Travelling with MM: Curlzean Castle Scotland

25 July 2019

Curlzean Castle Scotland

Day 59/Scotland 36

Travelled:95km

Stay: near Stranaer/Cairnryan ferry terminal- layby, sea views N54.9156 W4.9923

Visited:Dunure, Culzean Castle (NT nonmembers £17pp), Girvan, Stranaer

After a quick cuppa, we were off driving along the coastal road. We stopped in the small harbour village of Dunure. Being so early we managed to park at the harbour and we had a walk around reading the information panels and chatted to one of the two commercial fishermen still operating here.

We went to have a look at the castle ruins on the cliff top. Both venues had been used in the filming of Outlander.

We continued on to Culzean Castle set on the cliffs overlooking the Firth of Clyde in amongst 260ha of land, now a country park.

Built in 1792 by Robert Adam for David Kennedy, the 10th Earl of Cassillis, one of the oldest clans of Scotland. As we waited for the castle to open we strolled through the park. We saw some deer, reindeers, highland cows and llamas.

We went to the beautiful walled garden.

We then took a very interesting tour of the castle.

The entrance hall boasts the largest collections of British military flintlock pistols in the world. They were very nicely displayed too.

We were taken through some elegant living rooms with beautifully designed coloured ceilings.

The sweeping oval staircase was another highlight.

Along with the Round Drawing Room offering panoramic views.

We learnt about the various Kennedy’s who later inherited the castle.

This is an opium pipe. Very popular with the ladies.

This painting had an unusual feature, depending where you stood in the room, one of her feet would appear as a hoof and a skull appear in her skirt.

One of the Kennedy’s was a shipbuilder and so made this for his daughter.

One whole floor was designed for General Eisenhower to use during WWII. Although the castle was donated to the National Trust, this floor was kept for his personal use. He did come to visit several times and after his death, it became an exclusive hotel.

On the way out we got to see the kitchen.

We then went to have a look at the boat shed, the battery and the powder house.

We did drive down to have a look at Swan Pond but there was no parking available. So we drove out of the park and down along the coast to Girvan. We had a look around and popped into the little museum with local history and explanations on the quarrying of granite on the Ailsa Craig, also owned by the Kennedy’s. The micro-granite found here is the best to make Curling Stones.