A complete guide to visiting Kelburn Castle and Country Centre, Scotland

Is Kelburn Castle in Scotland worth visiting? The graffiti castle of Scotland is a great attraction to add to your itinerary as a day trip. This post will provide insight on everything you want to know about Kelburn Castle and Country Park.  

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We have a thing for castles and offbeat attractions. One day we were flipping through an old Tamil magazine when suddenly we spotted a picture of graffiti castle. It read Kelburn Castle in Scotland. Living in Scotland, how can we even miss such a stunning castle?

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Intrigued by the castle, we started researching about the whereabouts. And the immediate weekend, we booked ourselves a weekend getaway to Largs. Largs is a lovely Scottish seaside town and only 2.3 miles away from Kelburn Castle, making a perfect base.  

Also Read: Top Things to do in Largs, Scotland

And as expected, it turned out to be one of the stunning castles in Scotland. In this post, we have curated a detailed guide that will help you explore the Kelburn Castle and Kelburn Country Park together.

Where is Kelburn Castle? 

Kelburn Castle is located within of Kelburn Country Park in a village called Fairlie, in the western Scotland. The castle and country park is 2.3 miles away from Largs, a beautiful seaside town. Kelburn Castle and country centre is located at the foot of Clydemuirsheil regional park, offering sweeping views of Clyde coast and Isle of Cumbrae. 

Also Read: 13 most magical castles you must visit in Scotland

How To Reach Kelburn Castle and Country Centre

Largs is the nearest town to Kelburn Castle and a perfect base to explore the surrounding region. Largs town centre to Kelburn Country Park is 2.6 miles and there are not convenient public transport that connect these two places. Ideal choice is to take a taxi. 

FROM EDINBURGH

Edinburgh is 79 miles away from Largs town. It takes a little over 1.5 hours to drive. Train from Edinburgh to Largs takes roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes with a changeover at Glasgow or Adrossan. There are 13 trains running everyday.

FROM GLASGOW

Glasgow is 34 miles from Largs, and takes 49 minutes to drive by car via A760. Trains from Glasgow Central Station takes 1.5 hours journey times. There are also frequent buses from Buchanan Bus Station to Largs town.

History of Kelburn Castle and it’s graffiti

This gorgeous graffiti castle in Scotland is a private residence and seat of Earl of Glasgow and head of clan Boyle since 12th century. The graffiti murals are the highlight of this castle.

The idea was born in the year of 2007 when the Boyle family was advised about the faded concrete walls and the potential damage they may create to the stonework.

The family invited 4 Brazilian artists to paint the exteriors of the castle with their art.  Soon after the bright murals painted on the walls, the castle attracted lot of visitors.

Kelburn Country Park

Kelburn Country Park covers a whopping 3500 acres of land. It’s fairytale woodland landscape is sprinkled with water streams, cascading waterfalls, secret forest, gardens and farmland.

The forest is garnered with shrubs, ferns, and some of the lovely trees you can find in Scotland. A walk in the woods, spotting wildlife

A visit to Kelburn Castle and Country Park will be a day packed with exciting activities, woodland walks, wildlife spotting and plenty of outdoor fun for children and adults. 

Things To Do Inside Kelburn Country Park

VISIT KELBURN CASTLE

Needless to say, visiting the castle is the topmost attraction in the Kelburn Country Park.  While the castle is still a private residence, some of the rooms are open for public. Tickets must be booked. Alternatively, you can visit the castle gardens.

KELBURN CASTLE SECRET FOREST

Secret Forest is one of the highlighted activities inside Kelburn Country Park. This trail of activities is aimed for children. Secret Forest trail is more like a treasure hunt, only without any clues or maps. With endless creativity and imagination, Children will discover winding pathways, giant houses, crocodile swamps and a lot more.  

GLENS AND GARDENS

Walk beneath the heritage 1000 year old Yews and 180 year old weeping larch, or amidst the unusual trees. There’s options to visit the Plaisance (walled garden), picnic or visit the gardens. Walk till the bottom of the glen to find a picturesque waterfall. 

KIDS PLAY AREA

There is an adventure park and kids play area right near the castle, made of wooden walkways, stepping stones, tunnels, swings and scramble net to test your balancing skills (suitable for ages 8 and above only).

There is a Wild West Salon – a wooded fort that contains a slide, sand pit to dig in, and a 20ft tower that can be climbed from inside by a series of ladders. There is also an Indoor Playbarn full of exciting maze of slides, creepy caves, a ball pool, a climbing wall and a castle. There is also a cafe inside. 

TRAILS AND WALKS

Walking beneath the canopy of some of the stunning trees is sure one of the best ways to enjoy outdoors. When it comes to walking trails in Kelburn Country Park, the options are endless.  You  can choose from – History Trail, Sculpture Trail, Middle Glen Walk, Long Glen Walk, Countess Walk & Upper Estate Road, and Viewpoint Walk. 

GLAMPING AND CAMPING IN KELBURN COUNTRY PARK

As you can see, there are plenty of interesting things to do inside Kelburn Country Park. And it is impossible to do everything in a day! How about glamping in the yurt in the middle of the woodlands.  There are six yurts (sleeps 4 or 6 people) with a wooden burning stove to keep you cosy. It is  a perfect romantic weekend to snuggle in the yurt surrounded by serene woods.

Alternatively, you can choose to do camping in Kelburn country Park. Pitches are available for tents, camper vans, and motor homes. If you are interested in booking, visit Kelburn Estate Website for additional information on price and availability. 

EVENTS IN KELBURN COUNTRY PARK

Apart from these interesting things to do in Kelburn Country Park, there are are other events that happen during the peak tourist seasons (between April – September).  These include laser tag, activities for children including Easter egg hunt, story telling, duck race & treetop adventures.

Since the castle is occupied, the castle tours are run only during Aug & Sep. During winter, the entry fee is reduced since it only allows entry to the castle grounds, woodland walks & horse riding only. 

Where to stay

If you are interested in visiting Kelburn Castle and Kelburn Country Park along with other nearby attractions, the best place to stay is the nearest town – Largs. Largs is a beautiful coastal town and can be a base for exploring Firth of Clyde and North Ayrshire. 

Brisbane House Hotel, The Woodhouse Hotel and Willowbank Hotel are good choices and located in the centre of the town, offering nice views of Clyde coast. 

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Have you seen any such unique castles in your travels?  Would you add Kelburn Castle to your must-see list? 

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