Historic Fairytale Lickleyhead Castle

Popular amenities

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Kitchen

Check out the area

Insch, Aberdeenshire

Bennachie Centre15 min drive
Easter Aquhorthies Stone Circle21 min drive
Castle Fraser26 min drive
Aberdeen (ABZ)40 min drive

Rooms & beds

8 bedrooms (sleeps 16)

Duff

1 Queen Bed

Forbes

1 Double Bed

Grande Luz

1 Queen Bed

Grip Fast

1 Queen Bed

Laird's Room

1 Queen Bed

Leith Gallery

1 Double Bed, 1 Single Bed and 1 Double Futon

Lumsden Nursery

2 Single Beds

Maitland

1 Queen Bed

5 bathrooms, 3 half bathrooms

1st Floor Shower

Shower only

1st Floor Washroom

Toilet

Duff

Bathtub · Toilet

Grip Fast

Toilet · Shower only

Ground Floor

Bathtub · Toilet

Jack and Jill

Bathtub or shower

Laird's en suite

Bathtub · Toilet

Leith Gallery en suite

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Maitland en suite washroom

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Separate dining area

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Lickleyhead Castle is a luxury, exclusive use group accommodation venue. We now host weddings. Contact the management to find out more. Lickleyhead is a Grade A listed historic building from the 16th century. It can accommodate up to 16 adults, 2 children and 3 dogs. Despite it's grandeur the castle feels very much like a home with 4 working fireplaces and the overwhelming smell of woodsmoke which greets you as you climb the stone staircase. Outside, the sound of running water and abundant birdlife combine to provide an atmosphere of peace, calm and tranquility.

Each of the bedrooms have been styled to reflect the period of former owner's of note. This includes our 17th century box bedroom which has proven to be a great favourite with our guests and the Victorian nursery on the very top floor. The castle grounds which are exciting to explore, extend to 11 acres, with 2 burns (streams), rope swings to discover, not to mention a ruined archway and a bird hide. We are also situated on the lower slopes of Bennachie which of course means plenty of wonderful walks from the doorstep.

The whole building will be yours!

Property manager

Kathy Davies

Languages

French, Korean

Amenities

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Game room

Toys/games

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 18

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings

Actively encouraging weddings, experienced hosts

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs and cats (limit 5 total)

Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 50

Note from host: Actively encouraging weddings, experienced hosts

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

Property Registration Number AS-00426-P

About the area

Insch

Located in Insch, this castle is in a rural area and on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Haughton Country Park and Forvie National Nature Reserve, while Scottish Lighthouse Museum and Grampian Transport Museum are cultural highlights. Travelling with kids? Consider Little Treasures and Dean's of Huntly. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Insch, Aberdeenshire

What's nearby

Bennachie Centre - 15 min drive
Haughton Country Park - 17 min drive
Easter Aquhorthies Stone Circle - 21 min drive
Castle Fraser - 26 min drive
Union Square Shopping Centre - 38 min drive

Getting around

Insch Station - 14 min drive
Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) - 41 min drive

Restaurants

Morgan McVeighs - 12 min drive
Kellockbank Country Emporium - 10 min drive
Great WALL - 16 min drive
The Alford Bistro - 16 min drive
Lil' C's - 8 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic Fairytale Lickleyhead Castle pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 5 total).

What time is check-in at Historic Fairytale Lickleyhead Castle?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic Fairytale Lickleyhead Castle?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Historic Fairytale Lickleyhead Castle located?

Located on the waterfront, this family-friendly castle is within 6 mi (10 km) of Insch Connection Museum, Insch Meadows Wildlife Area, and Insch Golf Club. Insch Library and Insch War Memorial Hospital are also within 6 miles (10 km).

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

James G.

11 September 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best Place I’ve Ever Stayed

Truly a magical experience! And we may have had an encounter with the Green Lady! The rooms were all lovely and it was difficult to pick which one I wanted. We held a murder mystery event on the evening of my birthday through Red Herring Events and it was fantastic!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Michael S.

19 June 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Whisky and golf base camp

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Lickleyhead! We started our stay with some extras arranged with the help of James: archery, a catered banquet, and a whisky tasting. The setting for each was perfect. We mainly used the place as a base for other activities. In retrospect, it would have been better to leave more time to enjoy the castle and explore the grounds. There were 10 of us, which seemed like a good number for the space. Everything was well equipped and clean. As you would expect in a structure hundreds of years old, water pressure in the lower floor bathrooms is much better than the top floors. But this was more than offset by the character and charm of all of the bedrooms. Our main hangout area was the great hall, which had a massive fireplace. There were plenty of other places to relax; we just didn’t use them. We would definitely stay again!

Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Maria M.

19 May 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun with Friends at Lickleyhead

A group of friends had a shared dream of a Scottish Stay with whisky tours and Highland games. Lickleyhead Castle exceeded our expectations. James and Kathy were extremely accommodating and helpful in fulfilling our dream!

Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

About the host

Hosted by Kathy Davies

A family team, Kathy and James work to make your stay at Lickleyhead Castle the best it can be.

Why they chose this property

Kathy was looking for a chance to realise her childhood dream of owning a castle in Scotland. When the opportunity came along the family all moved to the area to make it a reality. Staying in the castle is truly a magical experience and one you will never forget. Winding spiral staircases, Heavily studded doors from ages past, a cavernous hall with roaring fire, beautiful panelled bedrooms, bathrooms in turrets overlooking the garden, many acres of native unspoiled woodland. Your escape from the present day begins at Lickleyhead Castle.

What makes this property unique

Up to six guests at a time can play golf for free at nearby 18 hole Insch Golf Club. Offer ends in June 2023. This is unlimited but rounds of golf must be booked in advance. The 7th guest and up only pays half price per round (£15). 50% discounts available at clubs affiliated with Insch in Aberdeenshire. Again, must be booked in advance. All guests (not just golfers) can also eat at the golf club (pub style food).