The Calendar Castle (Eilean Donan Castle (Scotland))

Member Name: eilidhcatriona

Product:	Eilean Donan Castle (Scotland)
Date:	02/11/09 (61 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stunning Scottish icon

Disadvantages: Not near major cities for access

Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most recognisable Scottish landmarks, although many people may see pictures of it without realising what they are seeing. It's shape and position on an island are favourites with calendar and postcard producers, as is the almost perfect reflection it gives on the loch on a still day.

Eilean Donan is located beside the village of Dornie, in the north west Scottish Highlands. It is on the A87 Road to the Isles, which goes from Inverness to Skye. It is in Loch Duich, at the point where it meets Loch Long and Loch Alsh. On a clear day you can see down Loch Alsh to the mountains of Skye - unfortunately during my stay in the area, we didn't have such a day!

The Castle as it stands today is a recreation of how it was in the early 18th Century, when it was reduced to ruins during a Jacobite uprising. In the early 20th Century the Castle was restored to its former glory by the MacRae family, who still own it now.

My first view of the Castle was as my parents and I were driving to our rented cottage in Balmacara, a little further along the road from Dornie, from Inverness. They told me to look out for something, although didn't say what. When I saw the Castle it was instantly recognisable, but somehow disappointing. After seeing it so many times on calendars and postcards, and always in perfect weather conditions (whether bright sunlight or pristine snow), it was something of a letdown to see it in grey and gloomy weather. The famous reflection was there, but the sky and loch weren't the perfect blue I expected (silly, I know, given that I am Scottish and I know the weather!).

We went back a few days later to stop and have a proper look at the Castle. The weather was even worse - heavy rain and strong winds. One of my photos turned out a blurry mess as I was blown over while taking it! We quickly went into the visitor centre for a look around. There is a café and shop, all in nicely refurbished buildings which look like they may have been stables at one time. The shop really is a very good example of a Scottish gift shop. There are the usual tins of shortbread and tacky souvenirs, but the majority is fairly classy. It has a wide selection of products, including clothes, bags, ornaments, souvenirs, local food products, music and books.

The interior of the Castle is open to the public, but we chose not to go inside. My parents has been before, and I'm not overly fussed about seeing inside castles. They told me it was interesting, but not something to go out of your way for. The important thing for me was seeing the iconic exterior of the Castle. Entrance to the interior is only £5.50 for adults, and given some prices I've seen for historic buildings, this seems like very good value indeed. It's worth pointing out that outside visiting hours (which are 10am-6pm March-Nov, and 10am-5pm the remainder of the year) you can walk around the grounds of the Castle free of charge. This option is not available during the opening hours.

A few days later we stopped again on the way past, and I got my chance to take some goo, non-blurry photos of the Castle and its reflection. Unfortunately I still didn't get my blue sky, but it was dry and not too cloudy, so I was happy with my photos, although not postcard standard!

One thing you must see if you are in the area is Eilean Donan at night. The Highlands are a very dark place, there are few cities and lights, and so the impact of this iconic building all lit up is all the more striking.

Eilean Donan Castle is somewhere I would definitely call a must-see if you are in the area, but I wouldn't say it is worth a trip on its own. However, there is so much more to see in the area that I can't imagine anyone would want to go just for this! It is a Scottish icon, perhaps overused by the tourist board, and worth seeing.

Summary: A beautiful castle you have to see if in the area