Castle Huntly and Noranside were Scotland’s open prisons – designed for low‑risk inmates preparing for release.

From the historic castle setting of Huntly tae the converted mansion of Noranside, these jails offered a very different regime of trust, work placements and rehabilitation.

But life in the “open estate” was no fairytale – escapes, scandals and political debates have kept them in the spotlight.

This is the story of Scotland’s open prisons, where freedom was only ever a step away.