Balvaird Castle reopens for guided tours

The 15th century castle had a starring role in Outlander: Blood of my Blood

Balvaird Castle, which featured in last year’s Outlander prequel Blood of my Blood, is now open for guided tours – the first time the inside of the castle has been accessible to visitors for more than a decade.

The building doubles for Castle Leathers in Outlander: Blood of my Blood, the ancestral seat of the dastardly Simon Fraser, the 11th Lord Lovat (Tony Curran), grandfather of Jamie (Sam Heughan) from the original series.

Cared for by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), Balvaird castle is an exceptional late 15th century tower house, which offered its owners, the wealthy Murray family, the cutting edge of architecture and luxury when it was first built in 1495.

Set within the beautiful Ochil Hills of Perth and Kinross, visitors can enjoy stunning views from the roof walk and hear stories about the Murray family and life in the 16th century.

Anne-Marie O'Reilly, Regional Visitor and Community Manager for Central Scotland at HES, said:

“The castle has so much to offer, from wonderful scenery to its fascinating history, and we’re excited to welcome visitors inside for the first time in over 10 years.”

As the castle is undergoing conservation works, the internal part of the tour requires each visitor to wear a hardhat and high-visibility vest. These will be provided to each visitor. Appropriate (sturdy) footwear must be worn. For health and safety reasons, the tour is not suitable for children under 7.

Accessibility may be a challenge for some visitors as the tour route is via uneven surfaces, a spiral staircase and, weather permitting, access to the roof walk. There is also an incline from the carpark to the castle.

Dogs are not permitted in the roofed areas and there are no visitor toilets on-site.

Tours are available on selected dates from Wednesday 15 July 2026 to Saturday 22 August 2026. A 10% discount is available for Historic Scotland members.

Find out more and book tickets

We're the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. We are at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future. Across Scotland, we investigate and record architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes and care for more than 300 properties of national importance. HES is also working with sector partners to deliver Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.

Historic Scotland, trove.scot, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle and Stòr are sub-brands of HES.

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