Kinlochaline Castle

Kinlochaline Castle, also known as Caisteal an Ime or 'Castle of Butter,' is a 15th-century Scottish tower house positioned at the head of Loch Aline in Morvern, Highland. Standing four stories tall with 10-foot-thick walls of rare sandstone, this strategic coastal fortress occupies one of Scotland's most dramatic settings overlooking the Sound of Mull. Legend holds that a Lady of Clan MacInnes paid for its construction with butter equal to the castle's volume. Following damage during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in 1644, the castle was abandoned around 1690 until careful reconstruction in the late 1990s by Historic Scotland. The site now serves as a private residence while maintaining its historical significance as a testament to Highland architecture and maritime defense.