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Argyll and Bute trail

Rothesay Castle

This is a thirteenth century Royal castle built by the Stewart family that comprises of a large circular curtain wall with four round towers surrounded by a moat. The castle has a sixteenth century gatehouse keep and there have been nineteenth century restorations. More on Rothesay Castle

Skipness Castle

This is a thirteenth century castle with fourteenth and sixteenth century additions and tower house. More on Skipness Castle

Tarbert Castle

This is the ruin of a fourteenth century castle on the site of previous fortifications. It overlooks the picturesque harbour of Tarbert/An Taibert in the north of Kintyre/Cinn Tire. More on Tarbert Castle

Castle Sween

Castle Sween is an early Scottish stone castle dating back to the late twelfth century and built by Suibhne (from where the name Sween was taken). More on Castle Sween

Dunyvaig Castle/Dun Naomhaigh

This is the ruins of a thirteenth century castle. Along with the courtyard from that period most of what remains today is from the sixteenth century. More on Dunyvaig Castle/Dun Naomhaigh

Duntrune Castle

This Castle was originally built by the MacDougal Clan in the twelfth century and later taken by the Campbells who eventually sold the castle to the Malcolms. The castle is said to be haunted. The ghost is that of a headless piper who had his hands chopped off by the Campbells as punishment for alerting the MacDonalds that a planned surprise attack had been discovered by playing his pipes. More on Duntrune Castle

Carrick Castle

This is a fifteenth century tower house and located on the west side of Loch Goil south along the B839 from Lochgoilhead between Cuilmuich and Carrick. Mary Queen of Scots visited the house in 1563. More on Carrick Castle

Carnassarie Castle

This is a ruined sixteenth century five storey Tower House. It is located north of Lochgilphead/Ceann Loch Gilb and the village of kilmartin/Cille Mhartainn along the A816 in Argyll and Bute. Kilmartin Glen has a high number of Neolithic and Bronze remains and Kilmartin House Museum is located in the village. More on Carnassarie Castle

Loch Awe/Loch Obha in Argyll and Bute.

It was the ancestral home to the Campbells of Glen Orchy/Gleann Urchaidh.

Dunollie Castle

These are the remains of a fifteenth century castle which stands on a hill to the north of Oban/An t-Oban.

Dunstaffnage Castle

This is a partially ruined thirteenth century castle with a fifteenth century gatehouse. The castle once held Flora MacDonald after her arrest for assisting Bonnie Prince Charlie. It is one of the oldest stone castles in Scotland and open to the public. Dunstaffnage Castle

Castle Stalker/Caisteal an Stalcaire

This is a four storey fifteenth century Tower House built on the site of a previous fort. The highly photographed castle is located on a tidal Islet on Loch Laich off Loch Linnhe and open for tours at set times during the summer months. More on Castle Stalker/Caisteal an Stalcaire

Gylen Castle

The remains of this sixteenth century castle sit on a promontory in the south of the island of Kerrera/Cearrara in the Inner Hebrides. Substantial restoration work was undertaken on the castle which was completed in 2006 which was home to the Clan MacDougall. More on Gylen Castle

Aros Castle

The remains of this thirteenth century castle was built by the Clan MacDougall. The site is close to Salenn/An t-Sailean on the Isle of Mull/Muile in the Inner Hebrides. The castle overlooks the Sound of Mull on the east coast of the island. More on Aros Castle

Duart Castle/Caisteal Dhubhairt

This is a thirteenth century castle and the ancestral home of the Clan MacLean and site of battles with the Clan Campbell in the seventeenth century. The castle was put under siege by Cromwell's forces during the Civil War and HMS Swann along with other ships sank at the site during a storm in September 1653. More on Duart Castle/Caisteal Dhubhairt

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