cochrane, a controversial favourite of King James III.

Notable Residents: The castle passed through several powerful hands, including the Clan Ogilvy, but it's the Clan Gordon that cemented its place in history.

A Dark Chapter: Sir Adam Gordon of Auchindoun earned the dark nickname "Scottish Herod" after his forces set fire to Corgarff Castle in 1571, killing all 27 occupants during a bitter feud with the Forbes clan (immortalised in the ballad "Edom o' Gordon").

English/Scottish Significance: The castle's prominence during the volatile 16th-century clan wars and its use as a temporary base by Viscount Dundee during the first Jacobite rising in 1689 highlights its role in the power struggles that defined relations between Scotland's noble houses and the Crown, impacting the wider British political landscape.

The Burning: In revenge for the murder of the "Bonnie Earl o' Moray," the castle was famously attacked and burned by the Clan Mackintosh in 1592, a dramatic event retold in the ballad "The Burning of Auchindoun." Though restored later, it eventually lay derelict by 1725.

Auchindoun is a powerful and atmospheric ruin—a true monument to Scotland's rugged past.

🗺️ Planning Your Visit

Location: Auchindoun Castle, near Dufftown, Moray (Postcode: AB55 4DR). It stands in a remote, spectacular setting off the A941.

Access & Parking: Access is on foot only. You can park in a small layby off the A941 (Dufftown to Rhynie road). From the layby, follow the rough track uphill for approximately a 10-15 minute walk to the castle. Be sure to wear good footwear as the path can be steep and muddy!

What to See: Explore the impressive remains of the L-plan tower house and the surrounding curtain wall. Look closely—the castle stands within the impressive earthworks of what may have been an older Iron Age fort!

🥃 Nearby Places of Interest

Dufftown: Known as the "Malt Whisky Capital of the World," a great spot for food, drink, and distillery tours (including Glenfiddich and Balvenie).

Balvenie Castle: Another impressive ruin managed by Historic Environment Scotland, located just a few miles away. Fun fact: stones from Auchindoun were allegedly used to repair Balvenie!

The Speyside Malt Whisky Trail: If you enjoy your spirits, you are right on the doorstep of one of the world's most famous whisky regions.

It's a fantastic stop for any motorhome tour, offering a genuine taste of Highland history and some truly breathtaking views!

For more of the Castles of Scotland series visit:

https://castlesinscotland.blogspot.com

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auchindoun_Castle

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