The Castle of Mey was bought by The Queen Mother in 1952, while mourning the death of her husband, King George VI. Falling for its isolated charm and hearing it was to be abandoned she decided to save it.
So began The Queen Mother’s love affair with The Castle & Gardens of Mey, situated on the A836 about six miles west of John O'Groats. The Queen Mother restored it and created the beautiful gardens that can be seen today. For almost half a century The Queen Mother spent many happy summers at Mey.
A tour of the Castle & Gardens of Mey affords visitors a rare opportunity to enjoy her summer home much as she left it after her last visit in October 2001. The tour passes through the main rooms in the castle, the bedroom floor and the walled garden.
There is an animal centre with rare breeds of sheep, goats, piglets, ducks, chickens, and Alice the donkey. The visitor centre has a unique gift shop with a tearoom that serves fresh, local produce and on a fine day has wonderful views to Orkney.
There is partial disabled access to the castle and it helps if you can telephone ahead .
Opening Times
- Open daily 17th May to 30th September 2017
- Closed 25th July to 9th August 2017 inclusive*
- Castle open 10.20am to last entries 4.00pm
- Free parking - limited disabled access.
- *Dates subject to change, please see website