Crathes Castle Estate
Nature Reserves, Country Parks & Beaches · Aberdeen, Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Also museums & science centres
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Closed — opens tomorrow at 10am
🌳 OutdoorCastleGardens🌲 WoodlandAdventure playEducationalSeasonal openingMemberships available
What’s there
- Café on site
- Paid parking
- Baby changing
- Buggy friendly
- Picnic area
- Dogs welcome
Access & inclusion
- Step-free access
£5 per car, free for NTS members. Disabled car park adjacent to the courtyard café; disabled parking at the castle by arrangement (ask at ticket office). Coach parking available.
Only facilities we’ve confirmed are listed — anything missing here we simply haven’t checked, rather than know to be absent.
Crathes Castle is a magnificent 16th-century tower house set in glorious gardens and designed landscape near Banchory in Aberdeenshire. Managed by the National Trust for Scotland, this classic Scottish castle offers a fantastic day out for all the family. Explore the historic castle rooms with their intricate painted ceilings, oak panels and family portraits. Wander through the world-famous walled garden with its iconic sculpted yew hedges planted as early as 1702. Let the kids burn off energy at Wild Wood Adventure Play, enjoy refreshments at Cafe 1702, and explore six waymarked nature trails through the estate where you may spot roe deer, red squirrels, woodpeckers and herons.
Castle, shop, Cafe 1702 and garden open 1 Apr-31 Oct only. Wild Wood Adventure Play open 1 Jul-31 Aug only (weather dependent). Grounds open all year, dawn-dusk. Some estate trails closed due to storm damage (Aug 2026).
Stuff to take with you
The things people wish they’d packed for a day out like this one.
- Wellies
- Refillable water bottleMost places will fill it for free.
- Snacks that survive a rucksackCheaper than the café, and buys you twenty minutes.
- Wet wipes
- Rucksack
- Hand sanitiser
- A penForms, competitions, name badges.
- Binoculars
- Spare carrier bagFor the wet things. There are always wet things.
- Sunglasses
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