Places to visit

Skipness Castle and Kilbrannan Chapel

The ruins of Skipness Castle at the east coast of Kintyre, Scotland. 22 August 2007 by Ingo Wölbern.

Skipness Castle was built in the early 13th century by the Clan MacSween. It is located on the east side of Kintyre (Scottish Gaelic: Cinn Tìre). This is a peninsula in the southwest of Argyll and Bute, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, Alba). The remains of the castle, to which additions were made during the 13th, 14th and 16th centuries, are near the village of Skipness (Sgibinis). Nearby are the remains of the 13th century Kilbrannan Chapel which is also known as St Brendan's Chapel and is dedicated to Saint Brendan (c. AD 484 – c. 577). 

Tarbert Castle

Tarbert Castle, Loch Fyne by Thomas Miles Richardson I (1784–1848), Courtesy University of Dundee Fine Art Collections, source: artuk.org.

Tarbert Castle is the ruin of a fourteenth century castle with fifteenth and sixteenth century additions on the site of previous fortifications. The castle is located on the southern shore of East Loch Tarbert, at Tarbert, Argyll, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: An Tairbeart, Earra-Ghàidheal, Alba). The small sea loch of East Loch Tarbert, is on the eastern side of the Kintyre (Cinn Tìre) peninsula.

Castle Sween - Caistéal Suibhne

Castle Sween image courtesy of Historic Environment Scotland - Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba

Castle Sween - Caistéal Suibhne was first built in the 1100s and is located on the eastern shore of Loch Sween, Knapdale, Argyle, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Suain or Loch Suibhne, Cnapadal,  Earra-Ghàidheal, Alba). It is to the south of the village of Achnamara on Argyll's west coast. It is believed to be the earliest surviving stone castle on the Scottish Mainland. It was built by Suibhne and both the castle and the sea loch it overlooks were named after him. 

Dunyvaig Castle - Dun Naomhaigh

Dunyvaig Castle artist impression courtesy of Islay Hetitage - Dualchas ÌLe.

Dunyvaig Castle - Dùn Naomhaig is located on the south side of Islay, Argyll, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Ìle, Earra-Ghàidheal, Alba). The remains of the 12th - 13th century castle is on a rocky headland by the shore of Lagavulin (Lag a' Mhuilinn) Bay, 2.5 miles (4 km) from Port Ellen (Port Ìlein). Built on top of a previous ancient fort, the ruins of the castle stand along with 16th century additions. Once a stronghold of the Lord of the Isles, chiefs of Clan Donald, the castle was held by the chiefs of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg.  After being forfeited to the crown in 1493, the castle was fought over between the MacDonalds and rival clans. The Campbell’s of Cawdor eventually took up residence. Upon relocating to Islay House, the castle’s final occupant, Sir Hugh Campbell, had it demolished in 1677.

Duntrune Castle

Duntrune Castle, Loch Crenan engraving by Samuel Lacey date 1829

Duntrune Castle is located on the northern shore of Loch Crinan. It is on the otherside of the loch from the village of Crinan, Argyll, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: An Crìonan, Earra-Ghàidheal, Alba). It is thought to be the oldest continuously occupied castle on mainland Scotland. This Castle was originally built by the MacDougal Clan in the twelfth century and later taken by the Campbells who eventually sold the castle to the Malcolms. The castle is said to be haunted. The ghost is that of a headless piper who had his hands chopped off by the Campbells as punishment for alerting the MacDonalds that a planned surprise attack had been discovered by playing his pipes. The castle today has a thirteenth century curtain wall and a tower house from the seventeenth century.

Carrick Castle

The ruin of Carrick Castle around 1890, with pier attracting tourism. Image courtesy of Library of Congress.

Carrick Castle is a 14th-century tower house. It is located between Cuilmuich and Carrick, 4 miles south of Lochgoilhead  on the west shore of Loch Goil on the Cowal (Scottish Gaelic: Còmhghall) peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland ( Scottish Gaelic: Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, Alba). The Campbells of Loch Awe built the earliest sections of the castle and it consists of two floors above the central great hall and stands 64 feet high. It was used as a hunting lodge by King James IV of Scotland and Mary Queen of Scots spent a night at the castle in 1563. The building is now in private ownership. 

Carnassarie Castle

Carnasserie Castle near Kilmartin drawing by John Knox (1778 - 1845) Scottish landscape artist courtesy of National Galleries Scotland.

Carnasserie Castle is a 16th-century ruined tower house located around a mile north of the village of Kilmartin, Argyll and Bute, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Cille Mhàrtainn, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, Alba). It was built by Rector of Kilmartin John Carswell (Scottish Gaelic: Seon Carsuail; c. 1522 – 1572). He published the first book to be printed in Scottish Gaelic, a translation of John Knox's Book of Common Order. Kilmartin Glen has a high number of Neolithic and Bronze remains and Kilmartin Museum is located in the village.

Dunstaffnage Castle - Caisteal Dhùn Stadhainis

Dunstaffnage Castle, 1836 engraving by William Miller after J. M. W. Turner

Dunstaffnage Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùn Stadhainis) is a partially ruined 13th century castle about 3 miles north of the town of Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: An t-Òban, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, Alba). The castle stands on a promontory at the south-west of the entrance to Loch Etive. It was built by the MacDougall lords of Lorn, but had been in the possession of the Clan Campbell since the 15th century. The castle and grounds are open to the public.

Castle Stalker - Caisteal an Stalcaire

Castle Stalker. Picture: Wikimedia

Castle Stalker (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal an Stalcaire) is a four-storey tower house and is located on a tidal islet on Loch Laich. This is an inlet off the sea loch, Loch Linnhe. The castle is about 2 miles north-east of Port Appin, Argyll, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: An Apainn, Earra-Ghàidheal, Alba). The present castle was thought to have been built in the mid-15th century by the then Lord of Lorn, Sir John Stewart. Prior to this a 12th century smaller fortified building was on the site, constructed by the MacDougalls when were Lords of Lorn at that time.

Gylen Castle

Gylen Castle Hebridean island of Kerrera. Picture: Wiki Commons

The remains of this sixteenth century castle, built by the Clan MacDougall, sit on a promontory in the south of the island of Kerrera (Scottish Gaelic: Cearrara) in the Inner Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan a-staigh). Substantial restoration work was undertaken on the castle which was completed in 2006.

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