Dunrobin Castle is in the county of Sutherland and we stopped there on the way to visiting my cousins in Caithness. I had visited this castle as a child when we lived in Scotland.
From this angle in the grounds it looks like a fairytale castle.
When my husband and I first travelled to Scotland from Australia in 2003 we visited the castle but were unable to look inside as it was past the holiday season and the castle was closed. We were still able to look around the grounds but there was not a single person in sight.
This time, 2012, we were there during the holiday season so we were able to get a look inside. We were also fortunate enough to be there at the right time to catch a wonderful display of falconry.
As well as the falconry display there were several other birds which were on display.
The grounds of the castle are beautiful and well worth visiting as there is also a family museum in the grounds.
That is the North Sea you can see in the background. The garden is well sheltered and has some plants that you would not normally expect to see in this part of Scotland.
My reason for visiting Dunrobin is that my maiden name is Sutherland. . . .hence the link to Dunrobin Castle which is the ancestral home of the Earl of Sutherland and the clan Sutherland.
The clan motto is Sans peur, without fear and it is sculpted into the window architraves in the castle.
Gippsland Granny 
How lovely that it was open on your last visit. When I lived in Caithness I drove up and down past Dunrobin regularly and every time I passed I said to myself that I must visit it one day. I never did but I hope I will one day. It’s very different from any other castle I can think of in Scotland, those tall turrets make it look as if it’s straight out of a Disney movie.