You know that feeling when you're flying around the Scottish Highlands, feeling like a total boss on your broom, and then you hit a literal brick wall? That’s Falbarton Castle for most players. It’s sitting there in the Hogsmeade Valley, looking all moody and dilapidated, but the front gate is locked tighter than Gringotts. Most people just circle it three times, get annoyed, and fly away.
Don't do that.
Falbarton Castle isn't just another random ruin meant to pad out the map. It's the site of one of the most cinematic missions in the game: The High Keep. If you're trying to figure out how to get inside before you've met Natty Onai near the castle grounds for that specific quest, honestly, you're wasting your time. The game hard-locks the interior until that mission triggers. It's kinda frustrating if you're an explorer type, but that’s just how the scripting works here.
Why Falbarton Castle is the Turning Point
A lot of players think the main story is all about Ancient Magic and trials. Sure, that's the backbone. But Falbarton Castle is where the stakes actually get personal. This is where you and Natsai Onai go on a rogue mission to uncover what Theophilus Harlow and the Rookwood lot are actually up to. It’s also—and this is the big draw—where you finally get your hands on a Highwing.
Winning over a Hippogriff is a core "Wizarding World" fantasy. While you get a broom early on, the game feels different once you're on the back of a beast. The mechanics of the Falbarton infiltration are a bit different from your standard "stealth into a bandit camp" vibe. It feels more like a linear set piece. You aren't just spamming Confringo; you’re solving environmental puzzles that require actual thought. Or at least a basic understanding of how Depulso works.
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Breaking Into the High Keep
When you finally arrive for the quest, you’ll realize the front door is a no-go. You’ve gotta go around the right side. See those battlements? That’s your way in.
I’ve seen people get stuck on the very first mechanic: the gate winch. You’ll see a mechanism that looks like it needs a good shove. It does. Hit it with Depulso a few times. The grate opens, but it falls back down immediately. This is the game's way of checking if you’re actually paying attention to your spell wheel. You need to use Accio on the crate nearby to pull it over, then Levioso it so you can climb up.
It's simple stuff, but in the heat of a mission with Natty whispering in your ear, it’s easy to overthink it.
Once you’re up on the walls, the path is relatively narrow. You’ll be doing a lot of "wall-hugging." You’ll encounter a crawlspace hidden behind some breakable wood. Smash it. Move through. You’ll eventually reach a point where you need to move another crate to reach the upper level. Pro tip: if a crate isn’t going where you want it to, stop. Reset. Check the floor for tracks or grooves. The game usually broadcasts exactly where it wants you to place objects if you look closely at the textures.
The Ambush and the Rooftop
The atmosphere inside Falbarton is great. It’s dark, it’s cramped, and it feels dangerous. Eventually, you’ll find yourself separated from Natty. This is where the combat picks up. You’ll face a handful of Poacher Rangers and Animagi.
If you’re playing on Hard, don't sleep on your Protego timing here. The Rangers love to fire from elevations you aren't looking at. I personally find that using Transformation (if you have the talent point in it that turns enemies into explosive barrels) is the fastest way to clear these narrow walkways. One barrel toss and the whole platform is clear.
What Most People Miss in Falbarton Castle
After the quest is over, the castle remains an open location. Most players never come back. That’s a mistake.
There is a decent amount of loot tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the keep that you likely ignored while chasing after Highwing. If you head back to the ramparts where you first entered, there are collection chests that count toward your Hogsmeade Valley completion percentage.
- The Cellars: There are small rooms off the main path containing gear chests.
- The Top Tower: Even after the cutscene where you fly away, you can fly back later and land on the very top balcony. Sometimes there are legendary gear drops in the chests up there.
- The Hidden Room: Near the gatehouse, there’s a room blocked by a Level 1 or 2 Alohomora lock. Most people haven't leveled up their lockpicking enough when they first do the quest, so they forget to return. Go back. The rewards are leveled to your current state, so if you go back at Level 30, you’re getting endgame-quality gear.
Managing the Infamous "Climbing" Glitch
Let’s be real for a second. Hogwarts Legacy is a massive game, and sometimes the collision physics at Falbarton Castle act up. I’ve seen players get stuck inside the geometry of the walls during the climbing segment.
If this happens to you:
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- Don't panic.
- Fast travel to the nearest Floo Flame (the one right outside the castle).
- Walk back.
Trying to "jump" your way out of a stuck wall usually just triggers an autosave while you're falling through the void, which can ruin a save file. Just reset the area. Also, make sure your broom isn't "active" in your inventory if you’re trying to trigger a specific climbing animation; sometimes the game gets confused about which state you’re in.
The Lore of the Place
Why is this place even here? In the context of the 1890s setting, Falbarton is basically a crumbling relic of a different era of wizarding defense. It wasn't built by Rookwood, but his lot has definitely "squatted" in it. It serves as a perfect hub for the poaching ring because it’s tucked away in the corner of the map, far enough from the Hogwarts Professors’ prying eyes but close enough to Hogsmeade to be a nuisance.
It’s a grim reminder that while Hogwarts is all cozy fires and floating candles, the rest of the highlands are actually pretty rugged and lawless.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Visit
If you're looking at that castle on your map right now, here is exactly what you should do to make the most of it.
First, check your quest log. If The High Keep isn't there, keep doing main story missions. Specifically, focus on anything involving Natsai Onai. You cannot force this location open.
Second, make sure you have Depulso and Accio equipped. You'll need them for the gate puzzles. If you have Confringo, keep it handy for the wooden barricades that hide the side paths.
Third, once the mission starts, don't rush. The poachers in this area carry some of the better early-to-mid-game loot. Search every room. Use Revelio constantly. The spell's ping will highlight chests through the thick stone walls of the keep, making it way easier to find the "hidden" rooms.
Fourth, after you get your Hippogriff, take five minutes to fly back to the castle once the mission is officially marked as complete. Land on the high battlements. There are often resource nodes and chests that weren't accessible during the scripted chase sequence.
Finally, if you’re trying to 100% the game, remember that Falbarton is part of the Hogsmeade Valley region. If your map says you're missing a collection chest in that area, there is a 90% chance it's sitting inside one of the locked rooms in the Falbarton gatehouse. Go get your platinum trophy.