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The castle was built in the clan wars’ tumultuous days and was the scene of siege and burning in the 1600s. Part of the stunning baronial castle is open for the public and offers a blend of history, art, and beautiful gardens and woodlands to explore.
Visiting Ballindalloch Castle
Parking
Parking is free, and there is a tarmac driveway from the main road about 100 metres (328.08 feet) from the castle. The parking area can accommodate up to fifty vehicles.
Parking is on grass (unless the ground is excessively wet--then you need to park on the hard standing).
Price
- Adult: £6.00
- Child (6-16): £3.00
- Child (under 5): Free
- Senior Citizens: £6.00
- Family (2 adults + up to 3 children): £14.00
- Season Ticket: £15.00*
* (Children Free on G.O. Season Ticket)
Opening
The Macpherson-Grants annually open up part of the castle and the beautiful gardens to the public from Easter to the end of September.
10.00am – 5.00pm (last admission: 4.00)
Sunday – Thursday (Closed Friday and Saturday)Please note: Prices and opening times are subject to change for the 2021 season. Click here for details and updates.
The Ballindalloch Castle stands on the low lying land of the east bank of River Avon in Speyside. The extended tower house has had a colourful history from the 16th century, where Scottish clans battled for supremacy. Descendents of the once-powerful Grant clan still occupy this iconic abode.
Location and Address
Ballindalloch Highland Estate
Ballindalloch
Banffshire
Scotland
AB37 9AX
Tel : 01807 500 205
You may find Ballindalloch Castle just off the A95, between Grantown-on-Spey and Aberlour. You may follow the tarred driveway from the main road to the car park 100 metres (328.08 feet) or so from the castle. The footpath to the castle is flat and has a graveled surface for wheelchair access.
Facilities
The castle is home to a fascinating array of historical Highland exhibits and various activities to suit both children and adults, particularly whiskey lovers. These facilities include:
- Formal gardens
- Woodlands
- Riverside walks
- Children’s playground, Shetland ponies, and donkeys to pet and pedal go-karts
- Grass labyrinth
- Picnic area
- dedicated Dog Walking Area and dog-friendly walks
- Tearoom
- Gift shop
- Ballindalloch Single Malt distillery (by appt)
- Ballindalloch Estate also offers six miles of challenging fly fishing on the River Avon.
Ballindalloch Castle And Gardens: Map: Download
Ballindalloch Castle Grounds: Map: Download
Know Before You Go
- The Ballindalloch Estate offers several traditional stone buildings that provide modern comforts in the tastefully restored interiors. It also offers both self-catering and fully catered packages for both corporate clients and holidaymakers alike.
- Ballindalloch Estate is also home to the jet black and hornless Aberdeen Angus cattle, who are the oldest surviving bloodline of Aberdeen Angus in the world, started by Sir George Macpherson-Grant in 1860.
- Guests staying in the historical cottages may take part in world-renown fly fishing on the River Avon and Spey, as well as pheasant and grouse shooting and Roe stalking.
- One of their beautifully restored cottages called Pitchroy Lodge was once the home of William Earle Johns, the creator of the much loved Biggles character written in this very lodge.
- Although dogs aren’t allowed on the grounds proper, there is a lovely 2-acre (8093.71-sqm) grass field next to the car park where you may freely walk your dogs.
History of Ballindalloch Castle
Ballindalloch Castle is a Scottish baronial castle in Banffshire, owned by the MacPherson- Grants since 1546 when they built the Z plan castle’s first tower. The castle served a dual purpose of fortress and family home, and the rivers Spey and Avon formed a natural moat for protection.
Time Line
-1498 (The Lands)
King James IV granted the lands of Ballindalloch to John Grant of Freuchie for faithful service.
-1539 (Ownership Decided)
John Grant and his family agreed that his son, Patrick Grant, will be the owner of Ballindoch.
-1546 (Original Build)
The lintel of Ballindoch castle bore the date of 1546, showing that John Grant built the castle soon after he became the first Laird of Ballindalloch. Grant built a central hall block with two vaulted cellars with a round tower at each corner of the diagonal in a traditional ‘Z’ plan.
