,Ravenscraig Castle Ruins

Continuing my blog on places in Scotland visited and well-remembered (and even lived in) that have provided the settings for my novels.

I love castles!
You’ll already know that if you follow me.
Ravenscraig is a ruin but, with a little imagination you can see how it would have been when intact.


The Historic Scotland information boards help too.
The ruins were on the original cover of The Crash, the culminating scene occurs in its historic grounds.

Travel Journal Scottish Summer 2017
‘On Thursday we ventured out and drove to the Kingdom of Fife, a district of Scotland allowed to retain its title of kingdom. It has a beautiful coastline, and this day, wonderful weather. We stopped at Ravenscraig, a castle ruin sitting on a spine of sandstone jutting out into the sea. A beautiful place. I could have stayed there for hours. The sea breeze, fresh and salty, soothed me, and the waves gently crashed on the shore below o-so-closely, and gulls cried overhead. Hmm…very evocative.’

From The Crash


Martin followed Davy and Shona as they walked through the arched gateway of the castle ruins; the thick stone walls emitted a chill. After the tunnel-like entrance, the ruin opened to a long and narrow space, the castle complex having been built on a high spine of sandstone jutting out above the beach below. The tide was in, and the waves crashed in a constant rhythm. The cool salty breeze brushed through Martin’s hair and he pushed his long fringe out of his eyes and tucked it behind his ear. Night birds called in the wooded parklands beside the castle ruins.
The area in front of him was mostly green grass and low stone walls, the remains of the castle now a floor-plan of the fortress. Ahead, and out to sea, the original inhabitants would have seen their enemies approaching. But Martin’s enemies would come from the other direction. He turned, in the moonlight a sandstone structure ran along behind them, the remnants of the castle’s round towers and main keep. Doors of wrought iron kept tourists out of rooms still intact with a roof. Back toward the sea, rubble and a half-demolished round tower and wall stood closer to the cliff’s edge, its sandstone glowing a soft yellow in the moonlight.
“We could shelter over there.” Shona pointed to a broken wall at the edge of the sandstone spine, nearest the water, with the beach far below it.
“Aye, but we’d have to jump over the edge if they came.” Martin turned to inspect the entrance once more. “We’ll have to keep an eye out that way.”
“I’ll do that,” Davy offered. “You need to rest now, Martin.”
“Aye, ye look exhausted, Martin.” Shona placed her warm hand on his forearm. It was the only part of his body that didn’t hurt.
“Take the rifle, Davy. In case they come.”
“No, no, no.” Davy waved his hands in front of him, a panicked expression on his face. “I know nothing about guns.”
Martin sighed and walked closer to the wall nearest the sea, drawn by the rhythmic crash-and-receding song of the waves below. The moon was behind him, beginning its descent. His limbs dragged, and a heaviness settled in between the flashes of pain. Sitting on the grass, its softness lured him to rest lying on his side. He placed the rifle at his head. Davy’s footsteps receded to the stone archway entrance.
“We need food.” Shona sat beside him, her body-heat radiating toward him in the cool night.
He shook his head. “We have higher priorities. Like surviving.”

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Published on November 12, 2021 21:54
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