Glamis – Castle History, Gardens and Village Culture

Glamis combines impressive history with gardens, village culture and distinctive visitor experiences. Anyone looking for holiday accommodation in Glamis can shape their stay around their own interests: castle tours, ecclesiastical history, walks through the designed landscape and insights into regional food and drink culture are all available as different travel ideas.

Castle, Garden and Historical Traces

Glamis Castle has been the family seat of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne since 1372 and offers guided tours. The Kitchen Garden, which visitors can explore, is also part of the visitor experience. Fruit and vegetables grown there are used in the Castle Kitchen Restaurant. This means the castle visit can be viewed not only through its history, but also through its gardening and culinary traditions.

The designed landscape of Glamis Castle now covers 1,080 acres (437 hectares). The gardens’ pinetum is home to trees that are more than 160 years old. In the woods of Glamis Castle, you can also follow the Macbeth Sculpture Trail. This combination of expansive landscape, old trees and an art trail offers various opportunities to spend time outdoors without leaving the cultural focus of the area.

Village History and Cultural Discoveries

The village of Glamis was built in the late 18th century by the ninth Earl of Strathmore. St Fergus’s Church continues to be used for worship. A medieval St Fergus’s Church is first documented on this site in 1178. The Strathmore Aisle probably dates from the 15th century and is thought to be the transept of the earlier church. A Pictish stone stands in front of the manse on Kirk Wynd, beside St Fergus’s Church at the northern end of the village.

The Glamis Gallery also has its own distinctive character. It is housed in five interconnected former workers’ cottages in the village of Glamis and showcases works by Scottish artists and craftspeople. These include paintings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, jewellery, candles and glass. When planning your trip, you can therefore combine a day focused on castle history with another centred on art and village culture.

Food, Drink and Excursions

The Bothy Beginnings Room at the Bothy Experience explains the history of Gin Bothy. In the Byre and Stable tasting rooms, the Bothy Experience offers hosted gin tastings. In the area around Glamis Castle, the Ogilvy Tour takes visitors around the farm on a Tattie-Box-Tours trailer and then behind the scenes at Ogilvy Distillery. There, they are guided through the production of potatoes and vodka.

When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider which combination of history, landscape, art and food and drink best suits your trip. Holiday accommodation in Glamis provides the setting to explore the different facets of the area at your own pace. Cycling is recommended for travelling to and from Glamis Castle, and bicycle racks are available. This also allows your travel arrangements to be geared towards an active stay without assuming a particular route or distance.

Discover More Destinations

If you would like to include other places in your travel plans alongside Glamis, you can find Carnoustie, Bridgend Of Lintrathen, Inverkeilor, Brechin, Kinnaird, Montrose, Kirkton Of Glenisla and Arbroath here.

For the overarching travel overview: Angus.