This fortified castle is perched on the strategic site of Dumbarton Rock, a basalt mass 73 m high. Formerly capital of the independent kingdom of Strathclyde (which joined Scotland in 1034), then a royal residence, this fortress was bitterly contested during the Middle Ages. The remains of the fortifications largely go back to the 18C. 278 steps lead from the governor's house to the orientation plaque at the top of the White Tower, with a further 81 steps leading up to the powder room.