10 Most Haunted Castles In Scotland You Can Easily Visit!

As a Scottish storyteller, I know better than most that there are no shortage of haunted castles in Scotland you can visit. It would be a difficult task to find a castle that doesn’t have at least one ghost! Whether they lie in ruins or are still lived in to this day, some ancient sites have more spirits, spectres and bogles than others.

Plenty of people like to avoid spooky locations, either through fear or common sense. However, if you like to go ghost hunting, then this is for you. With Halloween approaching, it’s time to look into some of the most haunted castles in Scotland.

Most of these places are easiest reached by car. Here’s the best place to find car hire in Scotland and if you’re nervous about driving here, this article might help you!

Duntulm Castle – Isle of Skye

Almost at the very tip of the Isle of Skye, the ruins of Duntulm Castle make for one of the Trotternish Peninsulas most historic spots! Once the main base of Clan MacDonald, it’s often said to be one of the most haunted castles in Scotland.

Hugh MacDonald tried and failed to seize control of the clan from his cousin, being subsequently imprisoned in a dungeon at Duntulm Castle. To speed up his death, Hugh was given only salted beef to eat without anything to drank. You might hear his rasping groans still echoing among the ruins.

Next, Margaret MacLeod has been seen weeping from her single eye around Duntulm. It was her mistreatment at the hands of the MacDonalds that started the War of the One Eyed Woman. Clearly her spirit is drawn back to the most miserable year of her life.

Donald Gorm the 8th Chief is a much happier, although more aggressive ghost. Donald was a famous warrior who liked to pick fights for fun with his own clansmen. He stomps around Duntulm Castle in a drunken manner trying to brawl with other spirits!

Glamis Castle – Angus

Another contender for the single most haunted Scottish castle, Glamis Castle is in a very different state. Even though it looks pristine, you can barely move inside without uncovering a ghost story. I’ve visited plenty of times and there’s no doubt it’s picked up some spooky spectres over the last 650 years.

There’s the little servant boy who likes to sit on a ledge and trip up those who pass by. His mischievous nature was what got him in this mess, sent to that naughty step one day and freezing there overnight!

In the chapel, the Grey lady sits quietly in the corner, not bothering anybody who doesn’t accidentally sit on her lap. She’s thought to be Janet Douglas, the lady of Glamis who was executed outside Edinburgh Castle in 1537.

Another ghostly lady roams the grounds, pleading for help and pointing to her mouth. The only problem is that she’s missing a tongue, with just blood spilling from her wound. We don’t know who she is, but I know I don’t want to bump into her!

My favourite of Glamis Castle’s ghost stories that is of Earl Beardie, a man who loved drinking and gambling, even on a Sunday. As the clock ticked past midnight one Saturday night, everybody else disappeared to bed. Beardie roared that he’d happily play on a Sunday, he’d play with the Devil, in fact he would play until doomsday itself!

That’s when a tall, dark stranger arrived to grant his wish. It was the Devil and the little room they were in had been blocked up. He was now trapped inside playing cards for eternity.

Listen carefully in the vaulted lower hall and you can still hear the sound of shuffling cards…

Inveraray Castle – Argyll

This version of Inveraray Castle, home to the Duke of Argyll, is barely 250 years old but one of its ghosts is even older. In 1644, the Marquis of Montrose, commander of Scotland’s royalist forces, attacked the old castle of Inveraray, forcing Argyll to flee his home. Most of the servants were simply left behind to fend for themselves and that included a young Irish harpist.

Unfortunately, Montrose’s army had a large Irish contingent and they were furious that one of their own worked for Argyll. With their blood up, they didn’t just murder the lad. They left his dismembered body on the bed. Once the Campbells returned to Inveraray, it was clear they weren’t alone with faint harp music coming from the room that the boy was killed in.

Many years later, that bed was moved to the present Inveraray Castle, into what’s known as the MacArthur Room. If the Campbells thought that escaping the old castle would remove the memory of what had happened, they were wrong. It seems that the harpist has followed the bed.

A strong feeling of dread fills the space and furniture has apparently been known to move around of its own accord. The ghost isn’t violent or aggressive in any way, but it has become a portent of death for the Campbells along with a phantom galley ship that sails along Loch Fyne.

When a member of the family is about to pass away, harp music can still be heard floating along the corridors of Inveraray Castle.

Gight Castle – Aberdeenshire

Not all spooky Scottish castles are tourist attractions and Gight Castle in Aberdeenshire is well off the beaten path! It’s a it of a walk along the Ythan River and then a clamber to get inside, but if you want to feel creeped out, then this is the place.

