Castle Fraser Garden & Estate
Castle Fraser Garden & Estate
Castle Fraser Garden & Estate
4.5
10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
About
From the striking simplicity of the medieval Great Hall to the well-stocked library and Victorian bedrooms, a tour of the castle gives a sense of walking through history. Each laird stamped his personality on the family seat, from the various ways of spying on those in the Great Hall to trophies gathered on global adventures. The panoramic views from the top of the round tower are spectacular, revealing the courtyard, gardens and estate beyond, ready to be explored. The distinctive peaks of Bennachie can be seen in the distance. The traditional walled garden includes specimen trees, herbaceous borders, a medicinal border and organically grown fruit and vegetables. There are two waymarked walks on the estate that offer magnificent views of the local area.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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- Cathy G23 contributionsCastle Fraser was very specialAs Frasers who were exploring our roots, Castle Fraser was very special. The staff made it come alive with lots of info about the castle, Frasers, and the recent owner who restored the castle before donating so that we could all enjoy. In particular, I'd like to recognize Gillian who was interesting and informative, as were all the others, but we seemed to encounter Gillian many times during our visit! The flow through the rooms facilitates a good tour. We enjoyed the views from the roof, the spy hole to the dining room, the gift shop and the little antique book store. The gardens were spectacular!Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 11 October 2023
- Venture221784549752 contributionsWonderful Castle FraserAbsolutely fantastic time here with a very knowledgeable guide who really wasn't supposed to be with us . Fantastic view from the top of the castle .Cafe very nice too. Hit a pothole on our way home to Banchory,but thankfully no damage . Absolutely wonderful time hereVisited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 March 2024
- Bobby DrakeNewcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom358 contributionsGreat stop and dog friendlyLoved the tour - self guided but with guides in all the main rooms to give you more information, if you’d like it. You also get to go outside on the turret with fabulous views - a real highlight! Should note there are quite a few stairs in narrow staircases throughout the tour. As usual, no dogs allowed inside. The walled garden is lovely and the short (30 minutes or so) main walk is nice to take your dog around. Cafe was lovely and our dog was allowed inside, which was great given the weather. A lovely visit.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 26 March 2024
- David Y2 contributionsA very nice place.Took the mother in Law , part of the Fraser clan, had a great day. Enjoyed it loads. Learned so much about the Clan and family. Loved the gift shop, and the little book nook.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 14 May 2024
- tomalli68Falkirk, United Kingdom955 contributionsVery goodGreat place to visit. Lots of rooms to view and loads of interesting pieces. Good history, interesting little bits such as the spy hole. Great views from the top. Lots and lots of steps, mostly on the spiral staircases. Nice gardens.Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 11 June 2024
- marg HWales, United Kingdom1 contributionGreat place to visitJust returned from a visit to this wonderful castle. Guides were so informative, everyone here was so friendly , we had some delicious soup in the cafe , very helpful young lady in the shop and some lovely helpful advice from one of the gardeners. Would highly recommend a visit, the castle and gardens are amazing topped by a very friendly team of staff. Well worth a visit! Only issue, wish we had more time there! 😃Visited August 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 9 August 2024
- John DIrvine, United Kingdom192 contributionsA really interesting castle to explore with a history spanning over 500 years.This is my son’s favourite castle and a visit here has been an annual event for over 10 years. This is a National Trust for Scotland property, free to members. Highly recommended joining as we recouped our annual membership fee visiting properties over this single weekend. There are extensive grounds to enjoy a walk through, but the castle is the main attraction. Tours are currently self-guided with information leaflets in each room and guides In the main areas. The castle is huge but the tour gives access to a large part of it. I think there are around 20 that you can access over 7 or 8 floors. The Smiley sitting room and Major Smiley’s room towards the top of the castle are favourites – so personal and with so many interesting exhibits from the more recent owners. The ‘Laird’s Lug’ is worth a look too. If weather permits, make sure you go up to the roof – the views are stunning and you get a real sense of just high the castle is. There’s a small gift shop and café in the courtyard. The coffee is particularly good.Visited July 2024Travelled with familyWritten 17 August 2024
- smiler1956Birmingham, United Kingdom605 contributionsVisitVisited with my wife and granddaughter. Car park is a little expensive, but you do get access to the gardens for free. The Castle was free to my wife as we are National Trust members, although I had to pay £12.50 for my Granddaughter, which I thought was a little steep for a 7 year old. However, she had a great time, the staff were really helpful and informative. The Castle and grounds were amazing and we look forward to visiting again.Visited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 24 September 2024
- TheZim31 contributionsA trip back in time.Fraser Castle is a special place for me and our family. Our great, great grandfather worked as a groundskeeper at the castle in the mid 1800’s before emigrating to Canada. So, visiting this place was a heart warming experience. The castle and grounds are immaculately maintained and have a historic feel. Nice to see that something so old has been so well preserved.Visited September 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 27 September 2024
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4.5
409 reviews
Excellent
245
Very good
117
Average
31
Poor
6
Terrible
10
VicBo123
Pateley Bridge, UK313 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
This is a National Trust property and is free for members. Min-members can visit the grounds and gardens for free so is budget friendly if you don’t look round the castle inside. Dogs are allowed other than in the castle and walled garden. Well maintained gardens. Interesting self-guided tours around the castle. Brilliant views from 7 storeys up at the top of the round tower. Am not sure is good value for money if you are not a NT member.
