Blackness Castle Reviews Summary

Castle Experience

Pros:

• "Great castle with a fantastic location on the coast with lovely views across the Firth of Forth."
• "The castle itself is maintained and feels like a real castle."
• "Beautiful intact castle right on the water. Lots to explore and the views are amazing!"
• "This must be one of the most visceral castle experiences in Scotland."
• "The castle itself is quite fascinating with the different buildings and all, it's almost like a maze."
• "Fantastic castle with great views of the surrounding area."
• "Great castle on the banks of the forth with plenty to explore for kids and great views all around."

Cons:

• "Be aware of it being very uneven and slippery with lots of steps and staircases to climb."
• "Uneven under foot as built on the rocks and there are lots of stairs and floors to explore across three towers."
• "It would be great if there was some reconstruction, as it is it's pretty bare."
• "However is completely empty with only minimal information."
• "The same can't be said for much of the interior of the castle due to steps and natural stone floors in the internal courtyard."
• "Some places are a little inaccessible if you are dodgy on your feet."
• "This is not the flattest underfoot and requires climbing lots of stairs, and an uneven embankment, so not necessarily suitable for those with walking difficulties."

Value for Money

Pros:

• "The price to visit was great value."
• "Parking is free and an adult ticket costs 6£, which seemed reasonable to me."
• "Reasonable price (£6 per adult) and a pleasingly intact old structure."
• "So worth the £7.00 entrance fee."
• "Fees are very reasonable."
• "Very reasonable entry fee, with friendly staff at the shop."
• "Entrance is reasonably priced, if you're a Historic Scotland member free."

Cons:

• "Parking is limited which must be an issue in the summer, but if you have booked your visit you have a parking spot at the castle."
• "Parking is limited and fills up quickly."
• "You have the free option to park in the village on the street, where no parking exists, then walk a mile to the castle's 15GBP parking next to the castle."
• "Parking in the village of Blackness is very limited indeed, and during busy periods it can get very congested for the poor local inhabitants."
• "A beautiful place completely ruined by unfriendly/ downright hostile locals who are clearly upset with visitors parking."
• "I'm very disappointed in the entire parking situation at major tourist locations across Scotland."
• "But their closing time was too early."

Accessibility

Pros:

• "Good parking, suitable for motorhomes."
• "Parking available on site for an hour and a half which is plenty of time."
• "Parking is included in your admission fee and is right on site of the castle."
• "The grounds are easily accessible."
• "Free parking at the castle."
• "Large free parking lot."
• "Tickets are to be booked in advance which allows you to park onsite."

Cons:

• "Car park is only for 90 minutes as it's small."
• "Visited for St Andrews weekend with free tickets. Wasn't told it wasn't suitable for disabled or people who struggle to walk far."
• "It was a climb for me getting about no good for wheelchairs unfortunately."
• "Don't go there with kids under 1."
• "A little tricky to navigate as there are very few paths/dedicated walkways so be wary if you have any mobility difficulties."
• "Not wheel chair user friendly or for people struggling with walking."
• "Much of this historic castle is unsuitable for elderly visitors and also young children."

Staff and Facilities

Pros:

• "The 'Jacobite' guide was brilliant."
• "Crew was lovely and we had a really good chat with them."
• "Staff were extremely friendly and highlighted the guidelines to us on arrival."
• "Staff at blackness castle were incredibly welcoming and helpful with giving directions."
• "Staff and guards are friendly."
• "The staff here are lovely and the interpretation boards are nice."
• "The staff were very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful."

Cons:

• "But... None of the things that was linked to outlander was marked anywhere in the castle. It would help a bit with a few signs."
• "The only thing that could have been better was some of the information boards were a bit difficult to read due to wear."
• "It was frustrating, not just as we had spent £20 on getting in but because there really could be an amazing visitor experience here."
• "Unfortunately, when we arrived they'd had to close to visitors due to the high winds."
• "A beautiful place completely ruined by unfriendly/ downright hostile locals who are clearly upset with visitors parking."
• "There was a costumed guard, but he was just telling everyone where to go and find outlander locations. Scotland is more than a TV set."
• "No indoor coffee space, and the girl on the door twice asked me to prove I had bought tickets even though I bought them 3 mins before."

Outlander Connection

Pros:

• "Appearing in multiple Films and TV, most recently Outlander, entices many to walk the battlements."
• "Wasn't busy, which was a surprise considering its one of the locations for filming of Outlander."
• "Love this place, well worth a visit especially if you are an 'Outlander' fan."
• "Also information about the Outlander series filming inside the castle."
• "Outlander fans might recognize this place from several scenes and episodes from the TV show."
• "As an Outlander fan it was a great experience to see some of the filming location and the staff were amazing to point out locations."
• "One of the locations the incredible Outlander series was filmed."

Cons:

• "But... None of the things that was linked to outlander was marked anywhere in the castle. It would help a bit with a few signs."
• "Visited for St Andrews weekend with free tickets. Wasn't told it wasn't suitable for disabled or people who struggle to walk far."
• "It lacks somewhat for visitor experience, and could benefit from an audio guide, or maybe making up some of the rooms in the style of the various time periods this castle has seen."
• "We didn’t get the opportunity to climb the tower inside as we were up on our two-hour parking slot, shame really it looked good."
• "It would have been nice to see something that was unique to the castle but not a TV tie-in."
• "There was a costumed guard, but he was just telling everyone where to go and find outlander locations. Scotland is more than a TV set."
• "Great gran Jan is so excited here at Blackness Castle because it’s the place where Capt Black Jack Randall flogged Jamie Fraser."