Fife and Scotland - the offbeat perspective

Elsewhere on this web site, we've mentioned the Isle of Skye and Plockton; both of which lie close to the Kyle of Lochalsh and thus taking us close to one of the most famous Scottish castles in the World. Naturally, we stopped and visited Eilean Donan Castle during one of our excursions into this part of the country and where it is impossible to fail recognition of the background to many popular cinematic films. By example, this is where the location set of 'Highlander' where the fictional character of 'Connor Macleod' is observed crossing the stone castle in the background. It serves in a similar way towards the end part of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'. Pictures of the castle have appeared in numerous calendars over many years and these images have often appeared in tourist guides promoting Scotland as a nation worthy of visitation.

The castle itself is located on an island and at an important strategic point where three sea lochs meet and was thus ideally placed to oversee the surrounding lands of Kintail. The island, linked to the land by the aforementioned bridge, seems to have been inhabited from about the sixth century but it seems the first fortification was not built until the thirteenth century. At least four castles have been successively built on the island with each former versions being destroyed to make way for the current example on display.

The Jacobite uprising of 1719 led to the castle sustaining major damage from warships and where the castle was left in ruins for nearly two hundred years before the island was bought by Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap in 1911. From that date, he undertook many works of repair and restoration ultimately leading to the structure on view today. It was a project taking twenty years to complete and the castle was opened to the public for the first time in 1932.

Perhaps the singular thing that made our visit memorable concerned a large painting in the 'Great Hall' and showing a man in full Highland dress. Almost mysteriously, and irrespective of your position in the room, one shoe always pointed towards the viewer. It's the kind of thing that one might associate with holographic displays and this author has been told by others that this type of painting is an artistic trick but it remains a shade weird and pretty memorable.

In closing - parking is ample and free. In later years, my wife became confined to a wheelchair and this is just one of these venues and where, for highly pragmatic reasons rather than any form of prejudice, being disabled presents a bar. It's to their immense credit then, that the curators of the castle have introduced a virtual tour facility for the disabled. FifeServe advises former contact with the curators prior to a visit if such circmstances apply and where a pragmatic solution can be applied in advance of the visit.