Dunvegan Castle

Dunvegan Castle has been the seat of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for over eight centuries, making it the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. Perched on a rocky outcrop beside Loch Dunvegan on Skye's northwest coast, its towers and turrets have watched over the sea routes to the Outer Hebrides since the 13th century, evolving from a Viking fortress into the romantic baronial pile we see today.

Within these ancient walls, clan treasures tell the story of Highland history. The Fairy Flag, a faded silk banner said to possess magical powers, is reputedly a gift from the fairy realm to an early MacLeod chief—or perhaps a Norse battle standard brought back from Crusade. Bonnie Prince Charlie's waistcoat recalls the Jacobite cause, while the Dunvegan Cup and Sir Rory Mor's drinking horn speak of centuries of clan ceremony and hospitality.

Beyond the castle, five acres of formal gardens cascade down to the loch shore, featuring a walled garden, water garden, and woodland walks. Boat trips depart from the jetty to visit the seal colony at nearby islands, where Atlantic grey seals bask on the rocks and curious pups sometimes approach the boats. It's a place where history, nature, and legend interweave against a backdrop of exceptional beauty.