Visit Hermitage Castle: History, Access, and What to Expect

When you visit Hermitage Castle, you’re not just walking through stone walls—you’re stepping into a place where violence, betrayal, and survival shaped Scotland’s borderlands. This fortress, perched in the remote hills of the Scottish Borders, was never meant for comfort. Built in the 13th century to guard against English raids, it became a stronghold for ruthless lords, a refuge for outlaws, and later, a grim prison. Hermitage Castle, a ruined stronghold in the Scottish Borders known for its brutal history and strategic location. Also known as Hermitsage Castle, it stands as one of the most formidable and least visited castles in Scotland. Unlike Edinburgh or Stirling, it doesn’t have gift shops or guided tours. It’s raw, real, and ruled by weather and solitude.

The castle’s story is written in blood. It was held by the Douglas family, then seized by the English under Edward I, then retaken by Scottish forces under James Douglas—famous for his raids. In 1545, it became infamous when the Earl of Arran held the young King James VI here, and later, when the castle’s commander, Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch, famously executed prisoners in its courtyard. Scottish Borders castles, a cluster of medieval fortifications built along the volatile Anglo-Scottish frontier like Hermitage were less about grandeur and more about control. They were places where you could see the enemy coming from miles away—and where you could kill them before they got close. The castle’s thick walls, deep ditch, and hidden passages weren’t designed for tourists. They were built to survive sieges, not selfies.

If you’re planning to visit Hermitage Castle, prepare for a journey. The road is narrow, winding, and often muddy. There’s no public transport. You’ll need a car, good boots, and a sense of adventure. The site is managed by Historic Environment Scotland, but there’s no staff on site. You get a small information panel and a lot of silence. The views from the keep? Unmatched. The sense of history? Heavy. This isn’t a castle you admire from afar—it’s one you feel in your bones. The stones still hold the chill of winter raids and the echo of shouted orders. Nearby, you’ll find trails leading to the Hermitage Water, where the castle’s water supply once came from, and where legends say a ghostly knight still rides at night.

What you’ll find here isn’t polished. It’s not crowded. It’s not Instagram-friendly. But if you’ve ever wondered what life was like in a place where every stone had a story of violence, this is it. The posts below cover related sites—from the standing stones of Neolithic Scotland to the hidden gardens of royal castles, and even how to plan a trip through the Highlands when roads turn icy. You’ll find practical advice on accessing remote locations, understanding Scotland’s weather patterns, and why some of its most powerful places are the ones that feel forgotten. Hermitage Castle isn’t on every tourist list. But if you’ve made it this far, you already know some of the best things in Scotland aren’t the most popular ones.