Day Trip to Drummond Castle Gardens in Scotland

Whether you are an Outlander fan or just a fan of elaborate gardens, you need to add Drummond Castle Gardens to your Scotland itinerary.

This garden is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s so easy to reach Drummond Castle Gardens on a day trip from Edinburgh (I did it successfully).

Plus, if you visit in October, you’ll be able to see the garden in all its autumn glory.

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About Drummond Castle Gardens

Over 300 years old. The gardens at Drummond Castle have existed since the 17th century, and they’ve been restructured various times, most recently in the 20th century.

Queen Victoria visited. Perhaps one of the most famous visitors have been Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who took a stroll here in 1842. Two copper beech trees were planted by Queen Victoria to commemorate her visit.

Castle is closed. While you, too, can stroll around the gardens to your heart’s content, the castle is not open to the public. However, there is so much to see in the gardens that it’s still well worth a visit.

a bridge near a river with Drummond Castle just beyond it — Drummond Burn, Drummond Castle Gardens

Outlander at Drummond Castle Gardens

Drummond Castle Gardens was used to represent the elaborate gardens of Versailles in France in season 2 of the Outlander series.

Like the gardens of Versailles, Drummond Castle Gardens has a symmetrical design, manicured hedges, patterned garden beds, and hidden sculptures and fountains.

I’m sure it was much more cost-effective and convenient to shoot those garden scenes at Drummond than overseas in France.

And now visitors to Drummond can get the same experience — feeling like you’re in Versailles (or in Outlander) when you’re really in the Scottish countryside.

a girl climbing the steps with a view of Drummond Castle Gardens in the background — Drummond Castle Gardens

a girl standing in the middle of a pathway looking up at Drummond Castle — Drummond Castle Gardens

What to Do and Highlights

Beech Avenue

From the main road to the gardens is the mile-long, historic Beech Avenue. This street is gorgeous and is lined on both sides with over 300 beech trees that are over 200 years old!

It’s a one-way road, and you’ll have to share it with cars driving in. (And if you’re driving in, you’ll find some places to pull over and stop.)

We took almost an hour walking down this street, stopping to take photos of the trees and the wild mushrooms and the river views. What an entrance!

a girl standing in the middle of a road lined with beech trees — Beech Avenue, Drummond Castle

leaves and branches framing a view of a river — Drummond Burn along Beech Avenue

Front of the Castle

When you arrive at the gardens, you’ll first see Drummond Castle, which you unfortunately can’t enter.

However, you can still admire it from the outside.

It was built in the 17th century, then remodelled in the Victorian era to give it its current appearance.

a girl standing in front of Drummond Castle — Drummond Castle

The Keep

One part of the castle you can enter is a tower near the ticket office called the Keep.

It’s the old castle, first built in 1491, and you can climb up the stairs to the common hall.

Inside is a video and a few informational signs about this part of the castle and the garden.

a bottom-up view of the keep at Drummond Castle — The Keep, Drummond Castle Gardens

a girl standing near a table inside the keep — The Keep, Drummond Castle Gardens

View from the Balcony

One of the most stunning views of the garden is the one you see first.

Once you reach the staircase down to the balcony, you can see the entire garden in full view — all its patterns and symmetry and designs.

This is one of the best spots for photos as well, so you’ll see people hovering around the area to get their shots.

Be sure to take it in before descending the stairs.

Gardens

There is a lot to see in the garden, it may be hard to know where to start. Whether you go left or right, you’ll end up somewhere beautiful.

The season you visit will determine what’s in bloom.

In spring, there will be daffodils and bluebells.
In summer, you can see roses, lavender, and azaleas.
In autumn, you’ll get to see the maple and gingko trees. At the very back of the gardens, you’ll find lots of apple trees.

If you’d like to know the different types of flowers and plants and where they are, view this map of the gardens.

a girl standing among roses in the garden at Drummond Castle — Drummond Castle Gardens

a girl standing in an archway that frames Drummond Castle behind her — Drummond Castle Gardens

roses and plants in the Drummond Castle Gardens — Drummond Castle Gardens

River and Bridge

Once you cross the bridge, make your way down by the river (called a burn in Scots), to get a view of the bridge and castle reflecting in the calm waters.

It’s such a stunning angle, but you may not think to come down here.

So here’s your tip to do so as it’s a very rewarding detour!

Woodland Walk

The Woodland Walk is less than half a mile, taking about 15 minutes to complete.

Along the way, you’ll see carved wooden sculptures of various woodland animals, such as a fox, deer, and owl.

