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Spring Castles Tour – Around Carlisle and the Debatable Lands
Our Spring Tour of the Debatable Lands will take place on 18th and 19th April 2026, with additional pop-up visits on the afternoon of 17th April.
Attached is the itinerary, and we are still open for bookings on our website. Please book early to guarantee your place – we are using one 30-seater bus, so places will be limited. Booking closes on 3rd April 2026.
The tour will depart from our base, Gretna Hall Hotel, at 09:00 on Saturday and return at 17:50. On Sunday we will depart at 09.00 and return by 17.00. Our organisers have put together an excellent – and busy – tour with a mix of internal and external viewings of inhabited and ruined castles. We will visit up to eight sites per day, and we are aiming to have our lunches at two of the castles we are visiting.
On Friday afternoon there is the opportunity to see two additional castles in the area: Lochhouse Tower, owned by our tour organisers, and Elshieshields Tower, where we will be offered light refreshments.
The tour is open to SCA Members only. The ticket price is £130 per person for the weekend. This will include all entrance fees (with the exception of Historic Environment Scotland/English Heritage and National Trust for Scotland properties); transport to and from tour castles, and lunch on both days. Please remember to bring your HES/EH membership cards to avoid paying additional entry fees.
We will enjoy a group dinner at Gretna Hall Hotel on Saturday night – SCA Dinner Gretna Hall Menu
The dinner will be open to members – including those who are not attending the tour – and their guests.
If you would like to attend the dinner only, please contact events@scotlandscastles.org to reserve your place.
If you would like to stay at the Gretna Hall Hotel, please read the booking instructions below.
Rooms should be booked directly with Gretna Hall Hotel per the terms below. The hotel will honour the negotiated SCA rate, subject to availability. You will be responsible for booking your accommodation and settling the bill with the hotel.
Friday evening
Twin/Double Bed & Breakfast – £140 (or incl. £25 dinner allowance per person – £190)
Single Bed & Breakfast – £130 (or incl. £25 dinner allowance per person – £155)
Guests who add on a dinner allowance can make a reservation to secure a table in the restaurant upon booking.
Saturday evening, which includes a three-course dinner
Twin/Double Bed, Breakfast and three-course dinner – £200
Single Bed, Breakfast and three-course dinner – £160
Hotel booking and cancellation terms:
Guests will secure their rooms with payment in full.
Cancellations:
- 56-45 days prior to arrival (21/2/26 – 3/3/26) – 50% of the total balance is due.
- 44 days or less prior to arrival (4/3/26 – 17/4/26) – 100% of the total balance is due.
The hotel will hold rooms until 5th March 2026.
To book, contact reservations at Gretna Hall Hotel on 01461 338257. Select Option 2 and quote the reference “SCA Group”. Bookings can only be made Monday to Friday between 9 and 5.
On the Sunday of our tour, guests must check out by 11am but can leave their cars in the car park.
You will receive a full tour itinerary and details of your fellow attendees the week before the tour.
If you have any queries or problems with booking please contact events@scotlandscastles.org
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