Day Trip from Inverness to Dunrobin Castle (and Dornoch)

Oh to be a duchess in a castle like this … Dunrobin Castle is a gorgeous chateau in the Scottish Highlands, about an hour’s drive from Inverness. It’s a perfect day trip from Inverness for those interested in exploring historic castles. And boy, does this castle have history.

We joined a day tour with Rabbie’s to visit Dunrobin Castle, which included several other stops, such as Dornoch, where the last witch of Scotland was hanged.

Let me share with you all the things you can’t miss when visiting the Dunrobin Castle region.

author, a young woman, standing on the steps before Dunrobin Castle

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Why Visit Dunrobin Castle from Inverness

See a gorgeous castle. Dunrobin Castle is even more beautiful in person. View it from different angles and lighting to truly capture its grandeur.

An easy day trip from Inverness. If you’re looking to visit more castles in the Scottish Highlands, consider Dunrobin Castle as one of the best. Luckily, it only takes an hour to reach Dunrobin Castle from Inverness by car and there are direct public transportation options available. Additionally there are several group tours to the castle, making it hassle free.

Explore the interesting region. Beyond Dunrobin Castle, cute and historic towns are nearby, such as Golspie and Dornoch. There’s lots more to explore, definitely warranting a day trip from Inverness. (Some group trips, like the day tour we did, include stops in Dornoch and the coast!)

Quick Facts about Visiting Dunrobin Castle

Open: March 29 – October 31 only
Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Mar, Apr, Oct); 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (May-Sep)
Time of Falconry Displays: 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Cost: Adults £14.50, Seniors £12.50, Children £9, Students £12.50
(Tickets can only be bought on site)
Location: Golspie KW10 6SF, United Kingdom
Distance from Inverness: 54 miles

Things to Do at Dunrobin Castle

When you first arrive at the parking lot of Dunrobin Castle, you may wonder, is this the right place? The castle looks different, more humble I guess you could say, from this side. However, once you walk around, you’ll see the Scottish Baronial style architecture that’s in every photo of Dunrobin Castle.

Why do the two sides of the castle look so different? Well, the castle you see from the parking lot is the original castle while the other side is an addition. As you’ll see, a LOT was added onto this castle in the 1800s.

Tour the Castle Interior

With your ticket to visit Dunrobin Castle, you’ll be able to tour 18 rooms, including bedrooms, libraries, and nurseries. There is a lot to see and admire around the castle, so take your time.

Look out via the Terrace

Before heading down into the garden, be sure to step out onto the terrace and look at the views. The garden looks much different from this angle, where you can see the circular hedge designs more clearly. You can also see the ocean!

author, a young woman, looking out from the terrace to the garden at Dunrobin Castle

Explore the Gardens

Dunrobin Castle doesn’t have the largest or most varied gardens, but it is beautiful. We visited at the very start of spring, so perhaps most of the flowers and plants hadn’t bloomed yet. From the gardens, you’ll have the best views of the castle above, so remember to look up.

view of garden at Dunrobin Castle from the terrace

Watch the Falconry Display

The falconry displays at Dunrobin Castle occur at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily (when open). There will be chairs set up on the lawn in the back of the garden, facing the resident falconer. These displays are quite popular, so if all the seats fill up, you can simply stand in the back.

The display will feature the falcon flying around, swooping over the audience, and catching things. Other falcons and owls will also be brought out for pictures afterward.

a falcon flying in front of Dunrobin Castle

Walk to the Ocean

Before or after visiting Dunrobin Castle, walk from the parking lot, around the castle, outside the walled garden to reach the beach. You don’t need a ticket to be in this area (as it’s technically outside the bounds of the castle). Why go? It gives you a farther view of the castle and a closer view of the ocean.

As mentioned, the castle looks much better from this side! The parking lot is on the other side and, from there, you don’t have as good of a view. Definitely wander to this side of the castle for the best view.

author, a young woman, and mom in front of Dunrobin Castle

Browse the Gift Shop and Tea Room

Before leaving, be sure to pop into the gift shop to have a look around. In the tea room, you can also order a soup or sandwich (and tea) if you’d like some refreshments. I don’t believe reservations are required, and it’s first come, first served.

