We visited on a beautiful day in September, which proves that, yes, the sun does shine in Scotland.
According to Wikipedia, the oldest parts of the castle date to the 13th century, and it was abandoned by the end of the 17th century and turned over to the Scottish government in 1923.
The keep and house have a tortured history, having undergone many renovations, expansions and dismantlings. That’s what time and war will do.
The views from the castle to the Northeast are of village houses in the near distance and the blue waters of the Firth of Forth with Fife beyond. I’m sure on a gray day you wouldn’t see very far at all.
Of particular note was the two level great hall. The dais, which is about four feet higher than the main floor, would be where the laird and his lady dined and presided over clan and local affairs. The remnants of chimneys existed at each end of the space.
The gardens are particularly lovely on a sunny day. I was drawn to the beautiful border plantings and with good reason. Unbeknownst to us during our visit, the north gardens are in the Guinness Book of Word Records for having the longest herbaceous (perennial) garden in the world at around 700 feet.
Also in the north gardens is a grand Summer House. Wouldn’t a table and chairs be nice for some wine and cheese? Or maybe afternoon tea? Mmmm...scones.
There is even a bowling lawn and a small formal garden.
My favorite part of the grounds is the Dovecot, pronounced “Doocot.” There is a description below that explains it better than I could. It’s fascinating how useful this structure was for medieval folk. My DH thinks it would make an awesome wine cellar!
If you ever get the chance to stop by Dirleton Castle, I highly recommend it. For more information:
