77834 Castle of Mey Leaflet 2016_L_let 01/03/2016 11:45 Page 1 OPENING TIMES

OPEN DAILY from 17th May 2017 to 30th September 2017 2016 CLOSED 29th July 2017 through to 9th August 2017 inclusive* CastleOpening open 10.20am times to last for entries 2016 4.00pm THE FREE PARKING - limited disabled access. Open*Please daily 18th check May website to 30th as dates September can vary 2016 VISITOR CENTRE Closed 25th July through to 9th August 2016 inclusive* THE QUEEN MOTHER’S Castle openDIRECTIONS 10.20am to last entries 4.00pm the Visitor Centre Free parking - limited disabled access. Our uniquelyOur uniquelydesigned designedgift shop gift features shop featur mainly es mainly Scottish Scottish HOME IN products productsalso Royal also CollectionRoyal Collection china, china, a range a range of of MeyMey The castle is *Pleaseon the checkA836, website 14 miles as datesfrom can Thurso vary and 6 miles Selections,Selections, Castle of CastleMey tweed of Mey and tweed scarves and madescarves from made The from The from JohnGETTING O’Groats. TOPARKING THE CASTLE IS FREE. OF MEY The queen mother’s Queen Mother’sQueen Mother'sown check. own check.Fresh Freshlocal localproduce, produce, cream cream teas ByThe Public castle transport,is on the A836, train 14 ormiles bus from to Thurso and and 6 milesthen from from teas and homeand home baking baking are servedare served in thein thetearoom tearoom which which has has John O’Groats. Parking is free. By Public transport, train or bus to home in caithness Thurso a No.80 bus to John O’ Groats but get off in the stunning viewsstunning to . views to Orkney. Thurso and then from Thurso a No.80 bus to John O’ Groats but get villageoff in ofthe Mey.village Ifof Mey.you Iftelephone you telephone in inadvance advance we willwill do do The shop Theand shoptearoom and aretearoom open aredaily open from daily 1000 from hours 1000 to hours everythingeverything we can weto cancollect to collect you fromyou from the the village. village. 1700 hours.to 1700Entrance hours. to the Entrance visitor centreto the visitoris free andcentre there is isfree and easy wheelchairthere isaccess. easy wheelchairMost major accecredit ss. cards Most are major accepted. credit cards Stroma

The Castleare & Gardensaccepted. of The Mey Castle are part & of Gardens the Queen of Mey Elizabeth are part of Castle of Mey Canisbay Church House of the PROOF Castle of Meythe TrustQueen which Elizabeth is a registered Castle of charity Mey Trust and all which profits is a Northern Gate John O’Groats registered charity and all profits contribute to the East contribute to the conservation of the castle. Mey Mey Canisbay conservation of the castle. A836 Murkle Dunnet NORTH Scrabster THE Thurso Castletown the Animal Centre A99 SEA ANIMAL CENTRE B876 There is a newly built Animal Centre situated in the East Loch Calder A9 There is aWoods, newly justbuilt a shortAnimal walk Centre from thesituated front ofin the the Castle. East With an Halkirk Loch Woods, justeducational a short walk bias from the animal the front centre of the has Castle. a donkey, With goats, an pigs, Watten educationalpoultry bias the and animal the renowned centre has North a donkey, Country goats, Cheviot pigs, breed of Reiss poultry andsheep the whichrenowned Mey's North Longoe Country Farm specialises Cheviot breedin. A fascinatingof Watten Loch of A882 experience, especially for children. Toftingall sheep which Mey’s Longoe Farm specialises in. A fascinating A9 Wick experience, especially for children.

To Dunrobin Castle Printed by Speedprint, Inverness • 01463 T: 710928 • www.speedprintdigital.co.uk to Latheron DISABLEDDISABLED ACCESS ACCESS SPEEDPRINTAccess to the castle for less mobile visitors can be arranged with Access to the castle for less mobile visitors can be arranged prior noticewith but prior is limited notice and,but regrettably,is limited and,it may regrettably, prove impossible it may prove impossibleto visit areas to suchvisit asareas the suchbedrooms. as the bedrooms. ForTHE more CASTLE information & contact GARDENS OF MEY THE CASTLEThurso, & GARDENS Caithness OF KW14MEY 8XH Thurso, CaithnessTel: KW14 01847 8XH 851473 Tel: 01847 851473Email: [email protected] on email: [email protected] visit www.castleofmey.org.ukpaper from or visit www.castleofmey.org.uk sustainable sources Visit usVisit on Facebook us on Facebook - The Castle - The& Gardens Castle of & Mey Gardens of Mey Follow Followus on Twitter us on @castleofmey Twitter @castleofmey 2017

PRINTED BY SPEEDPRINT, INVERNESS ON PAPER FROM SUSTAINABLE SOURCES Welcome to the Castle of Mey The most northerly castle on the UK mainland, the Castle of Mey stands in a magnificent setting on the Caithness coast, with glorious views across the towards Orkney. A A ROYAL HOME LOST GARDEN

When The Queen Mother first saw the Castle of Mey, it was The walled garden was dear to The Queen Mother’s heart in a poor state of repair. Recently widowed and looking for and represents a real triumph over the neglect of time and somewhere to escape from the public eye, she decided to save the onslaught of the elements. Within the shelter of the Great it from ruin. This she did and in the process, created a much Wall of Mey, a traditional Scottish garden has been lovingly loved holiday home to which she returned every summer for recreated. the rest of her life. The Queen Mother’s personal touch is apparent everywhere, Today the castle is kept as it was when The Queen Mother from the greenhouse with its magnificent floral displays to the was in residence. With the help of the knowledgeable guides, Shell Garden, a place she loved to sit, with its old fashioned AN the visitor gains a fascinating insight into her personality, her shrub roses and climbers. interests and her love of life. PROOF HISTORIC CASTLE It is very much a working garden and, during The Queen Mother’s summer residence, it provided the kitchen with The Castle of Mey was built in the late 16th century by George THE QUEEN ELIZABETH fruit and vegetables. It continues to do this when HRH Prince Sinclair, the 4th Earl of Caithness and was occupied by his Charles stays, along with providing wonderful fresh produce descendants for over three hundred years. This colourful CASTLE OF MEY TRUST for the Tearoom. Two gardens, shaped in facing ‘E’s have also period in the castle’s history embraces the dark deeds of been added, one full of scented roses and the other a potager the earliest owners as well as the eccentric activities of later The Queen Mother established The Queen Elizabeth Castle of garden. occupants such as the 14th Earl (right) who brought the first Mey Trust in 1996 and transferred ownership of the castle to it steam car to this part of in 1860. later that year. It was her wish that the Trust should maintain the castle for the benefit of the local community. The 15th Earl of Caithness was the last Sinclair to live at Mey. When he died in 1889 the castle was bequeathed away from As President of the Trust, Prince Charles takes a keen interest the Sinclair family and subsequently bought by The Queen in events at Mey. Since his grandmother’s death in March 2002, Mother inSPEEDPRINT 1952. he has stayed at the castle in early August every year. Photo/s: Nick Hugh McCann ©The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust 2017 Photo/s: Nick Hugh McCann ©The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust with the exclusion of HM and HRH