Tantallon Castle
About
A vast red sandstone curtain wall thrown across a headland four kilometres east of North Berwick, with a sheer drop to the sea on three sides and the Bass Rock directly offshore. It was the stronghold of the Red Douglas earls of Angus and it is one of the most dramatic castle sites in Scotland, precisely because so little of it is roofed: you walk the wall, look through the gunloops, and the view does the rest. Historic Environment Scotland runs it. Note before you go that access is currently restricted: HES states there is no visitor access to the east tower staircase and the doocot. Everything else, including the curtain wall and the outer ditches, remains open, but if the towers were the point of the trip, check with HES first.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓The red sandstone curtain wall across the headland
- ✓The Bass Rock framed from the clifftop
- ✓The outer ditches and earthworks on the landward approach
- ✓One of the best coastal castle settings in Scotland
Tips
- →Restricted access: Historic Environment Scotland states there is currently no visitor access to the east tower staircase and the doocot. Confirm before travelling if those were the draw.
- →Historic Environment Scotland publishes 09:30 to 17:00 daily from 1 April to 30 September and 10:00 to 16:00 daily from 1 October to 31 March, with last entry 45 minutes before closing. Closed 24 to 26 December and 1 to 2 January. Verified on the HES property page 2026-08-21.
- →Admission is charged and free to Historic Environment Scotland members and Explorer Pass holders. HES published adult £7.50 booked online or £8.50 in person, concession £6.00 or £6.80 and child aged 7 to 15 £4.50 or £5.00, read 2026-08-21. Booking online is the cheaper option.
- →The site is exposed clifftop with uneven ruined ground. Not step-free.
- →The 120 bus along the A198 stops nearby, and Drift cafe is about half a mile west on the same road.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
Scottish Seabird Centre
Live cameras on the Bass Rock gannet colony, a viewing balcony over the harbour, and the booking office for the boats. About an hour and a quarter.
Dirleton Castle and Gardens
A thirteenth-century fortress and its gardens in the village of Dirleton, four kilometres west. Parts are closed, and it shuts Thursdays and Fridays in winter.
Coastal Communities Museum
A free, volunteer-run local museum above the library, with an original West Bay beach hut and an audio tour of the town. Wednesday to Saturday, to 31 October.