Written 4 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bug9218
Northern Ireland120 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
Paid a visit to Castle Fraser while staying in Aberdeen, This is a National Trust property so unless you are a member can be a little expensive adult £14.50. Saying that we did enjoy our visit all COVID precautions are in place so very safe. Nice little tea room serving a selection of snacks and drinks. Large grounds for walking and picnicking. If you are in the area well worth a visit.
Written 1 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kennyaberdeen
Aberdeenshire, UK239 contributions
Nov 2019
Brilliant Castle but no sustainable transport to it. Walk 3 miles on narrow, pavement free roads from the nearest bus stop or take a taxi. Very sad that a car is required. Looking at bus routes nearby they could be adapted to include this amazing facility. SAD ☹️
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bdon257
Morpeth, UK5,445 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
We came to Aberdeenshire in order to visit the castles here and Castle Fraser did not disappoint. It is a magnificent castle with a superb interior with lots to see. Many of the rooms are open and filled with furniture, paintings and artefacts. A great historic collection well worth a visit.
Written 22 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rosie G
40 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
A bit expensive if not a National Trust member. We enjoyed our visit and it was nice to have a poke round. Gentleman who was in the library was entertaining and knowledgeable. I would recommend but only if you're a NT member or you get a complimentary pass.
Written 17 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cathy G
23 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
As Frasers who were exploring our roots, Castle Fraser was very special. The staff made it come alive with lots of info about the castle, Frasers, and the recent owner who restored the castle before donating so that we could all enjoy. In particular, I'd like to recognize Gillian who was interesting and informative, as were all the others, but we seemed to encounter Gillian many times during our visit! The flow through the rooms facilitates a good tour. We enjoyed the views from the roof, the spy hole to the dining room, the gift shop and the little antique book store. The gardens were spectacular!
Written 11 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CarolineWR
U.K.282 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Not a spare un-turreted inch, this has to be one of the most exquisite of the Aberdeenshire castles (our favourite with Cawdor & Crathes). Massive, imposing fortress tower incorporated into later Jacobean extensions, all with a very "French feel". The beauty of this place hits you from your first glimpse on the long drive down to the car park. Self-guided visit with very knowledgeable guides in most rooms & photos allowed. Some very steep, narrow spiral staircases to the top of the tower. Chairs to rest available in all rooms (thank you, National Trust!) Excellent café in stunning courtyard looking up at the tower. Walled garden is pleasant, but not as exciting as some of the other local castles.
Written 2 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen D
59 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
Shame that they don't offer guided tours. The cards in the rooms only offer a couple of sentences about the room, and apart from the guide in the first room who happily offered information, the only other guide we saw didn't make eye contact & looked horrified that I'd spoken to her! Consequently, we only found out a little about the families who had lived here. There were no stories to bring it to life. There was piped music in each room which rather than adding to the experience, was irritating, & the sizzling noises coming from all the fireplaces did not evoke memories of how a coal or log fire sounds, more like cooking bacon! I did manage the climb to the top viewing tower but a cloud burst prevented us getting a proper view.Had a lovely bacon sandwich in the cafe, but the drinks( ordered at the same time) didn't arrive till after we'd eaten.
