Hallforest Castle (ruin)
36 minute walk from Kintore station · Dundee, Aberdeen and North East · Free entry
Hallforest Castle is a historic 14th-century keep located in Aberdeenshire. As one of Scotland's oldest towers, this plain oblong structure stands 48 feet long with walls reaching seven feet thick.
The site is steeped in royal history, believed to have been built by Robert the Bruce as a hunting lodge. It was later home to the Earls of Kintore and famously hosted Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1562. Despite surviving frequent 17th-century attacks, the castle eventually fell into ruin.
Visitors can view the remaining windows on the south side and spot small gun loops in the basement. You can also explore the grounds to find traces of a possible moat and an enclosing wall. The interior reveals a unique past where ladders and hatches were used instead of stone stairs.
Visitor information
- Place type
- Castle
- Good for
- Architecture, Castles, Military history
- Characteristics
- Medieval, Ruin
- Admission
- Free
- Region
- Dundee, Aberdeen and North East
Stations within walking distance
- Kintore station — 36 min walk, 3.0 km
Other places near Kintore
- Kintore Golf Club — 26 min walk from the station