Threave Castle interior reopens to visitors

Areas inside Threave Castle are set to reopen to visitors for the first time in four years from Saturday 1 August 2026, following the completion of high-level masonry inspections and essential conservation work by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), that manages the site.

While the island and grounds have been accessible since April this year, the interior of the castle remained closed while specialist teams continued their inspections and conservation work.

This included high-level masonry inspections, assessing the condition of the castle’s stonework and the impact of climate change on the site.

Repairs were also carried out to the castle’s 15th-century artillery wall as well as further work to its vaulted ceiling. A safe access route has been created through the ground floor, allowing visitors to access the Great Hall while some conservation work continues. The island is also now serviced by two new jetties.

The island sits within a wetland nature reserve, and Threave Castle is at the heart of a thriving natural ecosystem. The island is home to a rich variety of birdlife, with jackdaws, peregrine falcons, and barn owls frequently seen flying overhead.

In the grounds, visitors can glimpse an assortment of Scottish wildlife, including native wildflowers, moths, butterflies, stoats, hen pheasants and occasionally deer. Ospreys, otters and kingfishers can also be spotted across the wider nature reserve.

Malcolm Price, Monument Manager at Threave Castle, said:

“Threave Castle is an incredibly special place with a fascinating history, and we are excited to welcome visitors not just to the island but now inside the castle walls too.

“Once the home of the infamous Black Douglas family, the castle was fitted with formidable battlements - which visitors can still see the remnants of today. The artillery wall, which was state-of-the-art in its time, kept King James II’s forces at bay during the siege of 1455.

“Conservation work is vital to ensuring visitors can continue to enjoy our sites for years to come, and it’s wonderful that Threave Castle can once again welcome people through its doors.”

Threave Castle is reached by passenger boat and is open daily from 10am to 4.30pm, with last ticket purchases at 3.45pm. The castle is taking part in the limited-time Historic Summer offer, with a 20% discount available on tickets booked online at historicsummer.scot.

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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