Fast Castle is a dramatic ruined fortress perched on a narrow rocky promontory 45 metres above the North Sea near Coldingham in the Scottish Borders. The triangular summit of a high cliff stack is separated from the mainland by a deep ravine, creating one of Scotland's most striking castle settings. Originally built at an unknown date and rebuilt in 1522, the castle hosted Margaret Tudor in 1503 on her journey to marriage with James IV of Scotland, and was visited by Mary, Queen of Scots in 1566. The castle inspired Sir Walter Scott's Wolf's Crag in The Bride of Lammermoor, and its remote position later made it a haven for smuggling and ship wrecking operations.
