A trip to Direlton Castle in East Lothian

We headed down to East Lothian recently to pay a visit to Dirleton Castle in the beautiful village of Dirleton.  The castle is set in wonderful gardens which are beautiful to enjoy and are worth a visit in their own right.

We used our Historic Scotland membership to gain entry but the normal charges are Adult £5, Child £3, Concession £4.

You can pack a picnic, take a book or if visiting with little ones, just spend time exploring the castle and having fun.

The staff are very friendly and showed us an aerial map of the grounds and castle and the best route we should take.  One part of the castle was closed due to restoration work, but this did not spoil our visit.

After walking through the main entrance into the castle, we explored all the nooks and crannies of the remains.  Staircases led to various look outs and the areas that are are damaged, are safely fenced off to visitors.  This is another good castle for children to explore and climb all over without getting into trouble.

We explored the castle vaults and read all the information boards to learn about the castle’s past before we exited through the west gardens which had an immaculate bowling green and lawn.

The castle is worth a visit if in the area as well as  Tantallon Castle in nearby North Berwick.  With views out to the sea and the Bass Rock, it is a must see when in East Lothian.

Whilst in  the Direlton area, you can stop off for afternoon tea and cake in Gullane and take a walk along the beach.

Suitable for disabled? The gardens are, but the access to the castle is via a set of steps.