Bad weather prevented us from taking walks or properly exploring the gardens, though for June there was little colour in the walled garden.All in all, out of 4 castles visited in the area, this was our least favourite, maybe because the others provided guided tours.
Bad weather prevented us from taking walks or properly exploring the gardens, though for June there was little colour in the walled garden.All in all, out of 4 castles visited in the area, this was our least favourite, maybe because the others provided guided tours.
Written 11 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
marg H
Wales, UK1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Friends
Just returned from a visit to this wonderful castle. Guides were so informative, everyone here was so friendly , we had some delicious soup in the cafe , very helpful young lady in the shop and some lovely helpful advice from one of the gardeners. Would highly recommend a visit, the castle and gardens are amazing topped by a very friendly team of staff. Well worth a visit! Only issue, wish we had more time there! 😃
Written 9 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
smiler1956
Birmingham, UK605 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Visited with my wife and granddaughter. Car park is a little expensive, but you do get access to the gardens for free. The Castle was free to my wife as we are National Trust members, although I had to pay £12.50 for my Granddaughter, which I thought was a little steep for a 7 year old. However, she had a great time, the staff were really helpful and informative. The Castle and grounds were amazing and we look forward to visiting again.
Written 24 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Esther
The Netherlands
I am planning a visit on the 4th or 5th of november, is that possible or is the castle closed for visitors?
Written 8 October 2019
Is the car park open to visit the grounds even once the castle itself has closed for the day?
Written 15 June 2019
Pretty sure the grounds & car park close when the castle does, 16.00pm.
Written 10 August 2022
Bonjour, est ce que le château est encore ouvert tous les jours fin octobre? Sinon est ce que le parc est quand même accessible? (J’ai entendu parler d’un « woodland secrets » pour les enfants, est ce en accès libre?) merci
Written 25 May 2019
Bonjour, quel est l’horaire de fermeture de la billetterie ? Et l’horaire de fermeture des visites ? Merci d’avance
Written 21 August 2018
ouverture de 10h à 16h. Visites guidées (optionnel) à 10:15, 11:00, 11:45 et12:30. Fermeture des lieux à 17h
Written 22 August 2018
Sadly dogs are not allowed. We gave ours a good walk and left them in the car ( obviously in the shade with the windows open and access to water. ) We then walked up to the castle, not sure if you can leave the car in the castle car park with the dogs inside, but I wouldn’t advise it anyway as no shade at all.
Written 8 July 2018
Topiari
Neuburg an der Kammel, Germany
Sind die Führungen auch in deutscher Sprache?
Written 2 May 2018
Bonjour
Est-ce obligatoire de prendre une tour guidé ?
Peut-on le visiter librement sans réservation ?
Merci
Richard Rainviille
Written 19 February 2018
CastleFraser
Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
Hi Richard,
During our quieter seasons, April to June and September to October, we will be operating guided tours in the morning with open guiding in the afternoon. During July and August we operate open guiding through out the day.
Many thanks,
Castle Fraser Team
Written 9 April 2018
Are the gardens free or do non-members have to pay? Two of our party are NT members and two are not.
Written 3 February 2018
CastleFraser
Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
Hello,
We recommend everyone visiting our Gardens offer a donation, as this helps funds important works within our Garden areas. We are also looking at making this compulsory at some point in the near future to help support the future of our Estate.
If you're a NTS or NT member, access is FREE.
Many thanks,
Castle Fraser Team
Written 9 April 2018
CastleFraser
Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
Hi Roland, thank you for your question. Photography is permitted but we do not allow flash photography.
We hope to see you soon.
Kind regards,
Castle Fraser Team
Written 7 June 2017
n0rmali
Medford, Oregon
My husband and I are planning on visiting Castle Fraser May 19th. We are considering staying at a nearby B & B or hotel prior to visiting. Would you have any suggestions? My husband is a descendant from the Fraser Family and we have been looking forward to this day for many months. It's our first trip to Scotland. By any chance were the Fraser's golfers? Thank you.
Written 28 April 2016
Stay at the Tor na coille..you won’t be disappointed. Excellent restaurant as well.
Written 2 July 2018
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