Castle of Old Wick
Highland, Scotland
Photo: Flaxton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gallery: Balon Greyjoy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Balon Greyjoy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Operator
- Historic Environment Scotland
- Condition
- Ruin
- Access
- Free, open access
- Nearest station
- Wick, 1.4 miles (straight-line)
- Note
- Free; Norse-era tower on cliff-edge promontory
Pinpoint
March Rd, Wick KW1 5TY
Possible Opening Hours*
*Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
A Norse-era tower reduced to little more than a stub of wall on a promontory above the cliffs south of Wick - free to visit, and honestly more about the walk than the ruin. Reviewers consistently say there's not much building left, but the coastal path out to it, past dramatic rock formations and on to a sea stack, is worth the trip on its own.
At a glance
Worth the trip
The coastal walk itself, culminating in a sea stack past the ruin - reviewers rate the scenery well above what's left of the castle.
Before you go
The ruins are currently cordoned off for renovation, so this is a walk-and-view visit rather than an explore-the-tower one; parking and the path up are both easy.
What visitors say
Castle of Old Wick reviews · 4.4 / 5 across 564 Google reviews
Reviewers consistently agree that the castle ruin itself is small and, at the time of these visits, closed or fenced off, but the real draw is the coastal walk to reach it - several call the views and rock formations along the cliffside path stunning and worth the trip regardless of limited access to the ruins themselves.
No one raises the lack of interior access as a major complaint, more a heads-up that this is a scenery visit as much as a castle visit.
“Beautiful walk out there. Amazing views - even on a day with fog.”- Dan Mark, visitor review
Walks at Castle of Old Wick
Castle of Old Wick is on our walks roll because a visitor described a walk here in their own review:
“But the short walk along the coast with its wonderful rock formations and the views were really worth our time.”- Alex Haas, visitor review
Also worth knowing: the site itself is free to enter and you can arrive by train (Wick is 1.4 miles off).
Comparing options? See every UK castle with a walk visitors describe.
One visitor's account, not a route guide. We hold no distances, waymarks or start points. For the actual route, check the operator's own site and an Ordnance Survey map before you set out, and treat coastal and clifftop paths as weather- and tide-dependent.
History
14th century
This Norse-era tower on the Caithness cliffs dates to the later 14th century, though its exact founding remains obscure. Occupied by several families including the Sutherlands and later the Sinclairs, it eventually passed to the Dunbars who held it until 1910.
Adapted from this castle's Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Practical notes from visitors
Quoted from individual Google reviews, not verified with the operator - treat as a steer, not gospel, and check before you travel.
- Parking
- “Castle ruins on the top of a cliff, amazing scenery and a short 15 minute walk from the carpark past the mound and through the gate across the cliffs is an amazing sea stack.” - Helz C
Common questions about Castle of Old Wick
Where is Castle of Old Wick?
Castle of Old Wick is in Highland, Scotland, at March Rd, Wick KW1 5TY.
Is Castle of Old Wick free to visit?
Yes - Castle of Old Wick is a free, open-access site with no ticket booth, looked after by Historic Environment Scotland. There may still be a charge for nearby parking, and open-access arrangements can change, so it's worth a quick check before you travel.
Are there walks at Castle of Old Wick?
Visitor reviews describe walking here - one reviewer wrote: “But the short walk along the coast with its wonderful rock formations and the views were really worth our time.”. That is one visitor's account rather than a route guide, so check the operator's own site and an Ordnance Survey map for distances, paths and start points before setting out.
What is the highlight of visiting Castle of Old Wick?
The coastal walk itself, culminating in a sea stack past the ruin - reviewers rate the scenery well above what's left of the castle.
Is Castle of Old Wick a ruin or still intact?
Castle of Old Wick is a ruin - Free; Norse-era tower on cliff-edge promontory.
