For as little as £5.99 a month you can access all of our content, including Premium articles. Archer has predicted an uptick in activity in the fourth quarter, but this is unlikely to prevent a double-digit percentage drop in annual revenues for the drilling services firm. Still, there is an interactive exhibit when you first enter that well explains the history of the place, and many rooms recreated to represent life in the 19th century. “We apologise for the inconvenience and any disappointment caused. On this week’s episode, in association with Fasken: should pay for contractors move with the oil price, the EVOL team pondered, while wondering how far would such a move go. The castle is very photogenic, but from the outside only - no photos inside. Germany’s planned Wilhelmshaven regasification terminal is reconsidering import plans and may opt to shift to hydrogen. Author and film expert Jonathan Melville told The Sunday Post that fans “have been turning up every year, some to get married, and some just run across that bridge shouting ‘MacLeod'”. If you proceed to make a booking you will leave our Website and visit a website owned and operated by a third party. We stopped by on our way back to Glasgow after visiting Skye and spending the night in nearby Kyle. Pay a visit to this iconic Scottish monument which is one of the most photographed in the country. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. All Rights Reserved. Lieutenant-Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap’s 20th century reconstruction of the ruins produced the present buildings. Walking to the castle you feel the sense of fortification which once existed.In the castle you see the presentations of Scottish history - you begin to feel the history and importance of the site.It is an important location to visit.We all enjoyed our visit, my wife and I - our first visit, and my son and his girlfriend - who had visited previously in the height of winter.For all of us it was a new experience. When the British Government learned that the castle was occupied by Jacobite leaders along with a garrison of Spanish soldiers, three Royal Navy frigates were sent to deal with the uprising. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Find more advice on exploring Scotland during Covid-19 on our dedicated page. With walls of up to 5 metres thick, these cannons had little impact, but eventually the castle was overwhelmed by force. In recognition that this business has confirmed that they have followed government and industry COVID-19 guidelines, ensuring processes are in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social/physical distancing. Wildlife surrounds the island too, with regular viewings of porpoise, dolphins, otters and birdlife. You may use this booking system to place direct bookings with third party accommodation providers. © 2020 VisitScotland. Often filmed from the outside, and gorgeous to look at along the Loch, if you have the time I recommend taking a look at the interior. Then my dreams were shattered, it was a very quick (maybe 10-15 Minute) walk around about half a dozen rooms, the kitchen area was set up like a 1890 - 1900 sort of style. The extra site was required as an overflow to the castle during the peak tourist months to alleviate pressure at the busy site. It was not what I expected, being primarily rebuilt in more recent times. Situated within a lovely village of dornie. He added: “These places have become a focus for fans across the world, which is nice because they’re lovely places to go.”. All rights reserved. Eilean Donan was a stronghold of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan MacRae. Why not stay in a castle, a lighthouse or on a working farm? A multi-million pound project to replace one of the two submarine electricity distribution cables connecting Orkney to mainland Scotland has been completed. “We’re closing simply because of the financial impacts of Covid-19, but the planning starts today for our eventual return in 2021.”. Royal Dutch Shell Plc will begin shutting its Convent refinery in south Louisiana mid-month while it continues to seek a buyer for the facility, part of a plan to reduce its global sites and focus on combined oil refining and chemical plants. The book A Kind of Magic: Making the Original Highlander was released earlier this year, and shed some light on its continued popularity. In short, there are numerous reasons why Eilean Donan enjoys such romantic and iconic status in the hearts of our nation and its visitors, but to understand what’s at its core you have to go and discover it for yourself. Eilean Donan Castle Dornie by Kyle of Lochalsh IV40 8DX. Anyway we managed to park and looked at the Castle from the outside. Historical interest and heritage are in abundance with informed guides happy to share a wealth of knowledge. The castle is hailed as one of the most picturesque in Scotland, and is reckoned to be the “most photographed” structure of its kind in the world. Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling & Forth Valley. Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most recognised castles in Scotland, and probably appears on more shortbread tins and calendars than any other. Historic Sites, Points of Interest & Landmarks. Crossing the bridge to today’s castle, the fourth version, you can clearly understand why Bishop Donan chose the tranquil spot back in 634AD to settle on it and create a monastic cell. At this point the bridge was added; a structure that is as much a part of the classic image as the very castle itself. When you first set eyes on it, it is easy to understand why so many people flock to its stout doors year after year. Libya’s revenues in October roughly doubled from September, following the lifting of force majeure at two ports. This booking system and any information appearing on this page is provided for your information and convenience only and is not intended to be an endorsement by VisitScotland of the content of such linked websites, the quality of any accommodation listed, or of the services of any third party. But staff from the attraction announced on social media that, “with great sadness and regret”, they were immediately closing the ancient castle and accompanying take-awayt restaurant “until further notice”. The first castle was later established in the 13th century by Alexander II in an effort to help protect the area from Viking incursions. Eilean Donan Castle is operated by The Conchra Charitable Trust and is a Registered Scottish Charity (SC 017346) regulated by The Scottish Charity Register (OSCR)." The castle that visitors enjoy so much today was reconstructed as a family home between 1912 and 1932 by Lt Col John MacRae-Gilstrap, and incorporated much of the ruins from the 1719 destruction. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Continue your visit to www.tripadvisor.co.uk, Commonly searched for in Kyle of Lochalsh, Skye and Eilean Donan Castle Small-Group Day Tour from Inverness, 1 Day Tour from Inverness - Isle of Skye, Fairy Pools, and Eilean Donan Castle, Hotels near Kyle Line (Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh), Kyle Line (Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh), Brochs at Glenelg - Dun Telve & Dun Troddan, Churches & Cathedrals in Kyle of Lochalsh, Dolphin & Whale Watching in Kyle of Lochalsh, Gift & Specialty Shops in Kyle of Lochalsh, Boat Tours & Water Sports in Kyle of Lochalsh. Scotland. Explore this attraction with the ScotlandVR app. Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice. © Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2020. Extremely popular with families, a visit to Eilean Donan promises lots of fun for the kids whether it be swinging a Claymore, spying through the spy holes, lifting the cannon balls, gazing at the fearsome portcullis or exploring the ancient battlements. The Mackenzies’ involvement in the Jacobite rebellions led in 1719 to the castle’s destruction by government ships. Strategically located on its own little island, overlooking the Isle of Skye, at the point where three great sea-lochs meet, and surrounded by the majestic splendour of the forested mountains of Kintail, Eilean Donan’s setting is truly breath-taking. There where photos of the owners family strewn around the rooms, why I wanted to see that I have no idea. It is intended to provide real time availability information relating to accommodation which is also provided by third parties. A west coast castle hailed as the most picturesque in Scotland has been forced to close due to the financial impact of the pandemic. Tel: 01599 555202 Fax: 01599 555262 By using our website you consent to our use of cookies. The subsequent message said: “Every single member of the Eilean Donan team are fit, well and healthy thanks to the comprehensive systems and protocols we instigated three months ago. It is, without doubt, a Scottish icon and certainly one of the most popular visitor attractions in the Highlands. And the views from the walls are wonderful. VisitScotland does not have any control over the content or availability of any external website. Discovering 343 barrels of gunpowder inside, the Commanding officer gave orders to blow the castle up; following which Eilean Donan lay in silent ruin for the best part of two hundred years. Iconic Ben Nevis needs to be top of your Scottish to-do list. That window dressing could be considered a little naff but some was interesting. Where was the Viking memorabilia? - See 4,266 traveller reviews, 4,265 candid photos, and great deals for Kyle of Lochalsh, UK, at Tripadvisor. The numerous staff were lovely without exception. 3 Stars because it looked nice on the outside. 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So we had a long drive to Eilean Donan Castle, very excited, we approached it and were directed to the car park area, it appears that many drivers don't know how to park and decided to block the roadway causing no end of blocks. Please read our privacy and cookies statement for more information. Following their arrival in the ample car park, visitors arrive at the bright modern visitor centre which houses the Ticket Office, Gift Shop and Restaurant. