Eilean Donan Castle

Our first real stop of the day was at Eilean Donan Castle.  Out of all the castles, this one was probably the most visually beautiful (and representative as what we typically think castles should look like).  We couldn't take pictures inside, but we were allowed to take pictures anywhere outside.

As one of the most iconic images of Scotland, Eilean Donan is recognized all around the world. Situated on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet, and surrounded by some majestic scenery, it is little wonder that the castle is now one of the most visited and important attractions in the Scottish highlands. 

Although first inhabited around the 6th century, the first fortified castle was built in the mid 13th century and stood guard over the lands of Kintail. Since then, at least four different versions of the castle have been built and re-built as the feudal history of Scotland unfolded through the centuries. 

Partially destroyed in a Jacobite uprising in 1719, Eilean Donan lay in ruins for the best part of 200 years until Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911 and proceeded to restore the castle to its former glory. After 20 years of toil and labor the castle was re-opened in 1932. 

In 1935, Eilean Donan Castle apparently featured in the movie called The Ghost Goes West (directed by Rene Clair and starring Robert Donat, Jean Parker and Elsa Lanchester). The plot of the film is that a rich American buys the castle and ships it piece by piece back to the States where it is reconstructed - only then does the new owner find that a ghost has gone with it. 

Eilean Donan is said to have its own ghosts. One is a Spanish soldier killed in the battle when the castle was destroyed in 1719. He is said to have been seen carrying his head under his arm in the room which now holds the introductory exhibition (formerly used as the gift shop). The other ghost is reported to be a certain Lady Mary who haunts one of the bedrooms.

The 1952 version of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Master of Ballantrae (starring Errol Flynn) featured Eilean Donan Castle as 'Ballantrae'. There are many scenes of people riding in and out of Eilean Donan, but the interior shots appear to have been done in a studio and not inside the real castle.   In 1984 it featured in the movie Highlander with Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery. Upstairs there are 3 b/w photographs taken of the set during filming. Other movies have featured the castle since it is so picturesque. The castle also featured in the 1995 movie called Loch Ness starring Ted Danson where it was used in a few brief shots in place of Urquhart Castle (which is the real castle on Loch Ness). In January 1999 filming took place at Dornie for the 19th James Bond movie 'The World is Not Enough'. The exterior of the castle is used in the movie as 'Castle Thane', the Scottish Highland HQ of MI6.