In many ways Cawdor castle is a fairly typical preserved castle, in that it is lavishly decorated and has sprawling staircases and hallways and mysterious doors and rooms. A bizarre contrast to all of this is the big, bright, modern kitchen decked out in stainless-steel. Furthermore, this castle is actually still a genuine residence--for one woman, the widow of the last lord. (I suspect that she is not the one who enjoys the wonders in the kitchen, though probably the products thereof.)
Because the castle is still occupied, there are quite a few friendly guards throughout, and the route is strictly outlined, with off-limits areas clearly roped off. In each room is a narrative written by the previous lord, who had a bit of a sense of humor, making for more enjoyable reading than many castle guide books.
Although the castle itself is impressive enough, probably the best thing about it is the surrounding gardens and woodlands. An incredible amount of work has gone into the gardens, and they are quite charming. You can spend quite a bit of time amongst the trimmed hedges, wandering under the vine passageways. There is even a maze hedge made, although this area is inaccessible to the public (because the soil would be damaged by too many feet trampling over it...).
The castle is open seven days a week from 10am to 5:30pm, from May 1st to the second Sunday in October. There is ample parking. The castle's phone number is +44 (0)1667 404615, and their website is
http://www.cawdorcastle.com/.
There is only minimal wheelchair access.