Drumin Castle

Drumin Castle is a small 14th-century tower-house ruin on a natural bank above the meeting of the Rivers Livet and Avon, near Glenlivet. Only two walls survive, and the tower stands about 10 metres high. Come for the medieval remains and the setting rather than a long visit inside; pairing it with the circular walk makes a fuller outing.

From the car park below, reach the castle by steps or a sloping grassy path. The first floor is reached by uneven steps, so take care if you go inside and treat the upper level as a separate climb.

The Drumin circuit is about 3 km (2 miles) and takes 1–2 hours. It climbs through Drumin Woods, where gorse and heather grow beneath Scots pines, then opens to farmland views above the River Livet. Later, the path follows the river past benches and crosses a large wooden footbridge before returning to the start.

The castle is thought to have been built for Alexander Stewart, son of Robert II, better known as the Wolf of Badenoch. That is a reputed attribution rather than a certainty. The castle’s position over the river confluence explains its strategic setting.

The walled community orchard behind the castle is a good picnic stop among its fruit trees. In spring, snowdrops cover the wooded bank along the circuit; dippers, wagtails, herons and ducks may be seen by the river. For a photo, frame the tower beyond the orchard trees, or catch the snowdrops below the ruin in spring.