Lochleven Castle

A lovely setting which is made better when there is good weather but still enjoyable anyway. Good views in and around the castle and there's also a nice footpath and cycle path you can take around the mainland shore.

There are plenty of car park spaces, a cafe and gift shop. The short (10 minute) boat ride can get chilly though so if it is grey you might want a good wind & waterproof. Can get a bit boggy on the island if the weather has been wet, so wear some decent shoes. The boats get round trip every 3/4 of an hour and there is a toilet on the island.

A lovely day out with the family, a short boat trip to the island, a chance to explore the castle and a little historical knowledge gained by all.

Lovely place to visit. Got the boat over to the island and then had 45 mins there before the boat came back which was probably about the right amount of time needed.

Love this place. Beautiful location and fantastic way of getting there on a boat across a loch and bird sanctuary.

Historic ruins of one of Scotland oldest castles. Take the boat across the lock. Beautiful and you might glimpse some wildlife.

Enjoyable enough, and would make a good place for a picnic with good weather, but be aware that the trip over is via a small boat (maximum of 12 passengers) and can be "exciting" if the Loch is rough or choppy. This also means that you could be waiting a while on the island for the return journey.

"The Ballad of Mary" took place in this castle.
Mary lived the 19 years of her life imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth I following a rebellion of Scottish nobles in 1567. The Queen beheaded Mary in 1587.

A short boat trip onto this historic island

Nice to visit on a Sunday, interesting facts shared on plaques at the castle but it is quite small and doesn't take long to explore. With it being October the weather isn't great but I imagine in the Summer it would be a lovey boat trip over and bring a picnic.