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Blair Castle or Scone Palace-if you have time just for one?

Melbourne, Australia
Level Contributor
45 posts
Blair Castle or Scone Palace-if you have time just for one?
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I would be grateful for a bot of advice - if you have time to visit only one of the castles mentioned above- which one would you choose and why?

We will have very limited time on our last day in Scotland, driving from Aviemore via A9 down to Chester. We plan to stop in Dunkeld and do a Hermitage walk to break the journey a bit, and also want to visit one of these castles- although probably gardens only, time restricting (and I got the idea they are all full of old dusty furniture anyway :). Nice views of the house from outside and gardens are the priority. From this perspective which one is better?

I found the websites for both, I like the look of Blair castle, and the history of Scone Palace, but which one would you choose to visit? Thanks for input!

U.S.A. ( the land...
Level Contributor
4,280 posts
1. Re: Blair Castle or Scone Palace-if you have time just for one?
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This will be our first trip to Scotland ( May-June) so I can't answer your question about which castle to see...but, if you are going to be in Pitlochry/Dunkeld area on May 27th and 28th, Blair Castle will be having its annual Highland Games and Regimental Parade. Also, they have an admission ticket that covers Blair, Scone and Glamis for a reduced price.

Hexham, United...
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692 posts
5 reviews
50 helpful votes
2. Re: Blair Castle or Scone Palace-if you have time just for one?
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I would choose Scone Palace from the point of of history. You get to see the famous Moot Hill and that appeals to me. It's not much to look at I admit, but the story and historical significance for Scotland which is behind it made the visit worthwhile for me. If all you want to see are the grounds of either Scone Palace or Blair Castle, then this is why I would choose Scone.

Austin
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933 posts
12 reviews
34 helpful votes
3. Re: Blair Castle or Scone Palace-if you have time just for one?
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I would recommend Blair Castle, but only for the dusty furniture tour. (It's actually quite good since the castle is still lived in and the family history is long and fascinating. Even my two year old daughter liked trapsing through the "big house.") What was interesting was the amount of time the poor Atholl aristocratic women put into the place with needlepoint, painting on china and other artwork. It was also interesting to see how the original castle (built 800 years ago) has been added on.

When we were there the Hercules Garden was being restored and the flowers weren't really in bloom yet. We walked through Diana's Grove to the old kirk. Nice walk, but nothing more. Hopefully someone will have more recent information about the garden.

4. Re: Blair Castle or Scone Palace-if you have time just for one?

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