Kinnaird Head Castle (Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire)

North of Aberdeen is Fraserburgh, a fishing port in Buchan. In 1570, Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth built the castle of Kinnaird Head.. The laird's castle, on the rocks of Kinnaird Head, was converted to a lighthouse in 1786, the first lighthouse in Scotland. The interior has been adapted to its new purpose, but externally Sir Alexander's tall central tower, with its 6ft thick walls, is all that remains of the original building. Even with a lighthouse stuck on the top it is still unmistakeably a castle. There were originally five floors, but only four remain, the fifth being removed to make way for the lantern chamber of the lighthouse.

Standing on the tip of Kinnaird's Head, the lighthouse marks the point where the Buchan coastline turns west along the Moray Firth, following the rocky Phingask shore to Sandhaven and Rosehearty.

Click here to go to a Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse & Museum site.