There’s also another view of the castle from a clearing in the woods, which you shouldn’t miss.

View a guide and map of the Woodland Walk.

a wooden sign in the ground by a tree that says Woodland Walk with an arrow — Woodland Walk

Glasshouse

Down by the apple trees is a glasshouse you can explore with various types of flowers and plants inside.

It’s nice and warm in there, a welcome respite if you happen to be visiting on one of Scotland’s colder days.

a girl standing in a glasshouse at Drummond Castle Gardens — Glasshouse, Drummond Castle Gardens

a girl standing on a road near a glasshouse at Drummond Castle Gardens — Outside the glasshouse, Drummond Castle Gardens

How to Get There

Take the train to Bridge of Allan Station. If you’re coming from Edinburgh, you can take a train to either Stirling or Bridge of Allan Station and then catch a bus to take you the rest of the way.

Take the 15A bus toward Crieff. This bus only comes every two hours, so you’ll need to time it right. But it can work out with careful planning. For us, the bus driver was nice enough to drop us off right in front of Drummond Castle’s gates.

After you step off the bus, all that’s left to do is walk the mile-long avenue that leads from the main road to the gardens.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Drummond Castle closes its front gates an hour earlier than the garden closes. They have a one-way system, where cars have to leave out the other side.

For walkers, this would add an additional 2+ miles to get to the bus stop. So, to get out, you’ll either have to climb over the wall or hitchhike a ride with another visitor.

We ran into this issue while visiting Drummond and ended up hitching a ride with two lovely ladies on a day trip from Edinburgh. It’s quite an inconvenience, but something to be aware of if you don’t have a car.

wild mushrooms growing on a tree on Beech Avenue at Drummond Castle Gardens — Beech Avenue, Drummond Castle

How Long to Spend There

I arrived at Drummond Castle at about noon, then spent 3 hours there. I also spent about 4 hours traveling to Drummond from Edinburgh in a day.

Train journey from Edinburgh to Stirling / Bridge of Allan: 1 hour (each way)
Bus journey from Stirling / Bridge of Allan to Drummond: 1 hour (each way)
Time spent at Drummond Castle Gardens: about 3 hours

The three hours spent at Drummond Castle Gardens felt rushed, honestly, and I could have easily spent another hour there.

If you do a similar day trip, I’d highly recommend bringing a picnic lunch or at least plenty of snacks to power you through.

girl running toward Drummond Castle — Drummond Castle Gardens

Is Drummond Castle Gardens Worth a Day Trip from Edinburgh?

I truly loved my visit to Drummond Castle Gardens — it’s absolutely stunning, especially in autumn.

Even with the long travel time (4 hours round trip!) I’d still say it’s so worth it.

It’s one of the most beautiful gardens in Scotland, and its Outlander connections make it feel extra special.

When to Visit

Drummond Castle Gardens is only open from May to October.

I’m sure each month offers something beautiful to see — whether bountiful roses in summer or golden foliage in autumn.

I’m a bit partial to autumn, as this region in particular (Perthshire) is known to have the most spectacular displays of autumn in Scotland. So if you have the opportunity to visit Drummond in October, definitely do so!

My visit was specifically on October 27, and I couldn’t have been happier with what I got to see.

Where to Stay While Visiting

Drummond Castle Gardens makes for a great day trip from Edinburgh, so I’d recommend staying in Edinburgh while visiting. That way you don’t have to lug your suitcases around.

To make things even more convenient, you should consider staying near the Waverley Train Station, especially if you plan to do a number of day trips from Edinburgh.

For a full, detailed breakdown of the best areas to stay in Edinburgh, see my post, “Where to Stay in Edinburgh the First Time: 5 Best Places + 5 to Avoid.”

Recommended hotels in Edinburgh near Waverley Train Station:

But if you’d like to make it an overnight trip, consider staying in charming Crieff or Stirling.

Recommended hotels in Crieff or Stirling:

What to Pack to Visit Scotland

Warm, waterproof wear

If you’re visiting Scotland during its cold and rainy season (almost every month of the year besides a few weeks in summer), you should definitely bring a warm waterproof jacket and waterproof walking boots.

This waterproof jacket and these waterproof boots I took with me to Scotland helped us explore no matter the weather. We walked around Edinburgh in the rain and snow, during foggy mornings and chilly evenings, and enjoyed it all. Be prepared for rainy weather, and dress for it, so you don’t miss out.
Also consider bringing fleece-lined leggings — I loved this pair I packed!

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized. It also fits nicely under the airplane seats.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.