Eilean Donan Castle & West Highlands

OVERVIEW

Skirt the base of the brooding Cuillin Mountains, cross from Skye to the West Highlands and visit what might just be Scotland’s most photogenic castle. The panoramic coach journey snakes across the Isle of Skye’s atmospheric landscape and over the Skye Bridge to the mainland. There it follows waterside bluffs to arrive at an achingly beautiful setting where three lochs converge, and iconic Eilean Donan Castle sits in picture-perfect dilapidation on a tiny tidal island. If it looks familiar, that’s because you’ve likely seen it on countless calendar covers and in movies like Highlander and James Bond’s The World is Not Enough. Eilean Donan’s been standing since the 13th century, built and rebuilt over time as it presided over this highly strategic point, joined to the shore by a narrow stone bridge with sheer mountains as a backdrop. It spent two of those centuries partly in ruin, victim of severe naval bombardment during the 18th-century Jacobite rebellion. After 20 years of careful restoration, it reopened in the 1930s. Your inside tour will reveal many telling examples of the castle’s battle-hardened history – from the billeting room with 12-foot thick walls to the lavish dining hall with secret tunnels behind its walls.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy stunning scenery on a coach journey across Skye and over the bridge to the Western Highlands.
• Drink in the incomparably majestic setting of Eilean Donan Castle, presiding over all on its islet at the confluence of three lochs.
• Cross a triple-arched medieval bridge to tour this forbidding yet beautiful landmark – Scotland’s most-photographed castle.
• Discover a history riddled with tales of ancient Vikings, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Jacobite invasions and prophetic dreams.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light raincoat or umbrella.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.