Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

Coat of Arms, Law Castle, West Kilbride

This evening, I am posting information on Law Castle in West Kilbride, West of Scotland.  This is one of a cluster of castles within a few miles radius of each other just south of Largs near the Firth of Clyde. Clearly, in the medieval period this was an important and high status area. The other three castles are Portencross, Hunterston and Crosbie. Proximity to the Firth of Clyde shipping and communication lanes was probably an influential consideration.

Key facts concerning Law Castle:

• Dates from 15th century.
• A Tower House representing a gift to Princess Mary, daughter of James II of Scotland on occasion of her marriage to the Earl of Arran. (Isle of Arran is located just across the water to the west of West Kilbride.)
• Comprises five floors connected by a stone spiral staircase.

Laws Castle has been restored and refurbished to a high standard and is available to rent.

Law Castle, West Kilbride, Scotland

Law Castle, West Kilbride, Scotland

This castle is not open to the public but can be viewed from the nearby road.

This evening I am continuing a West of Scotland geology theme which first featured in this blog post

The West of Scotland is endowed with a rich and diverse geological history evidence of which can be found within about one mile of Portencross Castle and in the general direction of Largs.

This small stretch of water covers a time gap of 30 million years. The rock in the foreground has the appearance of concrete but is classified as ‘conglomerate’ comprising a mix of coarse gravel, cobbles and occasional boulders all set in a solid sand mix. The conglomerate was formed about 380m years ago.

30m year Time Gap separated by short stretch of water, Portencross.

380m Year Old Conglomerate Rock nr Portencross

This image shows a 300m year old dyke running east-west from the cliffs to the sea. This is made of igneous rock which was once molten lava.The ridge has been left exposed because the constituent rock is much harder than the softer sandstone surrounding it.

Dyke of Igneous Rock running East-West nr Portencross

This image shows a raised beach on the right. About 10,000 yeas ago the sea would have reached the cliffs but the land subsequently rose following end of last ice age leaving the former beach stranded and is now a hay field.

Raised Beach nr Portencross, Scotland

A fascinatig area for visitors wish to connect with the geological past.

Kelburn Castle, Largs, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on Kelburn Castle which is located near Largs on the west of Scotland. This castle isvery old, with origins dating back to the 13th century. It is home to the Boyle/ Earl of Glasgow family who have occupied the castle and lands since the 12th century. Over the centuries Kelburn Castle has been embellished and extended, particularly in the 16th century and then again in 1700 with influence of French Chateau architecture.

The superb eleveated location affords views over the Firth (estuary) of Forth and islands such as Cumbrae. The grounds include well maintained gardens with waterfalls and gorges. The site is a visitor attraction affording visitors access to the grounds and gardens together with activities such as pony riding.

Of course, the major impact on new visitors is the vibrant graffiti style decoration one side of the castle. To me this falls somewhere between bizarre, eclectic and downright tacky. The design dates from 2007 and is the work of a Brazilian graffiti artist in collaboration with Scots artists. Knowing the normally stringent stance of heritage body, Historic Scotland I am utterly amazed how permission was ever granted for the art work which seems to be unprecedented in the historic buildings sector. On the plus side the work could be described as ‘original’ and ‘different’ .  Apparently when the castle walls are next due for harling ( a weather protective coating) the art work will be covered up. continue reading…