Cawdor Castle Shore Excursion Review

Last updated on March 26th, 2026 at 02:36 pm

Thinking of taking a Cawdor Castle shore excursion during your Invergordon port call?

Here is all the practical information you need to decide if it’s the perfect excursion for you.

Invergordon Cruise Port Resources

Check out my Invergordon Local Suppliers for links to taxis, tour operators and more. (Please be aware there are some scam operators that charge people for tours that don’t exist).

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Get the most from your visit with this easy downloadable Invergordon audio walking tour – it’s covers the history, murals & top tips for gifts and treats

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You can find Invergordon shore excursions on Get Your Guide – these suppliers have all been checked by Get Your Guide as real businesses with the appropriate insurance

👉 Invergordon Shore Excursions ➡

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Table of Contents

Cawdor Castle Shore Excursion

Cawdor Castle operates timed entry slots for groups. There may be more than 2 coaches from the ship taking this shore excursion. If that’s the case the entry is usually staggered to avoid overwhelming the castle and causing long queues.
Some itineraries include a brief stop at Culloden Battlefield. This may be done before or after Cawdor Castle depending on how many coaches are going on this tour.
The longest travel time to Cawdor Castle is around 1 hour and 15 minutes if going via Culloden, plus the time spent at Culloden Battlefield which can be anything from 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
The shortest travel time to Culloden is around 1 hour.
The journey to and from Cawdor Castle is the same, apart from the stretch going past Culloden Battlefield.

Cawdor Castle Shore Excursion – Facilities at Cawdor

Cawdor Castle is a very popular visit and has the following facilities on site for guests;

Ladies and Gents toilets on the way from the car park before the ticket office
Wool shop on way from the car park before the ticket office
Small cafe on the way from the car park before the ticket office
Ladies’ and Gents’ toilets beside the cafe in the courtyard
Small shop in the courtyard
The cafe serves hot meals, soup, sandwiches, and drinks
Gift shop at the corner of the castle near the walled garden

Cawdor Castle Shore Excursion

Practical Information

Coaches park and stay in the coach park. There is a walk from the coach park to the ticket office where groups are given a ticket and an audio guide.
The path is mostly flat and level with a few bumps along the way.
Once you have passed the ticket office you reach the main front lawn that looks over the castle.
To enter the castle you cross the drawbridge and then take 4 steps down to your right-hand side.
The castle visit is self-guided using the audio guides given out at the ticket office.
There is no flash photography allowed inside the castle.
No backpacks or large bags can be taken inside the castle. There are free lockers by the ticket office where you can store any bags if you need to.
Most coach drivers and guides will allow you to leave anything you don’t need with you on the coach during your visit too (at your own risk).
If you listen to every piece of information in the audio guide it will take 45 minutes.
There are no lifts at Cawdor – it’s a very old castle. There are steps up and down. Some of the steps are very narrow with low beams. Some of the steps are steep and twisty like those in the turret.
It is difficult to avoid these stairs if you want to see most of the castle.
You will generally have around 1.5 hours at Cawdor depending on your itinerary.

Cawdor Castle Shore Excursion

What is There to See at Cawdor Castle?

The castle is a home that is still used during the winter months and it is very interesting to visit with lots of personal details such as family photos, sculptures, lovely gardens, and lots of personal details.

The flower garden is well worth a visit. This is accessed by entering through a doorway to the left of the castle as you face the front. There are beautiful flowers and several lovely sculpture pieces as well.

One of my favourite pieces of sculpture is a bird feeder that looks like a flower bud. Turn left as soon as you have gone through the gateway. If the gardens are quiet you may even see red squirrels.

The walled gardens are to the right of the castle as you face the front. The gardens look lovely any time of the year and they also have some lovely sculptures in them too.

One of my other favourite spots is a nice quiet walk in the woodlands.

At the front right-hand corner of the castle, there is a path that runs beside the castle. Follow this down and then step down the large steps and cross a bridge over the river. There are two amazing redwoods there and a nice path that follows the river. It does go up and down a bit so there are some steeper sections.

Cawdor Castle Shore Excursion

Getting from the Castle to the Coach Park

Head past the sign on the lawn to the exit which is back by the ticket office.

Head between the trees and round to the right-hand side to pass through the exit gate or barrier.

You can drop your audio guide off here if you still have it.

Walk past the toilets, wool shop, and tiny cafe. The golf course is on the left side across the small road.

Pass the cute caravan on the right-hand side of the path.

Walk through the tree to reach the car parking area. The coach park is on the far side of the car park.

Culloden Battlefield Photo Stop

If your itinerary includes a photo stop at Culloden this will be around 20 minutes or so long.
The coach has to park in the coach bays.
You will then need to walk past the visitor centre to see the battlefield. You will not have time to walk out into the battlefield area.
There are bathrooms and a shop at the visitor centre.

Cawdor Castle Shore Excursion FAQs

Is There a Shore Excursion to Cawdor Castle?

Most ships offer an excursion to Cawdor Castle when they visit Invergordon. There are also private tours that offer this as part of a package, or you can arrange your own private tour and include a visit.

Cawdor Castle Shore Excursion – Final Verdict

Cawdor Castle is a lovely visit especially if you enjoy gardens as well as castles
The walk to and from the coach park is around 0.5 miles each way
There are steps to get into the castle and also to get around inside the castle
The paths around the garden are mostly flat with gentle gradients on a few
The audioguide brings everything to life.

Invergordon Cruise Port Resources

Check out my Invergordon Local Suppliers for links to taxis, tour operators and more. (Please be aware there are some scam operators that charge people for tours that don’t exist).

👉 Invergordon Recommended Suppliers ➡

Get the most from your visit with this easy downloadable Invergordon audio walking tour – it’s covers the history, murals & top tips for gifts and treats

👉 Invergordon Walking Tour ➡

You can find Invergordon shore excursions on Get Your Guide – these suppliers have all been checked by Get Your Guide as real businesses with the appropriate insurance

👉 Invergordon Shore Excursions ➡