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. You can now search our website to see what businesses are open and signed up to the Good to Go scheme. Worth a stop if you're in the area and have about 1.5 hours or so to spend. The castle that visitors enjoy so much today was reconstructed as a family home between 1912 and 1932 by Lt Col John MacRae-Gilstrap, and incorporated much of the ruins from the 1719 destruction. Eilean Donan was a stronghold of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan MacRae. I wouldn't call it a tourist trap, but it is definately not in my Top 10 Scottland attractions. The message said: “Our gift shop and Eilean Donan Apartments will stay open for the time-being but will remain under review. and all other history before the 1920s seemed to be either missing or certainly not plainly on view. This booking system and any information appearing on this page relating to the availability of any accommodation is provided by third parties and not by VisitScotland. VisitScotland uses cookies to enhance your experience on our website. They later posted an update thanking people for the many messages of love and support received following the announcement. Isle of Lewis, Isle of Harris & Stornoway. So a rather big disappointment considering the distance you have to drive to get to these 'attractions'. Transcorp has bought the Afam power plant in Rivers State, with capacity of 966 MW. Expert local knowledge, gifts and inspiration. Any booking you make will not be placed with VisitScotland and we will have no liability to you in respect of any booking. A popular wedding venue, the site is also a favourite with movie buffs after it was immortalised in the cult film Highlander. For those feeling particularly romantic, weddings can even be arranged inside the beautiful Banqueting Hall. We approached with a sense of awe as I read that the vikings had it at some point, so thought the artifacts and displays would be awesome and inspiring and that it would be well worth the £7.50 per person entrance fee. This is a lovely restored castle which has been decked out to provide an "in sight" into yesteryear. Eilean Donan Castle: Lovely castle inside and out. Since the castle’s restoration in the early 20th century, a footbridge has connected the island to the mainland. Sorry no photos as we aren't allowed to take any inside the Castle. At this stage in history the original castle encompassed the entire island and is believed to have been constructed with seven towers connected by a massive curtain wall. Eilean Donan, near the village of Dornie and not far from Kyle of Lochalsh, normally welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The 1986 cult film Highlander was still bringing visitors to Eilean Donan more than 30 years later. According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Eilean Donan Castle: Skye and Eilean Donan Castle Small-Group Day Tour from Inverness (From $64.37) 1 Day Tour from Inverness - Isle of Skye, Fairy Pools, and Eilean Donan Castle (From $98.51) Isle of … Prior to the pandemic, the attraction proved so popular that castle owner Conchra Charitable Trust lodged plans to extend the car parking facilities. North-east firm ITC Hydraulics & Manufacturing has scooped one of the top gongs in the 2020 Business Women Scotland Awards (BWSAs). On the 10th of May 1719, the three heavily armed warships moored a short distance off the castle and bombarded it with cannons. Seeing the castle from outside is amazing, but once you get in , it feels like a scurile mixture of an old castle, a 1920 hotel, collections of strange things and bar.I would not recommend to pay so much money for that castle. Visitors now have the opportunity to wander round most of the fabulous internal rooms of the castle viewing period furniture, Jacobean artefacts, displays of weapons and fine art. Discovering 343 barrels of gunpowder inside, the Commanding officer gave orders to blow the castle up; following which Eilean Donan lay in silent ruin for the best part of two hundred years. Eilean Donan Castle was first built on a small island in Loch Duich in the early 13th Century as a defence measure to protect the lands of Kintail against the Vikings. Interesting bit of Scottish history that's generally presented very well. At £7.50 entry it is reasonably priced. It’s an incredibly difficult time.”. Over the centuries, the castle contracted and expanded for reasons that still remain a mystery to this day, until 1719 when it was involved in one of the lesser known Jacobite uprisings. The entire operation is operated by the Conchra Charitable Trust which was established back in the 1980s by the MacRae family, who own the castle, and whose primary role is to preserve the building and its artefacts for the nation and future generations.