Ormond Castle

The ruins of Ormond Castle sit quietly on the Black Isle, just outside Fortrose, and honestly they're a bit underwhelming if you go expecting something dramatic. What you actually get is a heap of weathered stone - the remains of a 16th-century fortification that once meant something to someone, though the signage doesn't exactly spell out the story. The castle fragments are free to wander around, which is the main thing in its favour. It's not a walk that'll take long; fifteen minutes and you've seen what there is to see. The real draw here is the setting rather than the structure itself. You get decent views across the Moray Firth, and on a clear day it's genuinely worth the short detour if you're already exploring the Black Isle. History enthusiasts might find themselves picking through the rubble trying to imagine what stood here centuries ago, but for families with young kids expecting somewhere they can clamber about? They'll get bored quickly. The site works best as a quick stop between other activities - pair it with a walk around Fortrose itself or a visit to nearby parks like Fortrose Bay Campsite just down the road. If you're camped at Ardtower or Coulmore Bay, it's close enough for an afternoon leg-stretch. Go when the light's good for photographs, ideally late afternoon when the stones catch the sun properly. Don't go expecting a proper castle experience - go for the bones of history and the Firth views.