Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Grotte de Glace
Sinquerim Beach Bastion
Port Tobacco Schoolhouse
Barracks / munitions storage.
Vloethemveld
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è Pasta... E Pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Green-Wood Cemetery, overlooking New York Harbor.
Where Our Team Looked for Joy During Pandemic Lockdowns
The 2,653-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail spans the entire West Coast from Canada to Mexico.
Meet the Volunteers Who Keep Thru-Hikers Moving
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House building on the U.S.-Canadian border.
Could New Border Restrictions Literally Tear the Haskell Free Library Apart?
A woman peering into the cave of Sarah Bishop c. 1900.
The Curious History of New England’s Hermit Tourism

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Dunure Dunure Labyrinth

Dunure Labyrinth

This modern labyrinth lies in the shadow of a ruined medieval castle.

Dunure, Scotland

Added By
Sandra McGhee
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The labyrinth, with castle ruins in the background.   ssm67alba / Atlas Obscura User
The labryrinth.   Rosser1954/cc by-sa 3.0
A blend of new and old structures.   Andrew Guthrie/cc by-sa 2.0
Castle ruins.   Rosser1954/cc by-sa 3.0
  Gotta23Skidoo / Atlas Obscura User
  Gotta23Skidoo / Atlas Obscura User
  Gotta23Skidoo / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Old and new structures blend together within this Scottish park, where a labyrinth lies in the shadow of a ruined medieval castle. The labyrinth, although modern, looks dramatic against the backdrop of the ruins.

The labyrinth was built a decade ago after the community received a grant from a Millennium Funding Project. Locals constructed the labyrinth, and it’s currently maintained by volunteers from the village and various pagan groups from throughout Scotland.

The labyrinth sits just atop a small stretch of beach. Walking through the labyrinth to a soundtrack of crashing waves is a zen, meditative experience.

But the land the labyrinth sits upon was not always so peaceful. Dunure Castle, which looms in the background, has witnessed centuries of turmoil. It was the home of Clan Kennedy of Carrick. As such, it was the stage for many of their disputes. The most notorious conflict occurred in 1570, when Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassilis, roasted a man over an open fire for two days until the captive finally agreed to sign over some land.

Related Tags

Ruins Castles Labyrinths Paganism Mazes

Know Before You Go

Visiting the castle and labyrinth is free, but you'll have to pay to use the Kennedy Park car park. Parking there is worth the fee, as parking within the village can be difficult.

From the car park, head toward the cliffs until you come across the narrow path that leads down to the labyrinth. Keep in mind that the path gets slick and muddy after rain. There is also a beach on the other side of the castle, which is a great place for a picnic or exploring.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Scotland: Beyond the Haggis

Smoked seafood, single malt whisky, and warm hospitality.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

ssm67alba

Edited By

leahkorn, Joan Jacobus, Gotta23Skidoo, Kerry Wolfe

  • leahkorn
  • Joan Jacobus
  • Gotta23Skidoo
  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

August 10, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/dunure/dunurecastle/index.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunure
  • https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/walk-worlds-meditative-labyrinths-180957823/
  • https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dunure+Labyrinth/@55.4043228,-4.7633671,220m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x4889d80c052beb7f:0x12cd54786bd455f3!2sKennedy+Dr,+Dunure,+Ayr+KA7+4LT,+UK!3b1!8m2!3d55.405101!4d-4.7570233!3m4!1s0x4889d80ca9d3b243:0x4492b0b37654b790!8m2!3d55.4044605!4d-4.7632344
Dunure Labyrinth
Kennedy Drive
Dunure, Scotland
United Kingdom
55.40446, -4.763233
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Dunure Castle

Dunure, Scotland

miles away

Electric Brae Gravity Hill Illusion

South Ayrshire, Scotland

miles away

The Poets Path

Ayr, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dunure

Dunure

Scotland

Places 2

Nearby Places

Dunure Castle

Dunure, Scotland

miles away

Electric Brae Gravity Hill Illusion

South Ayrshire, Scotland

miles away

The Poets Path

Ayr, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dunure

Dunure

Scotland

Places 2

Related Places

  • Cornwall, England

    Rocky Valley Labyrinths

    These mysterious mazes carved on the rock may be up to 4,000 years old.

  • View of Valkenburg from the ruins

    Valkenburg, Netherlands

    Kasteelruine Fluweelengrot

    The ruins of this Dutch castle sit atop a labyrinth of once-secret tunnels and passageways, dating back over 900 years.

  • The ruins of Knossos.

    Heraklion, Greece

    Knossos

    A minotaur, a labyrinth, and a dubious restoration pull in visitors from around the world.

  • Tynemouth Castle.

    Tynemouth, England

    Tynemouth Priory and Castle

    Royal burial place of the kings of ancient Britain.

  • Tharandt, Germany

    Tharandt Castle Ruin

    Near Dresden, a scenic medieval castle ruin offers atmospheric views, educational ties to forestry, and a glimpse into Saxony’s past.

  • Castle Mound.

    Cambridge, England

    Castle Mound

    This hill is all that remains of Cambridge’s former castle.

  • This plan maps out the larger paths of the caerdroia in Gwydyr Forest.

    Wales

    Caerdroia of Gwydir Forest

    Wander along roughly a mile of paths in what may be the world's largest forest labyrinth.

  • Lisnagrave, Ireland

    Dunlough Castle

    The eerie remains of one of Ireland's oldest castles, said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who brings ill fate.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.