The ‘fascinating’ abandoned castle found in the middle of a UK forest – near wild swimming spots and ‘little Peru’
AN ABANDONED castle in the UK has been labelled as “fascinating” and an “architectural wonder” with tourists still able to visit.
Dalquharran Castle has been disused for around 60 years, providing an eerie place for tourists to visit in the middle of the Ayrshire countryside.
The Scottish fortress was built in the 1700s, for Thomas Kennedy, the 9th Earl of Cassilis, but had fallen into disrepair by the middle of the 20th century.
It’s comprised of several classical elements, including columns, pediments, and fine intricate details.
Some describe it as “a fine example of the Georgian era’s grand country houses” despite its current state of ruin.
It’s now a category A listed building, meaning it’s considered to be of national or international architectural or historic importance.
The last known use of the castle was as a school, during the 1960s, before it was abandoned for good.
Fortunately, the shell and most of the outside of the building has remained, with publication Atlas Obscura big fans of the attraction.
They wrote: “By the mid-20th century, the castle had fallen into disrepair. In the 1960s, it was used as a school for a brief period.
“The external structure remains still standing in most parts to show off the fascinating architecture.”
Getting to the castle is quite simple, with a hiking trail through the woods, running from near the town of Girvan.
This led to one TripAdvisor reviewer, who labelled it a “gem in the forest” saying: “You take a walk along a dirt track for about quarter of a mile through a forest and then all of a sudden this gem in the forest is in front of you.”
Go Girvan also sung its praises, explaining how visitors can find the impressive ruin.
They wrote: “Dalquharran Castle is a category A listed building in South Ayrshire, Scotland, designed by Robert Adam and completed around 1790, but the castle has been in ruins since the 1960s.
“Situated in beautiful woodland countryside, it is a gentle walk up to Dalquharran Castle, and you can visit the Old Dalquaharran castle ruins which lie within the same grounds.”
Those who have made the journey have been suitably impressed, with another writing on TripAdvisor: “By the end of our visit, Dalquharran Castle had left an indelible mark on our minds, sparking dreams of what might have been and igniting a newfound appreciation for Scotland’s architectural wonders.”
Three camping tips from an expert
David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly.
When visiting any campsite this summer it’s important to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday.
Check your tent
David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you’re due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts.
He told Sun Online Travel: “You’d be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents.”
Test the ground
Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider.
One of those should be the condition of the ground you’re putting your tent on top of, according to David.
He said: “Once you’ve found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough.”
Don’t nap in your tent
It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it’s done at the wrong time of the day.
David explained: “If the sun’s shining and it’s hot inside your tent – don’t do it!
“One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke.”
Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated.
The castle isn’t the only thing worth visiting in the area, with an unexpected Peruvian experience found nearby.
Little Peru provides “joyful alpaca trekking” just a 15 minute drive from the castle.
The site’s three Huacaya alpacas, Javier, Santiago and Diego join visitors on a 60 minute trek along Ayrshire’s quiet roads and forest paths.
En route, hikers are taught all about the animals, while also getting the chance to feed them and pose for pictures.
Soon Little Peru will be offering boutique glamping experiences as well, with two “glamping pods” due to be introduced soon.
As well as trekking in its forests and roads, the surrounding nature can also be enjoyed from inside its lochs and rivers.
Local adventure sports company Swim the Lochs arrange days out to some of the area’s best wild swimming locations, including waterfalls in Galloway Forest Park, the River Cree and special “dip and chip” sea swims, followed by a fish supper.
Meanwhile, these are some of the best places to go wild swimming in the UK.
And this £250,000 tourist attraction was left to fall into disrepair.