Eilean Donan Castle

...of Skye will have seen Eilean Donan Castle. Even if you have never been anywhere near this remote part of North West Scotland there is still a pretty good chance that you may have still seen this Castle, because Eilean Donan Castle is officially recognised as the most photographed Castle in Scotland.

This Castle stands on the shores of Loch Duich, at a point close to where it meets two other Lochs, Loch Long and Loch Alsh. As well ...
...my earliest childhood memories involve Eilean Donan Castle, for this is a place that I have been to many times. I still recall standing here when I was very young with my older brother, gazing out across the water, looking for the Loch Ness Monster. It was a few years later before I discovered that Loch Ness lies about 50 miles further to the East of here.

This Castle stands on a site that has been fortified for well over 800 years, ... more

Anyone who has driven along the A87 in the Scottish Highlands towards the Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye will have seen Eilean Donan Castle. Even if you have never been anywhere near this remote part of North West Scotland there is still a pretty good chance that you may have still seen this Castle, because Eilean Donan Castle is officially recognised as the most photographed Castle in Scotland.

This Castle stands on the shores of Loch Duich, at a point close to where it meets two other Lochs, Loch Long and Loch Alsh. As well as earning the title of the most photographed Castle in Scotland, it is also often referred to as the most romantic Castle in Scotland too.

The setting for this Castle is stunning to say the least, in fact it is almost dream like. Some of my earliest childhood memories involve Eilean Donan Castle, for this is a place that I have been to many times. I still recall standing here when I was very young with my older brother, gazing out across the water, looking for the Loch Ness Monster. It was a few years later before I discovered that Loch Ness lies about 50 miles further to the East of here.

This Castle stands on a site that has been fortified for well over 800 years, yet it may come as a surprise to many people to discover that almost all of the Castle that we see today is less than 100 years old. Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap largely rebuilt this Castle between 1912 and 1932.

In 1998 a Visitor Centre was built, but this was not there when I first used to visit here many years ago. In those days it was possible to walk around the Castle walls and even cross the bridge for free, but these days it is not possible to get anywhere near without paying the entrance fee. Tickets to visit the outside and the inside of this Castle can be purchased from the Visitor Centre and current admission charges are as below:

£ 4.95 Adult
£ 3.95 Senior Citizen
£ 10.50 Family Ticket
Extra Child £1.50

The name of the Castle derives its name from the Island on which it stands. This Island is called Eilean Donan, Eilean (pronounced Ellen) means Island in Scottish Gaelic, the language which is still spoken in this part of the Scottish Highlands. Donan is derived from the name of the Celtic Saint, St Donan.

The original Castle was built in the year 1220. This Castle was built by Alexander 11 as a defence against the Vikings. After the threat of Viking attack diminished it become a stronghold for the Mackenzie Clan, who came into this area from neighbouring Kintyre. The Mackenzie’s later became a part of the prominent Earls of Seaforth family through marriage, and the Earls of Seaforth held the Castle until 1719.

During this time they appointed the MacRaes, another prominent Clan in this area, as hereditary keepers of the Castle. It is descendants of this same MacRae family that carried out the restoration of this Castle in the early part of the 20th century.

In 1719 a large part of Eilean Donan Castle was destroyed whilst being used as a Garrison by Spanish troops that were fighting for the Jacobite cause on behalf of the 5th Earl of Seaforth. These Spanish troops were defeated at the battle of Glenshiel, within a month of the Castle being destroyed.

A visit to Eilean Donan Castle is definitely one of those once in a lifetime type moments. If you are in this area then, quite frankly, you would be foolish to dismiss it.

Once you have purchased your ticket from the Visitor Centre you then proceed to the Gate in front of the bridge. Here your ticket is checked and torn in half and you proceed through the Gate, over the Bridge and up to the Castle walls. Before you reach the Castle walls however you have to walk across a short wooden bridge. This bridge dates from the 16th century and takes you over an old well that once provided fresh water for the Castle. In the Castle’s heyday this bridge would have acted as a defence, for without it, the Castle could not be reached. If any intruders approached, the bridge would have simply been lifted up.

After reaching the Castle the first room that you reach is set out as an exhibition area. There is also a Gift Shop and some toilets located here, including ones equipped for disabled access. This exhibition area has lots of photographs and Artist’s impressions of what the Castle would have looked like. There are also interactive areas, which are good fun for both Adults, and Kids, where you can push buttons and pull levers to lift up the drawbridge on a model of the Castle.

From here you walk into the main Courtyard and then onto the rest of the Castle. The Castle has been wonderfully restored but it has managed to retain of lot of its original characteristics. There are Cannons positioned on the Castle walls, I am not sure if these are real or replicas and there are also lots of steep, narrow stairs that lead to the upper reaches of the Castle, from where there are splendid views of Loch Duich.

I have only previously visited Castles that have been ruins so a visit to this Castle is certainly something different since all of the rooms are furnished and are set out as they would have been several hundreds of years ago. There is a large Banqueting Hall, a Kitchen area and several Bedrooms. In this way it is much more like visiting a Museum than a historic Castle.

Eilean Donan Castle is easily visited on a day excursion from either Inverness or Fort William, which are the two main tourist bases in this area. It is also a popular stop off location for the Coaches heading to the Isle of Skye.

Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed.

The Castle and Visitor Castle is open as follows:

Between 1st April and 31st October from 10.30am until 5pm
It is closed during the Winter.
The Gift Shop is open all year round.

Eilean Donan Castle
Dornie - by Kyle of Lochalsh,
IV40 8DX

Telephone 01599 555202
Fax 01599 555262
E-mail: info@eileandonancastle.com

Thank you for reading. 

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