Rothesay Castle has reopened to visitors after the completion of essential conservation work which saw the site closed for over two years.

The castle opened to the public on Monday, March 4 after it was shut due to bridge repairs, as well as inspections of and repairs to the masonry, as part of Historic Environment Scotland’s [HES] ‘high-level masonry programme’.

The works began in June 2021, with the building having temporary access restrictions in place while repairs were undertaken.

Craig Mearns, director of operations at HES, said: “Rothesay Castle is a wonderful site, and I am delighted that we are now in a position to re-open.

“I know how much this means to the local community and economy.”

The 'high-level masonry programme' assesses the impact of climate change on sites as well as the scale of deterioration caused by several factors including the materials used in the building’s construction, its age, and physical location.

Whilst this is not an issue unique to Scotland, HES is believed to be amongst the first heritage managers to approach it in this way, with the results shared with peer organisations.

Visitors can now once again enjoy and explore the castle’s history which dates back to the 11th century.

In celebration of the re-opening, Rothesay Castle will also play host to a free community led ‘Return to the Ramparts’ event on Sunday, March 17.

The day will be run in partnership with Bute BID, Achievement Bute, Bute Museum and VisitScotland (Bute), with participation from Friends of Rothesay Castle.

Visitors can enjoy creative family activities such as crown making and soap carving, with the event running within the castle’s normal opening hours of 10am and 4pm.

Guests are encouraged to book before visiting the castle with more details available on the Historic Environment Scotland website.