Explore 5 Compact Castles On The Clackmannanshire Tower Trail
If there’s one area of Scotland that’s too often overlooked, it’s the wee county of Clackmannanshire. Wedged between Stirling, Fife and Perthshire, it’s Scotland’s smallest region, but it has one big highlight. If you like castles, then the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail might be right up your street!
Aberdeenshire might be known as “castle country” and Argyll have dramatic, rocky fortresses but those are all spread out. In the Wee County of Clacks, you’re never very far away from anything. You can easily visit all five compact castles of the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail in just one day or even an afternoon if you pick up the pace!
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Where Is Clackmannanshire?
Clackmannanshire is a small pocket bound by the River Forth to the south and the Ochil Hills to the north. For many people visiting the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail, it would be easy to drive straight through without realising it!
It’s incredibly accessible, just a short detour off the M9 or M90 motorway and with Stirling just a stone’s throw away. If you’re driving, it’ll take you around an hour from either Edinburgh or Glasgow. For public transport, the only train station in Clackmannanshire is Alloa but there are good bus routes.
Castle Campbell
The first stop on the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail is easily the most dramatic, found just outside the town of Dollar. Castle Campbell is perched on a clifftop high above the Burn of Care and the Burn of Sorrow. The emotive names continue when you discover that this tower was once known as Castle Gloom! Don’t worry, that’s an old word for gorge not because of some horrible tragedy!
However, there is a story surrounding a pool of water in the hills behind the castle known as the Maiden’s Well. It was said to be haunted by a Pictish Princess and any man who set eyes on her would be captivated. Edwin MacCallum, who lived in the castle, tried to summon the ghost and take her for himself one night.
Instead, he was dragged down into the water and never seen again. That’s one of my favourite tales and you can find the full version in the Scotland’s Stories book!
This Clackmannanshire Tower had its name changed in 1489, shortly after the Campbells took it over. The Earl of Argyll needed somewhere closer to the Scotland’s royal centre at Stirling and this fitted the bill. Castle Campbell was expanded into a lavish home, entertaining Kings and Queens until it was abandoned for a more comfortable home in the 1660s.
Today, it’s run by Historic Scotland and open to visitors throughout the summer months. While there’s a car park close to Castle Campbell, the walk up through Dollar Glen is well worth it at any time of the year. The views of the castle from across the gorge are far better than what you’ll see up close!
Menstrie Castle
Just ten minutes along the main road you’ll find the most peculiar member of the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail. Menstrie Castle is the closest tower to Stirling and you’ll no doubt be able to spy the Wallace Monument looming in the distance as you approach. The surprising part is that Menstrie Castle is right in the middle of a housing estate!
It was built in the middle of the 1500s and was home to the Alexander family. William Alexander, who would become the 1st Earl of Stirling, was born here and he went on to have a remarkable life. As a close confidant of King James VI, he rose through the ranks of nobility, even being granted the land of Nova Scotia!
Unfortunately, he would abandon his Clackmannanshire tower for a comfortable house next door to Stirling Castle. Menstrie was passed from family to family, steadily deteriorating until it looked fit for demolishment by the 1900s. Fortunately, a campaign was launched and the castle was instead restored and converted into homes!
You can actually stay in one of those homes with Menstrie Castle Stay! Beautifully renovated to a high standard and run by the nicest people, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.
Sauchie Tower
If there’s one castle on the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail that routinely gets ignored, it’s Sauchie Tower. You’ll find it quietly soaring over the road, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Granted, it’s not the prettiest castle in Scotland nor is it in the best condition, but there’s still a story there.
It was built by the Schaws in the 1420s after gaining the land through marriage. Several generations served as members of the royal household in Stirling so these were important people. They were appointed in positions such as Comptroller, Governor and even Master of the King’s Wine Cellar!
The most notable resident of Sauchie Tower is probably Sir James Schaw. He was caught up in the rebellion against the unpopular King James III while governor of Stirling Castle. Conspirators were gathering behind the young Prince and so James arrived at Stirling to take control of his son. James Schaw refused to open the gate and before long the King was killed at the Battle of Sauchieburn.
What you see today at Sauchie Tower is just the oldest part of the castle. At one point there would have been a large complex of buildings set around a courtyard, now long demolished. A community group was set up to save this crumbing Clackmannanshire Tower but it is still only accessible on certain Doors Open Days.
Alloa Tower
Alloa Tower is the largest member of the Clackmannshire Tower Trail, in fact it’s the largest keep in Scotland! It’s also in the best condition, currently run by the National Trust for Scotland and open for visitors in the summer. While it looks foreboding from the exterior, it’s beautiful on the inside and filled with art and furniture.
Originally built to guard a ferry crossing across the River Forth, Alloa was home to the Erskines who became Earls of Mar. Their high position in Scottish nobility and close proximity to Stirling meant that the tower saw lots of visits from royalty. Mary Queen of Scots was a regular visitor and her son James VI spent Yule and Hogmanay here in 1592.
If you wander around the small park outside Alloa Tower, you’ll notice some indentations for pitched roofs and floor joists. That’s because the tower was once part of a larger complex until it fell victim to a curse. The 1st Earl of Mar was cursed by an Abbot for demolishing Cambuskenneth Abbey to reuse the stone in his new townhouse.
He was told his estates would fall into stranger’s hands, he would raise his banner in a field of blood and his ancestors would see their home burn. Every part of the curse came true and the only part of the castle that was saved from fire in the 1800s was Alloa Tower!
Clackmannan Tower
Last but by no means least on the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail is the town that gives the region its name. Before you head up to Clackmannan Tower itself, there’s a few interesting things to see in the town. First off, grab a cooked roll, pie or chips from the excellent Toni’s bakery – highly recommended!
Right outside you’ll see the old tolbooth belfry. It was built by the Sheriff of Clackmannan so he didn’t have to keep criminals in his house anymore! Next to that is a strange pillar with a stone on top that’s known as the Clach (stone) of Mannan. We don’t know much about this special rock but Mannan is thought to refer either to a sea god or the Celtic tribe who once ruled this area.
It’s a short walk up towards Clackmannan Tower, atop a small hill known as the King’s Seat. There was originally a royal hunting lodge up here, the tower being built after David II granted it to his kinsman Robert Bruce. It stayed in the family with Katherine Bruce, a staunch Jacobite, being one of the last residents.
She would host wild parties here, even knighting the poet Robert Burns with the sword of her ancestor Robert the Bruce! Sadly, after nearby coal mining damaged the foundations, part of the castle collapsed in the 1900s. Clackmannan Tower has been well patched up but definitely has a slight lean to it and is only accessible on Doors Open Days!
Visit The Clackmannanshire Tower Trail On Tour!
If the Clackmannanshire Tower Trail has caught your interest, how about visiting it on a Scotland’s Stories Tour?
Just click this link to make an enquiry and book your private driving tour today!
2 Comments
Heather Andrews · February 20, 2024 at 11:34 am
Apparently we have ancestors from Clackmannan. Strolled along there, grabbed some sandwiches and ate at the tower!
Graeme · February 20, 2024 at 11:40 am
It’s a great short walk and I always grab a pie from Toni’s bakery to have up there!