Rothesay, Scotland
Going to Rothesay Castle, fatigue put us a little behind the clock. First, we needed a little rest after two weeks of travel and a long drive that had us waking up on the Orkney Islands the previous morning. Second, some of us also needed to catch up on laundry, since it is not feasible to pack 2+ weeks’ outfits for a trip. Uncle Rick would agree with me; no one ever wishes they’d taken more items on a trip to Europe. Some downtime built into your schedule is always a positive. Third, getting to the island meant catching a ferry, so we were limited by the boat’s speed and the timetable. Finally, if we were going to visit the castle, our Historic Scotland Explorer Passes expired on the day of our visit, and while the castle is not that expensive (As of 2026, £8 for adults, £6.80 for concessions, and £4 for children, online presale a little cheaper), we wanted to get one last benefit from a pass that also covered our admission to Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Elgin Cathedral, Duff House, Skara Brae, and Urquhart Castle.
During the summer months, Rothesay Castle closes at 5:00 PM. Looking at the time stamp of the last photo I took on the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay Ferry, we departed on foot a little after 4:30, so I knew that we needed to book it to the castle. Google may have told us it was a simple six-minute walk, but with young children and a couple of people with mobility issues, you may want to double that timeframe. When we got to the door, the gates were locked, and we felt like we might have struck out. Anyway, I saw a clerk in the window and asked him if there was a way we could enter. He explained that no one else was allowed in, but maybe he took pity on all of us weary travelers, and he said he could only come in for a little bit. I replied that we would be in and out in 10 minutes and we were officially on the clock.
Rothesay Castle originally dates to the 12th century. Although the castle passed back and forth between local Gaels and Vikings, it eventually came into the possession of the Stewart family. Robert the Bruce stayed here after the Battle of Bannockburn and had the Bute Mazer made for a visit here. The National Museum of Scotland houses the cup today. Eventually, the castle fell into ruin, but it was partially restored in the 19th century.
What makes Rothesay Castle unique? First, it has a rare circular design not seen in other Scottish castles. It also has a history with Robert the Bruce and the Stewart family. Today, the Stewart family renovated the castle, and they still have a presence on the Isle of Bute.
As for the inside of the castle, we saw what we could in our promised 10 minutes. My first photo inside the castle was at 4:40 PM, and I took a photo of the outside from the street at 4:50 PM, so we kept up with our end of the quick jaunt. Honestly, because we were on such a tight schedule, we made sure to make every second count as we made our last castle visit and last Historic Scotland Explorer Pass visit of the trip.
If you are in Rothesay, the castle is a worthwhile visit. Even if you do not go in, you can get great views by making a lap of the castle and moat. May your jaunt be a little longer than ours. Still, I am very thankful for the kind steward who allowed us to see another castle.