Old Inverlochy Castle

Old Inverlochy Castle stands at the south-western end of the Great Glen north of Fort William, strategically positioned on the banks of the River Lochy where it controlled access to the western Highlands. Built in the 13th century by the Comyn of Badenoch, the castle originally featured a thick masonry quadrangular courtyard approximately 27 metres across with four three-storey round corner towers, likely constructed on the site of an ancient Pictish fortress. Though now ruined, Old Inverlochy served as the backdrop for two major historical conflicts, most notably the 1645 Battle of Inverlochy where Royalist forces defeated the Roundheads. The castle was ultimately abandoned in 1654 in favour of Cromwell's nearby timber fort, which was later replaced by the stone Fort William. Today managed by Historic Environment Scotland, the ruins remain a testament to medieval highland military architecture.