Old Keiss Castle
The ruins of Old Keiss Castle stand on the cliffs overlooking Sinclair’s Bay in Caithness. Although the castle is no longer safe to explore, it is a wonderful landmark on the coastline. It’s a great destination for a local walk while staying with us at the Ulbster Arms Hotel. It’s around a half-hour drive away from our hotel, making for a perfect trip out.
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Head to Keiss village, where you’ll find parking on the High Street or at the harbour. From there, you can take a footpath along the coast, for picturesque views of the ruins of the old castle ruins. There are also two Iron Age brochs near the start of the path. Take care, as the surface is quite rugged and uneven. If you’d like to take a longer walk, you can follow this walking trail from Nybster to Keiss, which takes around 3 hours to complete. This longer route will also take you past Nybster Broch, the fascinating remains of an Iron Age settlement.
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Old Keiss Castle was built around 1600 by George Sinclair, the 5th Earl of Caithness. Perched high and overlooking Sinclair Bay, it served as a strategic coastal stronghold. It remained in the Sinclair family, but eventually was abandoned and replaced with a newer residence in 1755, which was known as Keiss House. This was extensively renovated to look more like a castle in 1860, and today, it is often referred to as New Keiss Castle. The old castle is not safe to enter, due to years of decay, but it has become an imposing sight on the clifftops, popular with walkers, photographers and history lovers.
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Whilst in Keiss, you can visit the small village, where you’ll find the friendly Village Inn for refreshments. You can also take a look around the harbour, which was built in 1820. There is also a lovely sandy beach with views over to Sinclair’s Bay and Noss Head Lighthouse.
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Book your stay at the Ulbster Arms Hotel in Halkirk. It’s the perfect base for walking and hiking in the far north of Scotland. Call us today on 01847 831 641 or contact us for more information.
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After many years hoping , with good friends I finally got my first opportunity to visit for an angling trip last week of season. I stayed in a chalet which was spotless each day no matter how bad I I had managed to leave it.. The food was exceptional, no other words and its testimony how many non fishers are in every day from late afternoon dining.
Fishing was all the more made special by morning encouragement from Geordie, The two Pats and all the rest of the team that were always around to see everyone off…
Finally I cant point out that not one staff member that was nothing but professional and charming.. Its a small hotel operation at first glance, but its a much bigger operation than you imagine. It gets everything right and I cant wait to return. Whether as angler or just a resident guest… quite excellent.. All I can say.. They are very good at what they do and can feel proud …