-1590 (Bloody Battle)
In a bitter feud between the Grants and the Earls of Moray and Huntley, the Earl of Huntly besieged and captured Ballindalloch Castle. The castle was laid waste by Huntley’s order in 1592.
-1594 (Battle)
The Grants fought the Earl of Huntly at the Battle of Glenlivet, and the damages in the fight may have prompted the 1602 rebuilding of the castle.
-1602 (Additions)
Grant built a third tower midway along the hall sides, with the main staircase accessing all floors. Historians speculate that they added a courtyard at this time, but no trace of the walls survives. They also presume that a residential wing addition to the western end of the castle with a second stair occurred.
-1645 (Put to Flames)
The Royalist Montrose burned the Ballindalloch Castle to avenge the Grants’ support of the Covenant.
-1650 (English Forces)
Historians speculate English forces garrisoned the castle after 1650. With King Charles II’s Restoration, the highlands’ pacification created a permanent force, including the Grants, to watch over Badenoch and Strathspey territories.
-1682 (Financial Ruin)
The Ballindalloch Estate was in financial disrepair, and the new Laird must settle the debts to inherit the land and castle, which prompted John Grant to support the Jacobites in 1689.
-1690 (Castle Forfeited)
The chief of Grant occupied Ballindalloch against him and was forfeited soon after.
-1711 (Castle Changes Hands)
Ballindalloch passed to William Grant of Rothiemurchus, who solved the debt and most likely added the second wing to the castle.
-1806 (Castle Is Inherited)
The castle passed on to a grand-nephew, George Macpherson, who adopted the name MacPherson grant. His grandson carried out the castle’s extensive renovations in 1853-1878, some of which the owners demolished in the 20th century.
-1848-1853 (Baronial Additions)
The architect Thomas Mackenzie modernised the castle and added whimsical baronial elements without sacrificing the integrity of the original structure. Owners added a second residential wing on the Eastern side, making the mansion a U shape.
-Present
The castle remains the MacPherson-Grants’ property. They allow the public to access some rooms, and the rest form the MacPherson-Grant residence.
Images of Ballindalloch Castle
Images Supplied and licensed from Shutterstock Standard Licence Package
Ballindalloch Castle Q&A
What Kind of Castle Is Ballindalloch?
Ballindalloch is a classic Scottish baronial castle characterised by elaborate rooflines and conical roofs and tourelles. This castle style often has battlements with machicolations and usually follows an asymmetrical building plan. Machicolations are special gaps in the floor of battlements that allow the occupants to drop stones or boiling oil or sewage on the unwanted visitors below.
Why Was Ballindalloch Castle Not Built on a Hill?
Many have speculated why the Grants built the castle on low-lying land rather than a more strategic position on a nearby hill. Legend tells that John Grant initially laid the foundations on a nearby hillside but was plagued by a strange nightly activity.
Each morning the builders found their work had fallen from the previous day, and they had to begin from scratch. John then heard a supernatural voice telling him to “build in the cow-haughs'' or cow pasture, so he changed the Ballindalloch Castle site to the lower-lying grounds nearby.
Is Ballindalloch Castle Haunted?
Ballindalloch is the site of paranormal visitations, according to visitors and the MacPherson-Grants. The first ghost, which the MacPhersons-Grants claim is their guardian angel, is a beautiful woman in a crinoline dress who manifests occasionally in the Pink Tower. Her manner is kind, and the MacPhersons say that she is there to protect the family.
Some say General James Grant rides his white steed through the estate at night, where his final resting place lies nearby. Legend tells that his ghost also walks the castle’s halls, and the castle’s occupants have often seen him descending to the wine cellar, which once held a dungeon for the Grant clan’s enemies.
There is also a lovelorn ghost that some say crosses the old Bridge of Avon to post her letters to her unrequited love. Some have sighted a woman dressed in green in the dining room area whose origins are a mystery to the MacPherson family.
Location of Ballindalloch Castle
Ballindalloch
Banffshire
Scotland
AB37 9AX