A year ago we toured castles throughout the central belt, Highlands and Perthshire. The bug bit hard, and I visited more Scotish castles on my own. Some of these are now prints in our living room. Kilchurn sits on a peninsula of Loch Awe and is surrounded by marshy land. It was first built in the mid-15th century and abandoned in the 18th and remains a beautiful ruin.
Kilchurn Castle
One of our favorites is Doune Castle where most of Monty Python & the Holy Grail was filmed along with scenes from Outlander and Game of Thrones. The audio tour offered at many of the castles are terrific, but the one at Doune is so much fun with clips from the movies and narration by actors sharing their experiences in the castle while filming. You can look out the windows, and see “huge tracts of land.”
Doune castle window
Unfortunately, pictures cannot capture the furious winds that can blow especially on the castles positioned on top of high points. It felt like walking through hurricane winds to get to Auchindoun. It too was built in the mid-15th century, and before the end of the century was attacked and burned by Clan Macintosh. As referenced in this poem, it’s near Glen Fiddich, so you can raise a toast if you wish.
Heid me or hang me, that shall never fear me
A'll burn Auchindoun tho' the life leave me
As A cam in bi Fiddichside on a May mornin
Auchindoun was in a bleeze, an hour before the dawning
Auchindoun castle
One of the readers of this blog suggested I visit his clan’s castle of Craigevar. This was occupied into the 1960s, and is said to have served as inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle.
Craigevar Castle
One of the most dramatic settings is Dunnottar Castle which is on a promontory jutting out to the North Sea. A castle was first built here in the 1390s, though the grounds has ruins of a chapel built in 1276. Brutal history can been found in many castles, but one of the worst was the holding of 167 political prisoners known as Coventors in this vault from May through July 1685 with minimal food, water or sanitation.
Whigs’ Vault, Donnottar Castle
A more peaceful scene awaits at Stirling Castle. We couldn’t get in until the spring snow was cleared from the slippery, rocky walkways, but we could watch the snow coming down on the spectacular King James IV Great Hall built in 1503. Most of these castles are now under the care of Historic Environment Scotland. If you ever visit and plan to see more than one castle or other site, be sure to buy a membership.
Another castle on in a dramatic setting is Eilean Donan (Island of St. Donan) on the Kyle of Lochalsh. First built in the 13th century, the ruins were reconstructed in the 20th, and have served as a background for many movies.
Eilean Donan castle
Huntingtown Tower was originally two separate towers less than ten feet apart, likely built by feuding brothers. Eventually the two towers were joined together. During royal intrigue, King James VI was held here against his will for ten months when he was 16. After James’ escape, his captor lost his head at Sterling outside the Great Hall James’ grandfather built.
Huntington Tower Castle