Scotland’s pretty-in-pink Cinderella castle

From the Alcazar of Segovia in Spain to Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, I’ve lost count of the number of castles I’ve visited that were supposed to have been an inspiration for Walt Disney.

When I first clap eyes on the pink-hued facade and whimsical turrets of Craigievar Castle, it’s hard not to think of a Disney flick or cartoon, of princesses and witches, dwarfs and fairy godmothers.

“After Walt Disney died, a photo of this castle was apparently found on his desk,” says John Lemon, as he guides us around a property whose Instagram-friendly exterior is enhanced by its absorbing history and lovely location: set on a hillside facing the undulating arable fields of Aberdeenshire in Scotland’s northeast.

Unlike many of the romantic castles you’ll see when touring Scotland today — the ones built by wealthy merchants in the Victorian age, but made to look older — this fortified country house is the real deal. Constructed in the late Middle Ages, it was modified and extended in the 16th and 17th centuries and is among the most authentic examples you’ll see of the Scottish baronial style.

Many like it were destroyed during the Jacobite Rising that tore through Scotland in the mid 1700s. But Craigievar Castle was home to generations of the Forbes family until the 1960s and it’s now cared for by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). Interior visits are by guided tour only and limited to 10 people at a time.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have your tour with John, who believes this is the most beautiful castle in all of Scotland. After 38 years at Aberdeen University, where he worked in the IT department, this engaging fellow has been posted at the castle since 2016. And he’s a fount of knowledge about everything from its elaborate Italianate ceilings and rare antiquities to the eccentric characters who stare down at you from the portraits on the wood-panelled walls. John will also share a few spooky stories.

In 2018, he was given a special NTS award for his commitment to the castle when, during a snowy winter snap, he slept alone here for three nights after the security system failed.

Although it was freezing cold and there was no heating (and there were possibly ghosts here), John says he wanted to make sure the castle was safe from any potential fires and intruders.

The building is in better shape than it has been for some time thanks to an 18-month conservation project. One of the tasks was to recoat the exterior and multiple litres of pink limewash were used (enough, it’s said, to cover all the tennis courts of Wimbledon).

Craigievar has long captivated visitors and passers-by. Queen Victoria reportedly called it “a strange and curious old castle”. Yet regardless of any royal plaudits or that possible Disney connection, it has a truly enchanting quality. And roaming its spiral staircases and atmospheric rooms, as John entertains us with his stories, is as rewarding as wandering the gardens and admiring the castle’s flamboyant facade.

+ Steve McKenna was a guest of Visit Scotland and Visit Britain. They have not influenced or read this story before publication. fact file + A 50-minute drive from Aberdeen, the grounds of Craigievar Castle are free to enter every day of the year from sunrise to sunset. The castle will reopen on April 4, 2025, with tours running until late October. Entry is £16.50 ($33) for adults, £12.50 ($25) for concessions, with family tickets for £37.50 ($75). See nts.org.uk + To help plan a trip to Scotland and Britain, see visitscotland.com and visitbritain.com