Blethering Skite

Craigmillar Castle lies just three miles south-east of the centre of Edinburgh. Yet while the city features in the distant views from the castle's walls, step inside them and you could be in a different time and place. Craigmillar Castle is simply one of the most completely preserved medieval castles in Scotland.

Craigmillar began life as the tower house that still forms the core of the castle. This was constructed around 1400, probably by Sir George Preston, one of a line of Prestons who played a large part in civic life in Edinburgh over several hundred years.

What makes Craigmillar special is the extent to which its underlying structure survives. The inner courtyard may now be home to two very impressive trees that were certainly not there in the Prestons' time in the castle. But the walls of almost all the structures of the castle survive, together with all the vaulted floors. This means access is possible up to roof level in the tower house and first floor level in large parts of the rest of the building. There is also a complete wall walk around two sides of the curtain wall.