When I was in the planning stages of my trip to the UK back in 2018, Scotland wasn't even on my…read moreradar. Consulting my bucket list, I noticed the entry for Loch Ness, and figured if I was going to visit Scotland, I should probably do so for a couple days, and see what else the country had to offer.
It takes precisely .0006 seconds searching Google for "Scotland" before you find a picture of Eilean Donan castle, and it took another .0001 seconds before I had decided that I *needed* to see it in person. It couldn't be that stunningly beautiful, could it? Well, my friends, I can attest to you that it is, and it is well worth the visit, even if it is a bit of an odyssey.
I flew from London to Inverness, a surprisingly short (and cheap!) flight, and rented a car from one of companies onsite. I had hoped for an automatic, but I was informed that *the* automatic I'd reserved (yes, they only had one!) hadn't been returned on time, so I was stuck with a manual. Now, I can drive a stick, but the prospect of my dumb American ass driving a *left-handed stick*, sitting on the "wrong" side of the car, and driving on the "wrong" side of the road, was a little daunting. Nevertheless, I made it work, once I remembered how to put the thing in reverse. After checking into my hotel in Inverness, I drove straight to Eilean Donan, about two hours away.
It's a captivating sight from the road, and continues to improve as you draw closer. I parked, purchased my ticket, and crossed the bridge to the castle grounds. Pictures within are prohibited, so I respected their wishes, but I can attest that the interior contains a fascinating museum of Scottish and Jacobite history, a window into Highlander clan life, with a simultaneously military and warm and cozy aesthetic. You'll be transported to another time, filled with strife and struggle, flanked on all sides by pictures of long-dead soldiers, weapons and artifacts, and yet at the same time, be overcome with a strong desire to curl up next to the fireplace and absorb the history that surrounds you. It's a truly magnificent place, and the experience is not to be missed!
Once you've explored the interior, the outer grounds are available for further exploration. Clambering stony stairwells, or walking the ramparts, gazing out of Loch Duich, it's easy to see why this castle was as prized for its beauty as it was for its strategic, defensible location. It may have been nearly razed to the grounds a few centuries ago, but the rebuilding and restoration of this monument was money well spent!
I stopped in the cafe for a quick bite, purchased a couple souvenirs, then headed back to the car to continue on to my next tourist stop. However, on my return drive to Inverness, I passed by Eilean Donan again at sunset, and was once again compelled to stop and take dozens of pictures. The walls are illuminated at night, and are particularly photogenic in the twilight hours, with the setting sun behind it. Any photographer worth his salt will not want to miss such a picturesque opportunity. There's a good reason Eilian Donan is the most photographed castle in Scotland (maybe the UK?), but the castle is more than just a pretty face. It is rich in history, steeped in tradition, and cared for by loving hands with a strong desire to preserve the heritage of Highland culture, and this castle is one of their crowning jewels. Along with Glencoe, this is one of the absolute must-see places in all of Scotland!
