One of my favorite visits while in Scotland was the Knock Castle Ruins. My showcase for this honors experience will be a flyer I made to encourage future students to venture to this location if they ever get the chance to visit the area.
Knock Castle Ruins
Near the small town of Ballater, Aberdeenshire, there are the remains of what was once a Tower-House. It was owned by the Gordons, an old Scottish family from the 1500’s, but is now cared for by Historic Scotland, a group dedicated to preserving the nation’s history and culture. The castle ruins are within walking distance of Ballater - it takes about twenty to thirty minutes to get to the ruins, but the views of the Scottish countryside do not disappoint. All that remains of the castle are the exterior walls, the entrance, and a few windows and partial stairways inside.
It is rumored that the castle’s last Laird fell to his death down the staircase after learning that all of his sons were killed by a neighbor over a territory dispute. While land disputes are not common today, it was clear from our time in Ballater that family pride still runs deep in the community. At a restaurant in Ballater, some locals were asking those of us on the study tour for our family names – then they were able to tell us if the names were of Scottish origin. They explained that in Scotland, your second name meant everything. As a global citizen, the visit to this location showed us that cultures are always evolving, but that some ideals can withstand the test of time. While we don’t have as much meaning behind our last names in the U.S., it was interesting to see the impact of family names on the local culture. It is experiences like this that truly allow for appreciation and understanding of cultural diversity and history.
Although not one of the most popular Scottish attractions, the Knock Castle Ruins offer an opportunity to see a part of the country that is not as well traveled by tourists. To get to the ruins, you pass a scenic river, farms with the notorious “hairy coos” of the highlands, and picturesque rolling hills that become distant mountains. When you get to the ruins, there is a fence to climb over and a small field to walk through. It is because of how remote and surreptitious the ruins are that I would recommend this experience to other students. This castle isn’t overcrowded with tourists and this allows for a more authentic experience. The story behind the ruins also shows the history of the land and how the culture has been preserved over time.
It is one thing to visit another country, but it is something else entirely to venture into the areas less traveled by tourists. I encourage anyone who will be in the area to venture out to the Knock Castle Ruins because sometimes the best journeys are those that wonder off the beaten path.