Urquhart Castle Drumnadrochit

Urquhart Castle is situated on a rocky outcrop on the banks of the mysterious Loch Ness, just two miles from the town of Drumnadrochit. Although it is often easy to be taken in by the dramatic backdrop of the Loch (and all its secrets), the ruins of Urquhart castle are in themselves an endless source of a magnificent, vibrant and often blood-stained history.

Life on that very site dates back as far as 597 AD, when St Columba is reported to have converted a pictish nobleman who lay there dying to Christianity. The actual castle dates back to the middle ages, when in 1230 King Alexander II granted it to his son-in-law, Alan Durward, so that he could better keep an eye on the troublesome people of Moray, who had the nasty habit of revolting against the Kings rule. However, it was a time of weakness in Scottish nobility, and it wasn’t long before the castle was under English rule. From then until the 1600’s it has passed hands many times, each having as little luck in keeping control as the last until 1692, when its occupants decided that enough was enough. The noble stone structure, its walls the keepers of so many memories, was abandoned to flames, and it was the explosions that followed, not the bitterness of war, which left the castle in its present state.

However, despite its perhaps unhappy history, there is a gentle sense of romance which lingers over the ruin today, as the stones invite their visitors to explore, to know what grandeur they once held, to rediscover their memories. Now owned by Historical Scotland, the castle boasts an excellent visitor’s centre complete with gift shop, introduction film and a wonderful café, for those of us who prefer to witness the wonders of the past over a cup of coffee and slice of cake. The entire building is built into the hillside beside Urquhart Castle, and so is hard to spot from the roadside and does not taint the view of the castle against the loch, a sight as spectacular today as it must have been those hundreds of years ago.

Opening Times
25^th March - 30 ^thSeptember: Monday - Sunday, 9.30am - last entry 5.45pm (closes at 6.30pm).

1^st October - March 25^th: Monday - Sunday, 9.30am - last entry 3.45pm (closes at 4.30pm)

Closed 25^th, 26^th December. Open on 1^st, 2^nd January - please call for opening hours.

Admission
Adult £6.00 Child £2.40 Concessions £4.50

With thanks to: Sarah Green

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