Castle Stuart

Castle StuartWhen Mary Queen of Scots returned to Scotland in 1561, she granted Castle Stewart to her half brother, James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray.  It is situated near the village of Ardersier.  Mary changed the spelling to the French version of Stuart.  Later James and his son were murdered so the restoration of the castle fell to his grandson, James Stuart, the 3rd Earl of Moray in 1652.  After the English Civil War when Charles 1 was executed, the castle became derelict.  It was only restored in the early 1900’s.  

It is now a luxury hotel, popular as a wedding venue.  In 2009 the seaside links golf course opened. It was designed by two Americans, Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse.  It has hosted the Scottish open several years since then.

Reserve a Tour-…

Thistle Excursions are a bus tour operator which departs from Invergordon. This is the perfect location for visitors on touring cruise ships stopping in the Cromarty Firth at the port of Invergordon. Our Invergordon bus tours are the prefect way for tourists and sightseeers to get a true taste of the Highlands of Scotland. Our bus tours which leave from Invergordon feature some of the best Highland locations; Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield, Inverness, Beauly Priory, Black Rock Gorge, Clava Cairns, Cawdor Castle, Urqhuart Castle, Carnegie Whisky Cellar and Balblair Distillery. Check out our Highland bus tour destinations page to choose which sights you want to see. Our bus tours have been chosen to allow you to see the most iconic destinations featured in numerous films, TV shows and rich Scottish History. So if you are looking for the perfect sightseeing tour of the Highlands, Thistle Excursions is your tour operator.

We also offer tailormade bus tours of the Highlands from Invergordon and Inverness.

When booking your tour please choose carefully which castle you wish to visit. Either Cawdor, Urquhart or Dunrobin. You can visit one on your tour but when doing the Cawdor visit you will see Urquhart beside Loch Ness in the background, but you do not visit both.  Time does not allow.