The Castle Grounds

Craigston is set in 250 acres of mature mixed wood and parkland in the middle of the working Craigston Home Farm. Different walks can be taken through the woods, from a light 20 minute stroll to a more strenuous trek. There are plenty of wild animals to be seen including roe deer, foxes, badgers, hares, woodcock, owls, buzzards, sparrow hawks and ospreys.

Historic buildings and monuments

A few hundred yards from the castle you can visit the 18th century Doocot (or Dovecote) which still contains the original pigeonholes for the birds to nest.

Just opposite the Doocot you find the 18th century listed farm courtyard. This is currently being restored to provide luxury 5* holiday accommodation and as a venue for events such as weddings and courses (cooking, art etc).

There are two listed bridges that cross the Craigston burn. The simpler bridge was built in 1747 and very sadly collapsed after the big flooding of September 2019:

Loss of the old bridge

The other, architecturally more interesting, was built in 1885. This bridge was known as the “lovers' bridge” on account of there being four seats (one at each end of the parapets) two for the lovers and two for the chaperones.

It is also possible to visit the well hidden 18th Century Ice House where game and other foods were kept fresh, and the Killing House, once the estate’s slaughter house.

Woodland

For four hundred years most of the woods were composed of beech trees but the great gale of 1953 blew many of them down. Subsequently, the current Laird’s grandfather (Bruce Urquhart OBE) a trained forester and founder of the Scottish Timber Growers' Association, planted a mixture of fast growing conifers and amenity species. The trees are still managed on a commercial basis with production, recreation and environmental benefits being the main drivers.

Farmland

The family, in conjunction with local partners, farms over 1000 acres of arable land and a further 150 acres of pasture. The principle crop is malting barley (for whisky).