Inveraray Castle or Downton's Duneagle

Front of Inveraray Castle 

As it was a Bank Holiday on the first Monday in May me and my sister took the opportunity to see more of our own Country. I have never been to Inveraray in Argyll, Scotland before and found it's a charming and traditional town. The reason why we decided to take the 926 Citylink Bus from Glasgow to Inveraray was because of Inveraray Castle. The Christmas special of Downton Abbey, Series 3 was filmed in the stunning Inveraray Castle and grounds. In the programme it was referred to as Duneagel Castle where Lord Grantham's, Scottish relative lives. During my visit I could see why the producers of Britian's favourite period drama chose the Castle to film the Christmas special. It is the sort of place that Lord and Lady Grantham would approve of and even Violet. The neo-gothic Castle is the family home of the Dukes of Argyll, established by the 3rd Duke of Argyll in 1745.

Interior of the Castle: one of the rooms

In the 21st century it is open to tourists to see the elegant interior with large paintings of the Argyll family, chandeliers and archaic furniture. Two woman from L.A were in front of us as we went into the Castle, as American's do like their Scottish Castles. After you've seen the inside of the Castle a look around the large grounds are a must. In May a bluebell carpet serves as a bonus feature to the Castle experience. The Castle has a gift shop complete with souvenirs to take back home and a tearoom perfect if you are a Downton Abbey fan - although Carson won't be there to serve you. If you prefer a meal, The George Hotel on Inveraray, Main Street makes a perfect country pub. You can have a bar meal and drinks in a cosy atmosphere as the roaring, logged fire will be sure to warm you up if it's a cold day.  Inveraray is situated next to Loch Fyne so is located with lovely surroundings making it a great Scottish getaway or day trip.

Downton Abbey Photo Collage, hung up on a wall