Urquhart Castle

Urquhardt Castle's impressive ruins crown a rocky promontory on the banks of Loch Ness, 21 kilometres southwest of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. Originally fortified by the Picts in the 6th century and visited by Saint Columba, the castle developed through centuries of construction by the Durwards and Comyns from the 13th century onward. The massive stronghold was contested repeatedly between English and Scottish forces, the Scottish Crown, Clan MacDonald, and the Grant family before abandonment in the early 1600s. Today, visitors climb the Grant Tower for panoramic views across the loch and Great Glen, explore surviving gatehouse lower storeys and curtain wall remnants, and experience one of Scotland's most dramatic castle ruins set within stunning Highland scenery.