I can’t predict the future (sadly) but I can say with a reasonable degree of certainty that if I ever come to possess a Scottish Castle on the edge of a mysterious and beautiful loch, I probably won’t be tempted to blow it up. Amazingly, that’s exactly what the last inhabitants of Urquhart Castle did in 1692. Today, the ruins sit in splendid isolation on the side of Loch Ness, offering a glimpse into 1000 years of Scottish history.
We’d hiked Cairn Gorm in the morning and were still thirsting for more beautiful Highlands landscapes, so had decided to head north for a possible glimpse of Nessie as well as our daily castle fix. As our rental car began to wind along the slopes next to Loch Ness, I strained my eyes at every ripple – could that be her?! However, I soon gave up “Spot the Monster” in favour of simply admiring the beautiful greens, browns and blues of the landscape around us – it is a stunning drive.
Soon we pulled into the car park above the castle, and opted for the informative short movie before heading down. Aside from the usher we were the only ones in the cinema, which led to no small amount of giggles. However, the movie gave us a good bit of background on the history, and ended on a high point with curtains being pulled to reveal the castle directly in front of us. We were able to picture the trebuchet in front of the castle in full swing, and imagine just how bustling the grounds in and around the now ruined walls might have been.
The loch around us had barely a ripple, save those generated by passing fishing boats and launches, and with the low cloud it was an eerie scene.
While there may have been a fortification on the site since Pictish times around 600AD, there has been a documented castle since at least 1200AD. Urquhart has seen a lot of military action and has passed from Scottish to English hands many times. The Clan of MacDonald frequently raided and held the castle for a time, before the English regained control. At times families were even resident in the Castle, if they were loyal to the Crown. Eventually Urquhart was damaged too badly to be worth holding. The English soldiers who had been using it as a base to fight the Jacobites left, blowing it up behind them. Oh, the waste of it!
Yeah, it wasn’t warm, especially post-mountain-climbing
Our intrepid explorer crew with the Loch behind us
Visiting Urquhart Castle was definitely worth the long day and drive time – it was a fascinating glimpse into Scottish history. Coupled with the incredible views of Loch Ness and the eerie feel of the ruins, I could easily imagine myself back a few hundred years in time. Even with no Nessie to be seen – this time!
For more information on visiting Urquhart Castle, click here. For all my Highlands posts, click here!
Have you ever visited Loch Ness? Do you think the “monster” is out there?!
