The next day the tour went to Fort William, and made a stop at Neptune’s Staircase, which is a staircase lock on the Caledonia canal. Then we ventured on to Glenfinnan Monument, which the Outlander fans should know is a monument to Bonnie Prince Charlie. Charles Edward Stuart led a Jacobite rebellion in Scotland in 1745 to wrest control from the British, in order to restore the throne to the Stuarts and Catholicism. The Stuarts believed in absolute monarchy, which led to their downfall. The uprising culminated at the Battle of Culloden, where the prince’s forces were defeated by the British army. The failed rebellion led to the death of highland culture, which was destroyed by the British in retaliation for the uprising.
Near the monument is the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which is featured in the Harry Potter movies, since the Hogwarts Express takes this route on the way to the famous school. Since I went in the spring it wasn’t quite as green as it would be in the summer, but it was definitely amazing to see the monument. You can walk along a path to get a higher view of Glenfinnan, and then the Viaduct is right behind.
After that it was on to the Isle of Skye! Getting to the Isle (which means island) of Skye required us to take a ferry. Once we arrived, we went to visit Armadale Castle, which was owned by the MacDonald Clan, but is in ruins for w while. The castle was built for looks, not defense.
The grounds are beautiful, you can hike along different paths. There are even ruins of the old laundry. The Clan Donald Centre maintains the grounds, and is working on restoring the castle. I walked along the blue trail to get a higher view of the land…I hiked through the mud for the view since it rained that day. It was definitely worth it…I felt like I was in a fairy tale walking through the wooded parts…
The Centre had a café so I was able to snack on a scone with clotted cream…one of the things I love about being in the UK is how readily available scones are. The rose lemonade was really good too.
After that we drove past Dunscaith Castle ruins before leaving Skye. The castle is also known as the Fortress of Shadows (great name), and was named after a warrior maiden Scathach, from Irish mythology. It belonged to the Clan Macdonald of Sleat., and by the 17th century the family had abandoned the castle.
I really was sad to leave Skye, and wished we could have stayed longer. There just wasn’t enough time. Next time I go to Scotland, I want to spend more time in Skye, and see the Orkney Islands. I suggest finding a tour that spends more time there. CIE does have a longer two week called Castles and Glens that looks amazing. A week just isn’t enough time in Scotland…
We couldn’t leave the western highlands without visiting Eilean Donan Castle. I was incredibly grateful to our tour guide for taking us there since the tour only stops at a place where you can see it from afar. I begged him to let us get a closer look, and he took us to the gates since it wasn’t crowded. This is one of the most photographed spots in Scotland, and you can’t leave the country without visiting it. For the Highlander fans, it is the castle in the beginning flashback scene.
Eilean Donan is on a small island where three lochs meet, and the closest village is Dornie. It is named after Donnan of Eigg, a martyred saint from the 7th century. The castle was built by the Mackenzies in the 13th century, but it was later destroyed as punishment for the clan’s involvement in the Jacobite rebellion of 1719. The castle was rebuilt by Lt. Col. John MacRae-Gilstrap between 1919 and 1932. Even though it was raining when I got there, I still had a great time there, as you can see from my photo. One of my favorite pictures I have ever taken was shot there, and you can see it on my Instagram. Too bad it was a grey day…the sun stayed away.
I did get to stop at another castle on the famous Loch Ness, Urquhart, which goes back to the 13th century. The castle was destroyed in 1692 to prevent it being taken by Jacobite forces…this is a common theme in the area… It is now taken care of by the state, and a popular tourist spot. We continued our drive along Loch Ness and even took a picture with Nessie…be careful, she bites! I found Nessie earnings…sadly they were a gift so I didn’t get to keep them. The gift shop has many kitschy items you won’t find anywhere else.
We passed through Inverness on the way to Nairn, which is such a charming seaside town on the coast. A walk along the beach there was the best way to relax that evening. It was a really long day, filled with many amazing places and spaces. It was probably one of my favorite days on the trip. It was a day filled with history, beautiful scenery, and castles, which is just what I wanted.
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