Caerlaverock Castle

Caerlaverock Castle was built by the Maxwell clan in the late 13th century. Its triangular plan is rare in Europe and unique in Britain; the setting on the flat flood plain of the River Nith is also unusual. In 1300 King Edward I besieged the castle, and tradition has it that about 60 defenders held out against the English army for a considerable time. In 1640 the Covenanters took it after a 13-week siege, after which it was partly demolished and abandoned. The façade of the Nithsdale Lodging from the 1630s survives, with Renaissance pediments and heraldic carvings.

Allow about an hour for the castle. An exhibition with reconstructions of medieval siege engines explains the warfare of the period. A woodland path leads to the foundations of an older castle and on into the Caerlaverock nature reserve, an internationally important wintering ground for waterfowl such as barnacle geese. The car park is free, and there are a café, toilets and picnic areas. It is busier at weekends in the high season; early in the day you will have more peace.