Eilean Donan Castle and the Fairy Glen: Day 29 – Scotland 2017
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4 May 2017
After a delightful breakfast at Foyers Bay Country House, we drove to Fort Augustus for some sightseeing. When we were satisfied with that little stop, we headed on to our first grand stop of the day.
Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan Castle is easily one of the most recognizable castles in Scotland. Not only is it a stunning sight in its own right, but it also starred in the film Highlander, along with a few other productions. Wherever you recognize Eilean Donan from, that iconic bridge across the tides to the stunning castle will take your breath away in person.
Eilean Donan translates easily to ‘island of Donan’, Donan more than likely being Bishop Donan, a 6th century Irish Saint. It is possible that he started a small community on the island where the castle now sits, and there are a few other churches in the area that bear his name. The first castle to be built on the island came into existence in the early 13th century. Its main purpose was to defend against Viking raiders. The castle changed many times over the years, but it would see destruction in 1719.
A small group of Spanish soldiers was garrisoned at the castle. They were supporting the Jacobites, and once the Government forces heard of it, three ships were sent to bombard the castle. Eventually, the Government forces succeeded in taking over, and once inside, they found 343 barrels of gunpowder, intended for Jacobite troops. That very gunpowder was then used to blow up the remaining castle and fortifications. The castle would sit in ruin, abandoned on its island, for nearly 200 years.
Eilean Donan Returns
In 1911, Lt Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island and ruins. He made it his life’s work to restore the castle to its former glory, and in July 1932, he finished his mission. He also constructed the bridge that leads out to the island. John enjoyed his masterpiece for five years before passing away in 1937. His grandson, John MacRae, opened the castle to the public in 1955.
Eilean Donan was near the top of our list of castles that we were most excited to visit. Like many other people, we knew the castle from Highlander and countless stunning photos taken of it. Aside from the massive tour group that we seemed to run into at every turn, we had an incredible visit. There is so much to explore and we easily spent an hour or so poking our noses into every corner possible. We also walked in on a few talks being given about certain rooms (the upside of running into a tour group) and learned quite a bit about the place. One of my favorite parts is the beautiful WWI memorial dedicated to those that perished from Clan MacRae. It’s a heartfelt touch that is worth seeing. It’s located outside the castle on the right if you are walking from the bridge.
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for our day out. After taking in the castle, we drove to a scenic overlook for one last view before moving on.
The Fairy Glen
Just under two hours later, we were on the Isle of Skye, arriving at the Fairy Glen. The Fairy Glen is aptly named, as it is just like a grand Scottish glen, but in miniature. The area is a breathtaking, other-worldly sight. Small hills dot the area, and one still has its basalt column on top. The square shape does resemble a castle ruin, and somewhere along the way, it was named Castle Ewan. You can climb to the top of the small area for spectacular views. There were people up there during our visit, so we passed on this activity.
Another activity that has cropped up in recent years is the formation of stone spirals and circles that have been created by tourists, and possibly, tourist companies. Bus tours encourage visitors to walk the circles and leave a stone or coin in the middle as an offering to the fairies. If you visit the area, please DO NOT participate in this activity. The locals on the Isle of Sky are constantly going out and moving the stones back to where they should belong. They want to keep the area in its natural state of beauty so that it can be enjoyed by many generations to come. If you visit, please respect the wishes of the local people.
An activity we would recommend is taking a picnic. We climbed up one of the hills and sat in the sunshine, enjoying the beautiful views. A picnic would have been the perfect addition to our time there! If you do bring lunch, please pack out your trash. We want this picturesque place to remain pristine!
Uig
Not far from the Fairy Glen was our home sweet home for the night. We pitched our tent at Uig Camping after trying and failing to find the Kilmuir Graveyard. We had a delicious dinner, washed some laundry, and then hit the sack early after another gorgeous day.
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy
