Explore this beautiful part of the Highlands

Urquhart Castle

The magnificently situated Urquhart Castle has more than 1,000 years of stirring history centred on the Great Glen and overlooks Loch Ness from the rocky promontory that it dominates and has seen some of the most dramatic chapters in our nation’s story.

Once one of Scotland’s largest castles, Urquhart saw great conflict during its 500 years as a medieval fortress. Control of the castle passed back and forth between the Scots and English during the Wars of Independence. The power struggles continued, as the Lords of the Isles regularly raided both castle and glen up until the 1500s. The last of the government troops garrisoned here during the Jacobite Risings blew up the castle when they left. Urquhart’s iconic ruins remain, offering glimpses into medieval times and the lives of its noble residents.

There is a Visitor Centre here, pop in for more information.

Back to Local Area page