CAPTURE NEW HORIZONS

Hailes Castle is one of my favourite locations for photographic expeditions.  Situated just a few miles from Dunbar this ruined castle is steeped in history and is located in the perfect location on the banks of the River Tyne.  In the winter Hailes looks forlorn and bleak but when spring comes along the wild flowers provide a carpet of colour.  There are also walks on both sides of the river and plenty of things to photograph in and about the castle grounds. Last Wednesday I spent an hour photographing the snowdrops and also the castle itself in the beautiful spring sunshine. History Hidden away in the pretty valley of the River Tyne stands the remarkable castle of Hailes. It is one of Scotland’s oldest stone castles, dating from the first half of the 1200s. Hailes Castle served as a fortified noble residence for over 300 years. The puzzle is its location, for the castle is overlooked at close quarters by high ground, making it very difficult to defend. T...

In the trees just off the A1 near East Linton near Dunbar lies the ruined 13th century castle of Hailes which is open to visitors all year round for free.  The extensive ruin lies on the banks of the River Tyne, which flows past the castle on its way to the North Sea. Built in 1240 by the Gourlay family, Hailes Castle has featured heavily in the turbulent history of Scotland.  Most notably Hailes was home to Mary Queen of Scots just before her ill fated marriage to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell.   The Queen also stayed at Hailes years before when Henry VIII sent a a small army north to occupy Hailes to force seven year old Mary to marry his son Edward. Hailes once again came under attack by an English army in 1650 when Oliver Cromwell's troop severely damaged the fortifications.  Later in the 17th century Hailes was bought by the Dalrymple family but they abandoned the castle in favour of a country house. Hailes Castle is now maintained by Historic Scotl...