I found Gight Castle so fascinating that I actually dedicated an entire article to its three mysterious legends!

When a small army arrived on his doorstep in the 1600s, the 7th Laird of Gight hid his wealth at the bottom of a deep pool in the river. When the coast was clear, he sent his servant diving in to retrieve the stash. Suddenly, the man burst back to the surface in a panic, screaming that the Devil himself was down there guarding the horde!

The Laird wasn’t somebody to be refused, he was almost as terrifying as Auld Nick himself. Forcing his servant back down into the depths he told him to stop being so ridiculous! As the seconds passed, even the Laird began to get a little concerned, before the diver finally appeared again.

He had floated to the surface in four separate pieces.

You won’t be surprised to hear that his ghost is supposed to still wander the grounds. Maybe that’s what was spooking Molly when we clambered around inside Gight Castle one day. When your usually carefree dog refuses to go past a doorway with a whimper, that’s your warning to get out. Get out fast!

Fyvie Castle – Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire is blessed, although that might be the wrong word, with plenty of haunted castles. The elegant Fyvie castle has so many resident spirits, it’s another that vies for the title of most haunted castle in Scotland.

Built in the 13th century, Fyvie is said to have been cursed by legendary prophet, Thomas the Rhymer after the castle gates slammed shut in his face. That curse has given the castle a rocky history, collecting ghosts along the way.

The Green Lady was Lilias Drummond when alive, married to the cruel Alexander Seton. All he wanted was an heir to pass his wealth onto, losing patience after Lilias gave birth to several daughters but no sons.

Alexander locked Lilias away in Fyvie while he looked for a new, younger wife. Her family attempted a rescue, but were cut down and thrown from the ramparts before her eyes. Poor Lilias soon died in that room and her husband wasted no time in replacing her.

After his wedding, instead of the happy couple consummating their marriage, they were kept awake all night by a strange scratching and wailing from outside the walls. It seems as if poor Lilias repaid her husband by wasting no time in haunting Fyvie Castle!

In the morning, on the window ledge outside, the name D (for Dame) LILIES DRUMMOND was found etched into the stone. It’s still there for Fyvie’s visitors to see out the window and so is Lilias, her presence only given away by the faint scent of rose petal perfume.

Crathes Castle – Aberdeenshire

The 16th century Crathes Castle, once home to the Burnetts of Leys, is one of my favourite castles since I worked here while studying in Aberdeen. It also has its share of ghostly figures including the Green Lady, spotted by Queen Victoria herself. Appearing as a woman carrying a baby or green orb, she travels across the room and into the fireplace.

Allegedly, she was a servant girl who became pregnant by an unknown father, mysteriously disappearing after giving birth. Whatever the truth behind the legend is, during renovations, the bones of a young child were discovered beneath the hearth in the haunted room.

When working as a guide at Crathes Castle, an Australian tourist visited on a quiet day. Just as she set foot on the staircase before the Green Lady’s room, she heard a clear voice in her ear. “Don’t go in the next room. Don’t go in. Get out, now.” She raced outside at top speed and refused to finish the tour!

Before the present castle, the Burnett family lived on an artificial island in the middle of a nearby loch. That was where the young Alexander Burnett was preparing to marry his beloved Bertha, but unfortunately, his mother Lady Agnes didn’t approve.

When Alexander had to leave overnight, Agnes saw her chance, poisoning Bertha during dinner. Alexander strongly suspected his mother was involved, but didn’t know how to prove it. On the wedding day, Bertha’s parents arrived to find their daughter in a shroud. As they approached the Burnetts, a look of terror came over Agnes who cried, “She comes!” before dropping dead at their feet.

It’s said that every year on the anniversary of Bertha’s death, the White Lady walks between the old island and the newer Crathes Castle.

Huntly Castle – Aberdeenshire

Huntly Castle was one of the most impressive homes in the country and it makes the list of most haunted places in Scotland due to a peculiar incident in the 16th century. The ghost story is straight from a book by Richard Bannatyne, written right after the event happened.

In 1578, the 5th Earl of Huntly suddenly collapsed during a game of football in the grounds of Huntly Castle. He was carried inside, vomiting black blood but didn’t survive for long. As his corpse was left in his chamber before burial, events took a supernatural turn.

Everybody started complaining of an icy chill in the rooms near the Earl’s body. One of the mourners was shivering in front of the fire, before mysteriously dropping down as if dead. Two more entered the Earl’s room and collapsed in the same way. When they woke up, all they remembered was a cold, dark feeling before they passed out.

The body was removed from the bedroom and transported to the chapel in preparation for burial. Just imagine the surprise of Huntly’s brother when he heard shuffling and scraping in the Earl’s locked bedroom above.

