Castle Campbell

What it’s like

A ridge-top ruin above Dollar Glen where kids scramble along a walkway between two ravines and take in views from the grass terrace.

This one sits on a narrow ridge with a ravine dropping away on each side, which is most of the appeal before you even get to the castle itself. Kids can explore the ruin properly, walk the loggia (an open walkway the site points out you'd normally see somewhere warmer, like Italy or Spain) and end up on the grass terrace out front, which has the best view of the lot and is the spot to save for last.

Getting there is part of the day. You park at Brewlands, 500m off, and it's a steep single-track approach with only 14 spaces plus 2 accessible ones, so larger vehicles get sent to the Quarry Car Park instead. The footbridge and steep paths rule out wheelchairs and wide pushchairs, and the nearest adapted toilet is a mile away in Dollar, which is a genuine faff if you need one nearby.

It's open daily from April to September, 10am to 4.30pm, and shut completely over winter, so this is a fair-weather outing rather than a year-round one. Last entry is half an hour before closing, and booking online saves you a pound or so on every ticket: £7.50 for an adult against £8.50 on the door, £4.50 for a child aged 7 to 15 against £5. Carers get in free, up to two per transaction.

There's a picnic area if you want to eat outside, a gift shop for the obligatory trinket, and dogs are welcome in the outdoor bits, so a family walk that ends at a ruin isn't a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

Kids old enough for a steep climb, not for buggies

Last entry

30 minutes before closing

Parking

Brewlands car park 500m away: 14 spaces plus 2 accessible, steep single-track access

Picnics

Picnic area available

Wheelchairs

Carers receive free entry (up to 2 per transaction)

Dogs

Welcome in outdoor areas

• Online tickets are cheaper than paying at the door, worth sorting before you set off
• Last entry is 30 minutes before closing, so don't cut it fine
• Carers get in free, up to two per transaction
• The nearest adapted toilet is a mile away in Dollar, not on site

Plan your visit

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