Doune Castle
ENTRY
from £6
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Doune
What it’s like
A proper stone castle to explore room by room with a free audio guide on your own phone.
There's no soft play spin here, just the castle itself. You walk the grounds and go through the rooms with an audio guide that runs off your own mobile, so kids old enough to hold a phone steady and follow a story get the most out of it. It's the sort of place where the building does the talking rather than staff in costume, which suits some families down to the ground and might leave a restless four-year-old cold.
The walk in is where it gets interesting. The path from the car park is 275 metres, tarmac to start, but the final stretch up to the castle is steep, cobbled and rough, and slippery when it's wet. Worth knowing if you've got a buggy or anyone unsteady on their feet, because there's no way round it.
Adult tickets are £10 online, £8 for concessions, and £6 for a child aged 7 to 15 if you book ahead (£6.50 if you pay on the door). Last entry is 45 minutes before closing, and the castle shuts on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and the first two days of January. Opening hours stretch to 5.30pm in summer and pull back to 4pm over winter, so a late afternoon visit in January is a tighter window than it sounds.
Parking at the castle itself is very limited and donations are asked for it, so the free village car parks (Castlehill, Doune Ponds, Draggie Burn) are the better bet if you're driving. Arrive by train, bus or bike instead and you get 25% off admission, which is a decent nudge if you're near a stop on the number 59 from Stirling.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 45 minutes before closing
- Parking
- Very limited visitor parking. Free car parks in village (Castlehill, Doune Ponds, Draggie Burn Park & Stride)
- Wheelchairs
- Level tarmac car park with two blue badge bays (first come first served)
- Dogs
- No dogs except assistance dogs
- Getting there by bus or train
- Number 59 bus from Stirling stops in Doune (30 mins), 0.5 miles from Bank Street bus stop
- Worth knowing
- 25% discount on standard admission when arriving car-free by train, bus or bike
- The audio guide runs on your own phone, so make sure it's charged before you set off
- Young Scot card holders get in for just £1
- The castle closes at 4pm over winter, two hours earlier than summer
- No motorhomes, campervans, caravans or coaches can be accommodated at the castle car park
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£10 for an adult online, £8 concession, and £6 for a child aged 7 to 15 if booked online (£6.50 paying in person).
Do we need to book ahead?
No, you can turn up, though booking online gets you the cheaper child and adult rates.
How long can we stay?
Last entry is 45 minutes before closing, so keep that in mind if you're arriving late afternoon.
Is the walk up to the castle buggy friendly?
Not really. The path starts as tarmac but the last stretch is steep and cobbled, and it gets slippery when wet.
Is there parking?
Visitor parking at the castle is very limited and donations are asked for, so the free car parks in Doune village are usually the better option.
Can we get there without a car?
The number 59 bus from Stirling stops about half a mile away, and there's bike parking for 8 bikes on site. Arriving car-free gets you 25% off admission.
Are dogs allowed?
Only assistance dogs.
Do carers get in free?
Visitors with disabilities can bring up to two carers in free, and you do not need to show proof of disability.
What if we're already Historic Scotland members?
Members get free entry, and Explorer Pass holders get free entry to Historic Scotland sites for 14 days running.
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