The group plucked up the courage to investigate and peered into the dark room. It’s empty. Now it’s getting dark, but the Earl’s brother slowly walks in and the noises start again, all around him. He beats a hasty retreat but returns armed with plenty of candles for one last look.

Before he could even step foot in the room, the candles start flickering at the doorway. The shuffling noises are louder than ever now. Whatever was hiding in the Earl’s bedroom clearly didn’t want disturbed and that was all the warning they needed to leave it alone!

Kellie Castle – Fife

Kellie Castle doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves, hidden away in a corner of Fife. The oldest tower dates to the 14th century and I was lucky enough to work here after leaving university!

Despite its beauty and history, the castle was eventually abandoned. The decorated ceilings were left to the owls and the great hall used by farmers to store their grain. Fortunately, Kellie Castle was given a second chance in the 19th century by the Lorimer family.

Professor James Lorimer fell in love with the romantic ruin and set about restoring it as the family summer home. What he hadn’t done, was check the place for ghosts first!

After working in Kellie Castle, I can testify that this is without a doubt one of the most haunted locations in Fife. When sitting alone in the ground floor shop waiting on a band for an evening event I was cowering from the, bumps, creaks and footsteps upstairs. That ties in with a housekeeper who clearly heard pacing above the Great Hall before the castle opened one day.

When Kellie was still a private home, a guest of the Lorimers fled the castle in the night. She awoke to find the heavy presence of a body lying next to her but nobody to be seen. No matter how much they pleaded, she would never stay again.

The only ghost that we can name is Anne Erskine. She either fell or was pushed from a high window in the oldest tower. Her ghost, or sometimes just a pair of shoes, has been spotted running up and down the staircase.

Kellie Castle might feel like a home, but I’m not sure I would be brave enough to live in it.

Edzell Castle – Angus

Edzell Castle is a much quieter place than it should really be. Along with the beautiful red sandstone and interesting history, it has a beautiful ornate garden and of course, a terrifying ghost.

Lady Katherine of Edzell had been unwell for a while when she was laid to rest in the nearby burial aisle along with all of her jewellery. Some grave robbers wasted no time, deciding to break in the very same night. They struggled to get her golden rings off but since she was already dead, just took a knife to Katherine’s finger. To their horror, the corpse sat bolt upright and let out a high pitched scream!

A very confused but definitely alive Katherine stumbled from the burial aisle to Edzell Castle, in the depths of winter after losing a lot of blood. It was the castle guards turn to be terrified when a lady dressed in white and covered in blood appeared in the dead of night. Instead of letting their mistress inside the gates, the guards legged it indoors.

Poor Katherine died outside the walls and it seems her spirit is still there, trying to get to safety.

Bothwell Castle – Glasgow

Bothwell Castle, just outside Glasgow, has been described as the grandest piece of secular architecture from medieval Scotland. It’s also one of the only haunted castles in Scotland I know that has a specifically Halloween-themed story.

One of the inhabitants of Bothwell was a beautiful girl known as Bonnie Jane. She didn’t want to marry for the good of the family because Jane was already in love. Her ideal man was just a lowly commoner from across the river in Blantyre.

With the help of a friendly monk, a plan was hatched. Jane was to sneak out of the castle the night she saw a lamp shining across the river. The monk would handle everything else.

When the agreed night came, Jane tiptoed her way out of the castle to find the monk on his own. This wasn’t what she was expecting but the monk reassured her that her love was waiting down by the Clyde to ride away with her.

As they reached the riverbank, a barge appeared and the monk revealed his secret agenda. With an evil laugh, he declared that he would have Bonnie Jane all for himself! He bundled her into the vessel and ordered the boatman to take them across to Blantyre Priory.

It was like the River Clyde and the heavens themselves became angry. Rain lashed down and the water got choppier. The boatman shouted that they were too heavy and if they didn’t lighten then load now then it would be too late.

The monk cared for himself more than anything so he shoved Jane over the side to drown in the river. Suddenly, the boatman revealed himself as none other than the Devil. Grabbing the monk, he delivered some swift justice by dragging him into the River Clyde and a watery grave. Immediately, the rain stopped and the water was calm.

Bonnie Jane is now doomed to spend the rest of time trapped inside those castle walls. Every Halloween she appears at the tower, gazing out across the Clyde, thinking about what could have been.

If you want to learn more stories behind Scottish Castles then pick up a copy of the Scotland’s Stories Book here!

If you’d rather go and visit them for yourself then check out the Scotland’s Stories Bespoke Driving Tours!