On some other occasions I have told you how much I like castles, especially those in Scotland, as the magic of the Scottish landscape is combined with the spectacular features of all the fortresses. Many of them in ruins, there are Scottish castles that you have to visit even when they are in that bad state since they are equally impressive. Today I would like to write about the Slains Castle, one of the castles of Scotland that keeps more incredible stories and legends.
This castle is in Cruden Bay, a small town on the north coast of County Aberdeenshire. Surrounded by an unparalleled natural setting, it is located on top of a cliff and overlooks the North Sea. This place, Cruden Bay, was the vacation destination of Bram stoker in his youth, coming to confess later that it was this castle that had inspired him to write to his famous Dracula.
According to the story, Slains Castle was built twice and in two different places. The first one was in Collieston and it was destroyed by King James VI to punish the Earl of Erroll for having participated in a rebellion against another Earl. Years later, Erroll returned from his exile and built a new castle on the site where he is now, giving it the appearance of a Scottish stately mansion.
A lot to see
Today there is not much left of what was the original fortress since there are many parts in ruins, but you can still visit and discover some of its rooms. Among the places that can be seen are the rooms, hallways, the Grand Palace, a billiard room, the kitchens, a patio, the library and the dependencies in which the service members stayed. Some areas are perfect and others very damaged, but still it has a special magic to be able to be there.
Explore Scotland | The Castle That Inspired Dracula (April 2024)
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