Explore the Region: Visit the Village of Dornoch

The highlight of the day tour was, of course, Dunrobin Castle, but also the nearby village of Dornoch, surprisingly. We had never heard of this village before, but it really impressed us.

Best hot chocolate. Dornoch is small, but there are a lot of cute shops and cafes, including Cocoa Mountain, home of the BEST chocolate we have ever had. You must try the rocky road chocolate bar at Cocoa Mountain.
Jail converted into shops. Dornoch’s historic jail has interestingly been converted into a shopping plaza with old cells converted into shops.
Last witch in Scotland. In the center of town, you’ll see a graveyard, and this is known to be the place where the last witch in Scotland was executed. Sad, yet fascinating.

If you’re visiting Dunrobin Castle, you simply MUST visit Dornoch, as well.

pink blossom tree in front of historical buildings on a street in Dornoch

a hand holding up a piece of rocky road chocolate from Cocoa Mountain

Scandalous and Dark History of Dunrobin Castle

Dunrobin Castle appears to be the perfect fairytale chateau, but lo and behold — there is darkness lurking in its history.

Role in the Highland Clearances

Have you heard of the Highland Clearances? I hadn’t either until I visited the Scottish Highlands.

The Highland Clearances refers to thousands of evictions that were made across the Highlands from 1750 to 1860, which led to a ripple effect of disease, starvation, and poverty on a mass scale.

The first Duke and Duchess of Sutherland evicted about 15,000 people during the Highland Clearances in order to use the land for more profitable ventures, such as farming.

With the money made doing this, Dunrobin Castle expanded to the castle it is today, nearly tripling in size.

The Sutherland Family Today

Sadly, there’s nothing about this dark history during the castle self-guided tour. I wished they’d been more transparent in their brochures, informational signs, or even their website. Instead, it seems as if they are trying to sweep this unfortunate history under the rug.

We had to learn about it from our tour guide. Our Rabbie’s tour guide actually grew up in Golspie. She was friends with the gardener’s daughter and went to school with the duke’s kids. (She’d even once seen a ghost “drowning” in a dry fountain at the castle.)

She had a lot of good things to say about the present family who gives back to their community and is much different than their ancestors. She advised us not to judge the Sutherland family too harshly for their ancestors’ decisions.

a portrait on the wall inside Dunrobin Castle

the wall covering half of Dunrobin Castle

Location and How to Visit Without a Car

If you have a car, you can drive to Dunrobin Castle from Inverness in about an hour.

If you don’t have a car, like we didn’t, don’t worry. You can easily make it to Dunrobin Castle via bus, train, or a group tour (my preferred option).

Visit on a Group Tour

The easiest way to get to Dunrobin Castle (and Dornoch) without a car is via a group tour.

We chose to join Rabbie’s day trip from Inverness to Dunrobin Castle and highly recommend it.

Benefits of Joining Rabbie’s Group Tour:

A small group. With Rabbie’s, you’ll ride in a van fit for only 16 people, but your group could be much smaller. Our group, for example, consisted of only 3 people. We were traveling in low season (April), so that could be why our group was so small (a plus!). Rabbie’s doesn’t require a minimum number of people to join a tour, so they don’t cancel for small group sizes.

Explore the region. The Rabbie’s group tour also stopped for lunch in Dornoch, a fascinating small town, and now stops at a lighthouse! We had ample time to explore both Dunrobin Castle (enough time to even watch the falconry display) and Dornoch on our own and didn’t feel rushed.

Learn from a local. Our Rabbie’s group tour guide personally grew up near Dunrobin Castle. It was incredible to go on a tour with a local who could point out her childhood home on the way to Golspie. She shared so much interesting history on our drive. If you’d like the same experience, do the Rabbie’s tour to Dunrobin Castle and ask for Seana.

Visit via Train

There’s a train that goes directly from Inverness Station to Dunrobin Castle Station via ScotRail in about 2.5 hours.

The Dunrobin Castle Station is 0.3 miles from Dunrobin Castle. However, it is only operating seasonally, from April to October, and is a request stop.

“To alight from the train, please inform the conductor in good time. To board the train, please give a clear hand signal to the driver as the train approaches,” according to the ScotRail website.

If you happen to be visiting on a day before or after the train station is operating, you can depart at the Brora Station and take a bus to the castle.

