Tantallon Castle

Tantallon Castle stands on a sheer 30-metre cliff above the North Sea, four kilometres east of North Berwick, with the Bass Rock directly offshore. It was the stronghold of the Red Douglases — one of the most powerful families in late medieval Scotland — and remains one of the most dramatic castle sites in the country. The 15-metre curtain wall facing the land is the most photographed section.

The castle is run by Historic Environment Scotland; allow 90 minutes for the visit. Walk the curtain wall, descend the spiral stair in the central tower, and look out from the dovecote across to the Bass Rock. There is a small interpretive exhibition in the gatehouse.

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A story
Tantallon was the stronghold of the Red Douglases for over 200 years and was famously almost impregnable — three sides cliff, one side a 15-metre curtain wall. Cromwell's army finally took it in 1651 after a 12-day siege using heavy artillery from the landward side, and the castle has been a ruin ever since. The cliffs below the walls host nesting kittiwakes and fulmars in summer; the noise on a still day is extraordinary.