I found out by chance of Brodie Castle. It was close to where we stayed in the north-east of Scotland, so we’ve decided to visit it quickly on the same day we left the east coast for the west coast. Brodie Castle was the ancestral home of the Brodie clan for over 400 years. Even before that, their family seat was on this site since the 12th century.
The entrance is beautiful and on the grounds towards the house I saw a standing stone made by the Picts. As you can see the weather wasn’t great on that day and we were in a hurry, so we saw the stone only from the car.
The access to the house is by guided tour only and no pictures are allowed inside. So, I’m going to share a few pictures from outside and from the kitchens as well. We arrived just before they opened, but we’ve heard that we have to wait for 30 minutes until the first tour takes place. We could see one small room and, after that, we headed to the coffee shop for refreshments.
I was impressed that they had vegan milk. My husband got a lovely dessert as well. In the kitchens we were allowed to take pictures. I loved that the old tables are still used, with a glass on top, for their protection. You can see that table in the back, on the right side of the picture.
This is more sitting area for the coffee shop. As we were the first people there, we could take pictures with the whole place empty. But when we left, after the tour, most of the tables were occupied.
After taking our refreshments we went on the tour. It was lovely to hear the story of the house and of its last owner, a man that loved giving tours and enjoyed reading. In the library there were over 6,500 books, ranging from art books to gardening, history to travel, a few novels as well. You can imagine how delighted I was to see the library. I love those old libraries, filled with books.
We could see some interesting things, like a table set for a formal dinner, with all the crockery with the family crest on them and family portraits. The guide told us fascinating stories about them. In another room we could admire the piano, that is still in use for functions. The guide asked if anybody wants to play and, sadly, nobody said yes. This was one of the wishes of the last Brodie who owned the house, Ninian; that the rooms would still be used as much as possible, for functions, as well as a museum, so people could enjoy themselves and the rooms would still be filled with laughter and music. It was such a wonderful thing to hear, that he loved the house so much and that NTS respect his wishes. Ninian died in 2003.
Brodie castle is on Brodie, Forres IV36 2TE. For National Trust members the entry is free, for the rest is £11 for an adult. The parking is free for members as well. There is the Playful Garden for children. We haven’t been there.
Oh my gosh, the library sounds incredible. Ninian sounds like a wonderful person, and it’s so lovely that the National Trust still keep his wishes going,
It sounds like a wonderful home and I always enjoy seeing libraries, as well. The outside is lovely.
I’ve found many coffee shops now offer almond milk and sometimes coconut milk. I drink my coffee black at home, but like indulging some when out somewhere.
It’s wonderful that it is still used for functions. Too bad no one joined to play the piano. That would have been fun. It looks lovely. I really appreciate it when things are done like tables set and such. The kitchen looks fascinating and I liked the coffee shop too. It looks like a good stop!
Amazing castle! I love the floor in that kitchen. Wouldn’t it be awesome to live in a old castle with a huge library? One can dream!