Edzell Castle

Just off the main road through the sleepy little town of Edzell lies one of the numerous castles in Scotland that is often overlooked by tourists. Open and free to the public (back in 1991, may not be currently), this castle is a wonderful surprise to stumble upon. Edzell is in ruins nowadays, but there is a caretaker who maintains the grounds and gardens. If you stop by, be sure to have a chat with him, as he is full of the history and lore of the castle.

The gardens are the highlight of the castle, developed along with the foundation of the castle by Sir David Lindsay in 1604. From ground level, they are breathtakingly beautiful, with a rose wall, and flowers in bloom all around. Very beautiful. The garden is surrounded by a decorative wall that created quite the fine garden at one point. The wall has many insets where carved stone plaques and birdcages were hung. Every few feet you can see how the birds were kept inside the wall, with just a thatched front to keep them imprisoned. Between the birdcages were the plaques, showing the education of the Lindsay Clan. Each stone carving represented some aspect of education, Astronomy, Letters, etc.

Despite the beauty of the gardens, it's not until you climb up to the second floor of the castle and look out upon them that you see their full glory. From the second floor, and better yet the third, you can see that the shrubs in the gardens actually spell out the motto of the Clan Lindsay. The motto, "Dum, Spiro, Spero, Endure, Forte," can be viewed clearly. This family motto, this belief in strength and endurance, is surely what helped place the family in turning points of Scottish history. The Lindsay Family had another Sir David Lindsay who signed the Treaty of Abroath in 1320 - sort of a Scottish Declaration of Independence. And, Sir Alexander Lindsay fought with Sir William Wallace of Braveheart fame.

If you choose to stop by Edzell Castle, the town only has a couple of places to stay for the night. For a Four Star hotel, stay at the Pan Muire Arms Hotel. If you choose to go the Bed-and-Breakfast route, the Doune House is quite a lovely place to stay, with one of the best breakfasts offered in all of Scotland.