Pink tartan for a fairytale castle

A Scottish “fairytale castle” has had its own tartan registered in the official Scottish Register of Tartans in Edinburgh, and it is bright pink to match its famous walls.

Craigievar Castle, six miles south of Alford, in Aberdeenshire, is known around the world for its pinky-peach colour.

The “Pink Castle” tartan was commissioned by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), who run the 400 year old fortress, which is also said to have inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle.

The design, by Lochcarron, has now been officially certified.

The main pink colour was chosen “directly to match the pink hues of the castle’s exterior”. It also features blues to represent the slate spires and the sky over the castle; yellow, inspired by the castle’s golden weather vane; and brown and green for the detailing on the castle and the trees surrounding it.

The tartan, which can only be woven with permission from NTS, has been timed to coincide with the castle reopening in May following a major “Pink Again” restoration project.

It will be used in lambswool scarves, blankets, serapes and ponchos for sale in selected NTS shops and online.

James Henderson, NTS’ Operations Manager for Aberdeenshire South, said: “Craigievar Castle has been a place of inspiration for centuries and we are delighted to see its unique qualities reflected in this beautiful new fabric. We are sure it will prove popular.”

Craigievar Castle is one of the most unique locations to visit in Scotland. Completed in 1626 for the powerful Forbes family, it features sculpted turrets, gargoyles and high corbelling to create its classic fairytale appearance.

The historic L-plan Scottish Baronial castle is world famous, however, for the tinted traditional lime wash that gives its walls and turrets the pink colour first introduced by Sir John Forbes in 1824.

Owned by the Forbes family for 350 years, it was also used as a hospital for wounded Belgian soldiers during the First World War.

The NTS, which runs the seven storey castle, its estate and 200 acres of land, describes it as “one of the North-East’s most magical castles” and “spellbindingly beautiful”.

It usually attracts tens of thousands of people from around the globe. The restoration project aims to protect and restore it for future generations.

Registration notes for the Pink Castle tartan in the official Tartan Register state: “The castle is well known and much loved around the globe for its distinct pink exterior.

“The project involved high level repairs to the roof and harling on the building as well as refreshing the lime wash that gives Craigievar Castle its distinctive pink colour.”