Key facts
- Operator
- The King's Foundation (Castle of Mey Trust)
- Condition
- Intact
- Access
- Staffed, ticketed
Pinpoint
Mey, Thurso KW14 8XH
Telephone 01847 851473
Possible Opening hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| Thursday | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| Friday | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
The late Queen Mother's holiday home on the far north coast, kept largely as she left it and now cared for by the King's Foundation. King Charles still visits every year - the castle closes for a stretch in late July to accommodate it - and several guides worked here during the Queen Mother's lifetime, which reviewers say gives the tour a personal warmth rare in a stately-home visit.
Worth the trip
The guides themselves - several knew the Queen Mother personally and bring a first-hand warmth to the tour that reviewers repeatedly single out.
Before you go
Only the public rooms are open to visitors; if you want the private rooms too, there's a well-illustrated book on sale for under £10 covering the bedrooms and areas you won't otherwise see.
Recent reviews on file are all five-star, with visitors consistently praising the knowledgeable and warm on-site guides who bring the Queen Mother's history and her connection to the castle to life — one guide is remembered by name for having personally cared for her during her stays. The gardens, café and parking are also well regarded, and reviewers agree the entry fee is worth it, though one notes only the public rooms are open, with private rooms like the bedrooms viewable only through a guidebook.
Seasonal May-Sep; closes late July for royal visit
“A beautifully maintained castle and gardens. The guides, one in each of the three rooms you visit were friendly and helpful.”— Steve O'Halloran, visitor review
Further reading
Gibsons - Castle Cutaway (1000pc)
Detailed cutaway illustration of a medieval castle's rooms, dungeon to battlements.
Find it on AmazonUGears - Hogwarts Castle mechanical wooden model (340pc)
Currently-sold mechanical wooden 3D model kit, 340 parts.
Find it on Amazon
