Aberdour Castle can trace its roots back to 1342. This ancient building, which looks out over the River Forth, has extensive walls and terraces, which once contained elaborate gardens and amongst the castle’s artefacts is a list of plants supplied in 1687 from the Edinburgh Physic Garden to the then owners, the Douglas family.

At that time the gardens flowed down the terraces and would have been filled with some of the new plants that were at that time arriving from overseas. Today the spaces where they once grew are mostly laid to lawn, but there is an apple orchard and a beehive-shaped doocot as well as a multi-faceted 17th century sundials of the type for which Scotland is famous.

Fields beyond the gardens lead down to Aberdour’s small but scenic harbour and the castle’s south-facing position provides ample sunshine for the herbaceous plants which are planted around its walls.

The nearby Silver Sands beach has long been a popular spot with visitors.

Aberdour Castle

Aberdour

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