How to book your train tickets: You can purchase your tickets on Trainline.com. We used Trainline to purchase all our train tickets in the UK. I loved how easy it was to search train tickets from various train companies and to pull up our tickets in the app when needed to scan or show them to employees. Everything was all in one place, making it very convenient.

How to save money on train tickets: If you will be doing a lot of train travel in the UK, consider getting a railcard for 33% off. I was traveling with my mom so we got the Two Together Railcard and saved quite a bit.

Visit via Bus

The bus (x99) from Inverness to Dunrobin Castle is actually faster than the train. It takes about 1.5 hours. (And it also makes a stop in Dornoch!)

Consult the Stagecoach website for updated timetables and prices.

author, a young woman, walking toward Dunrobin Castle

Where to Stay When Visiting Dunrobin Castle from Inverness

I’d recommend staying in Inverness and making your visit to Dunrobin Castle a day trip. That way, you can be back in Inverness for dinner, where there are so many interesting pubs with live music.

We did this and loved being able to explore so many areas around Inverness easily without having to pack and repack every day.

While in Inverness, I’d highly recommend staying somewhere on the edge of the River Ness. It’s SO nice to be able to walk out in the morning and walk along the river to wherever you’re planning to go that day. Plus, the views at breakfast or in your room will be incredible.

Where we stayed: We stayed in two hotels while visiting Inverness. Both were along the River Ness but on opposite sides. One of the hotels was very new and modern (the AC Hotel Inverness Marriott) and the other was more historic (Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel).

We met our group trips with Rabbie’s by the Inverness Cathedral, which was an easy walking distance to both of the hotels where we stayed.

Recommended hotels in Inverness:

Exterior of Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel from the other side of the river with daffodils in the grass by the river. The hotel is under scaffolding, being renovated, at the time. — Exterior of Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel

breakfast table set up inside Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel with view out the window of the river Ness — Breakfast at Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel

Frequently Asked Questions about Visiting Dunrobin Castle

Is Dunrobin Castle worth visiting?

Yes, it’s definitely worth visiting Dunrobin Castle as the castle is just as beautiful in person, if not more so.

Is Dunrobin Castle haunted?

I spoke with several people at Dunrobin Castle who had supernatural encounters, so I definitely believe it to be haunted as well.

How long to spend at Dunrobin Castle?

We spent about 2.5 hours at Dunrobin Castle, though you can definitely spend longer if you wish.

Can you see Dunrobin Castle from the road?

Not really, but you can walk from the parking lot, around the castle towards the beach and have a great view of it without paying.

How far is Dunrobin Castle from the train station?

The Dunrobin Castle Station is 0.3 miles from Dunrobin Castle. However, it is only operating seasonally, from April to October, and is a request stop.

“To alight from the train, please inform the conductor in good time. To board the train, please give a clear hand signal to the driver as the train approaches,” according to the ScotRail website.

If you happen to be visiting on a day before or after the train station is operating, you can depart at the Brora Station and take a bus to the castle.

What has been filmed at Dunrobin Castle?

“Barry Lyndon” (1975), “Winter Solstice” (2003), and a 2002 episode of “Antiques Roadshow” have been filmed at Dunrobin Castle.

How far from Inverness to Dunrobin Castle?

Dunrobin Castle is about 54 miles from Inverness.

Does anyone live in Dunrobin Castle?

It’s crazy to think that for some people living in a castle isn’t just a fairytale. A family actually still lives in this castle, which costs over £1 million a year to maintain. Dunrobin Castle belongs to the Sutherland family, and they keep private accommodations within.

What should I pack to visit the Scottish Highlands?

Warm, waterproof wear

If you’re visiting the Scottish Highlands 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 me explore no matter the weather. I even hiked to the Fairy Pools in near-hurricane-level winds in this jacket! 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, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.
For Americans, I recommend getting the Capital One Venture X credit card to relax and eat free food in select airport lounges. I’ve had my Capital One Venture X credit card for a few years now, and accessing airport lounges is my absolute favorite perk of the card. Every lounge is different, but most have a buffet available where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content. The annual fee of this card is high, but it evens out with the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles you get (on top of lounge access and free TSA PreCheck or Global Entry)!