Dumbarton Castle

On Mon 18 and Tue 19 September there will be no access to the main rock peaks – the White Tower Crag and the Beak – while we carry out routine maintenance.

Visit a stronghold that stood at the heart of an ancient kingdom covering the area now known as Strathclyde.

Conquer more than 500 steps to stand atop one of Scotland’s greatest strongholds - Dumbarton Castle.

The iconic Rock of the Clyde has heritage as breath-taking as its views over the Clyde, Loch Lomond and Argyll.

Dumbarton was a centre of power in what later became the Kingdom of Strathclyde. It was later sacked by Vikings. The castle became a cornerstone of medieval royal power and latterly served as a military base and prison.

You can explore its many fortifications with our interactive family trail.

Opening hours:
We recommend booking online in advance to guarantee entry.

1 Apr to 30 Sept:
Daily, 9.30am to 5.30pm
Last entry 4.30pm

1 Oct to 31 Mar:
Daily except Thur and Fri, 10am to 4pm
Last entry 3pm

Closed for lunch 12 noon to 1pm

Price:
Adult (16-64yrs) £7.50
Concession (65yrs+ and unemployed) £6.00
Child (7-15yrs) £4.50
Family (1 adult, 2 children) £15.00
Family (2 adults, 2 children) £21.50
Family (2 adults, 3 children) £25.50

Free for Historic Scotland members

*There are 547 steps throughout the castle making the property unsuitable for visitors using wheelchairs or with limited mobility.

Very occasionally a property has to close at short notice due to adverse weather conditions or other reasons outwith our control. Please check our closure page for any unexpected site closures historicenvironment.scot/closures You can also follow closure tweets from @welovehistory using #hsclosure. Alternatively please call the site before setting off to check they are open.