Urquhart Castle

Take your young explorers on the four exciting Discover Explore Missions around Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness! Discover over 1000 years of thrilling history throughout the Great Glen at Urquhart Castle from it’ s dramatic and strategic location overlooking the Loch.

Once one of Scotland’s largest castles, nearly 5 centuries of turbulent warfare finally left the impressive and atmospheric ruin we can see today. Castle Urquhart saw the battles between the Scots and English, during the Wars of Independence in the 13^th and 14^th centuries, when control passed from one to the other. The MacDonalds, the feared Lords of the Isles, attacked Glen Urquhart frequently in their quest for power and influence and the Castle suffered greatly in the 16^th century in battles between Clan MacDonald and the Crown, who both held and lost Castle Urquhart.

Towards the end of the 17^th century the earliest of the Jacobite Risings occurred, a series of unsuccessful attempts over 50 years to restore the Stuart Line to the throne. The Highlands was a main source of support for the Jacobites and so a Royal force was garrisoned at Urquhart to maintain government control. The government soldiers left in 1692, blowing the castle up as they departed and making sure that it could no longer be used as a fortress.

After 200 years as a romantic ruin, the castle passed in to the care of the state in 1913, and now under the auspices of Historic Environment Scotland is one of the most visited castles in Scotland.

On your visit, soak up the atmosphere of Loch Ness, Scotland’s most famous loch (You might even see Nessie!) Enter the Grant Tower and enjoy the unmissable views of the Loch and surrounding lands from its battlements, imagine the magnificent feasts and splendid banquets staged in the Great Hall. Peer into the gloomy prison cell, supposed holding place of Gaelic bard Domhnall Donn. See the Urquhart Ewer and other medieval artefacts left by castle residents and the full-sized, working trebuchet (stone-throwing machine)

There is a restaurant/café on site and wheelchair access is listed as “reasonable” by Historic Environment Scotland.