Top 6 Castles around West Kilbride

" Welcome to Kelburn Castle and Estate. One of Scotland's most beautiful woodlands combined with one of its most interesting castles. Kelburn Castle and Estate is open daily from Easter to October. One of Kelburn’s most popular attraction for the kids is the Secret Forest: a fairy tale inspired maze with a witch’s cottage, a giant’s castle, and much more! There’s also the Adventure Course and Saloon play areas, complete with wooden walkways, stepping stones, tunnels, swings and scramble net. Kelburn’s stunning woodland glen has a number of twisted trails and paths for exploring, with plenty of creative surprises to see along the way. Trek to the top of the glen and you’ll be rewarded with incredible views across the Firth of the Clyde and over to the Isle of Arran." Source: https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/kelburn-castle-and-estate-p561001

Alice Boyle, daughter of the current owner of Kelburn Estate Patrick Boyle, wrote a very detailed story about the graffiti project that she had initiated herself, together with her brother and a friend: https://www.aliceboyle.co.uk/the-graffiti-project-2007

There's so much to do and see on Kelburn estate - a graffiti castle, a secret forest, a waterfall, an outdoor play area, a never ending glen, a café... ... and various events, see www.kelburnestate.com/events.

"Based around a 13th Century castle that’s had an amazing makeover courtesy of a team of Brazilian artists, the estate near Largs, Ayrshire also features dramatic walks, breathtaking gardens and many features of historical interest." Source: www.kelburnestate.com

Historic castle (is there a different kind?)

Ardrossan Castle, built in four phases, sits high atop Castle Hill, with views of the surrounding coast and countryside. The original castle, built around the late 13th century mainly from grey sandstone, consisted of a simple rectangular shape approximately 70-foot square, with a forward projecting gatehouse which was both keep and main residential block with underground cellars, backed by a walled courtyard. The castle sat at a height of just 50 feet, due to the higher sea at the time, with the modern town of Ardrossan sitting on 'reclaimed' ground. In the early 14th century the gatehouse was rebuilt from the first floor up. Now consisting of three floors, a straight stairway built into the north wall, ran from the first floor to the battlement walk which had a turret at the north-west side of the castle. Following the death of Godfrey de Ardrossan in 1357, without a male heir, the lands of Ardrossan passed through marriage into the Eglinton family. About 1360, Elizabeth, sole heir of Sir Hew de Eglinton of Eglinton married Sir John Montgomerie of Eaglesham and the lands of both Eglinton and Ardrossan passed into the Montgomerie family. During the third phase, occurring in the mid to late 15th century, Ardrossan castle underwent an extensive rebuilt to improve both the living conditions and the castle defences. A large window was inserted in the western portion of the first floor looking northwards and an additional floor was added raising the height of the keep. A variety of buildings along with a chapel were built along the western and north-west curtain walls. A rectangular tower was added at the south-west corner and two long narrow slits, potentially gun ports, were inserted along the south wall. Little was changed during the final phase except for the original entrance to the keep being blocked up and a wide mouthed gun port being added. During the mid-17th century Ardrossan castle was destroyed, allegedly by Oliver Cromwell’s troops. The castle which had been a stronghold for centuries could not withstand artillery fire and was never rebuilt.

Portencross Castle, also known historically as Portincross Castle, is situated in Portencross, on the west coast of Scotland, about 3 km from West Kilbride. The site has been fortified since the 11th Century. The present tower castle is thought to date from the mid-14th Century and later. It remained in use until it was unroofed by a great storm in 1739 and gradually became ruinous. The castle was designated as a scheduled ancient monument in 1955. The castle was one of the buildings featured in the 2004 series of the BBC television programme Restoration and was the subject of efforts by a local community group to secure its future.

Based around a 13th Century castle that’s had an amazing makeover courtesy of a team of Brazilian artists, the estate near Largs, Ayrshire also features dramatic walks, breathtaking gardens and many features of historical interest.