Balvaird Castle is perched on a hilltop overlooking the A912 as it makes its way over the eastern arm of the Ochil Hills. Balvaird Castle was built in 1500 by Sir Andrew Murray, a member of the Murray family of Tullibardine. The castle was built, altered, developed and improved over many years. A gatehouse range was built in 1567, and the castle also incorporated various walled gardens and an orchard. Today the castle comprises a very large tower house, only open to the public occasionally, and the ruins of a number of the courtyard buildings that supported the operation of the castle during the residence of the Murrays. It is possible to walk in a circuit through the fields below the top of the hill, and appreciate the castle and its location from all angles. Visitors calling when the tower house is not open can freely explore the ruins of the courtyard. (from Undiscovered Scotland)
