Tuši's blog: 16525

Scotland: Day 12 - Ross-shire and Inverness-shire

On the Highland mainland, stone and steel carry their own legends. Eilean Donan Castle, standing guard where three lochs meet, rises like a sentinel of Scotland's past - rebuilt from ruin, yet still echoing with tales of Jacobites and clans. Further west, the Glenfinnan Viaduct sweeps across the glen in graceful arcs of stone, immortalised by steam trains and storybooks, a bridge between history and imagination.

Previous days of our trip to Scotland: Day 11 - 16524, Day 10 - 16523, Day 9 - 16522, Day 8 - 16521, Day 7 - 16520, Day 6 - 16519, Day 5 - 16518, Day 4 - 16517, Day 3 - 16516, Day 2 - 16515, Day 1 - 16514.

Our "campsite" in the morning. Our tent was just behind our car.

Our first stop was the Eilean Donan Castle, that sits on a small tidal island where three sea lochs meet - Loch Duich, Loch Long, and Loch Alsh - a position chosen for both beauty and defense.

The island's original castle was built in the thirteenth century; it became a stronghold of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies, the Clan MacRae. In response to the Mackenzies' involvement in the Jacobite rebellions early in the 18th century, government ships destroyed the castle in 1719. The present-day castle is Lieutenant-Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap's 20th-century reconstruction of the old castle.

It is connected to the mainland by a footbridge that was installed early in the 20th century and is dominated by a picturesque castle that frequently appears in photographs, film and television.

Coat of arms on the entrance gates.

Eilean Donan, which means simply "island of Donnán", is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint who was martyred in 617. Donnán is said to have established a church on the island, though no trace of this remains.

Now the castle is also a popular wedding venue - couples from all over the world come to tie the knot here.

Nada, and Tuši.

Featured in many movies, including Highlander (1986), The World is Not Enough (James Bond, 1999), and Maid of Honor (2008).

On our way to the geocache, the view was awesome.

But the way wasn't that simple. Still we made it.

Few more photos from the other side.

Time for a quick snack.

Scottish woman Nada above the Loch Loyne.

A lone cairn beside Loch Loyne: marking the mysterious end of Willie MacRae - "A Scottish Patriot" whose death remains wrapped in controversy.

Originally Loch Loyne was a natural loch and it was expanded in the 1950s to create a reservoir for hydroelectric generation.

The Commando Memorial near Spean Bridge is a poignant tribute to the British Commandos who trained in the Scottish Highlands during World War II. Inscription says: "In memory of the officers and men of the commandos who died in the Second World War 1939–1945. This country was their training ground."

Unveiled in 1952 by the Queen Mother, it is one of Scotland's best-known monuments, both as a war memorial and as a tourist attraction offering views of Ben Nevis and Aonach Mòr.

A Garden of Remembrance, which was subsequently added to the site, is used by many surviving World War II Commandos as the designated final resting place for their ashes.

Saint Mary and Saint Finnan Church in Glenfinnan is a Gothic Revival gem, consecrated in 1873 and designed by Edward Welby Pugin. Built by the MacDonalds of Glenaladale as a memorial, it overlooks Loch Shiel near the site where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745. Its carved stonework, rose window, and hilltop setting give it a timeless, atmospheric beauty - part sacred space, part Highland history.

Waiting for the train with a beer.

The Glenfinnan Gold Story: Glenfinnan, famed as the remote glen where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised the Standard to assemble the Jacobite clans in 1745…much later also known more widely for some young wizard!

Glenfinnan Railway Station was opened in 1901. The station was designed by James Miller in the charming "chalet style" typical of West Highland Line architecture.

On our way to Glenfinnan Viaduct.

The Glenfinnan Viaduct became world-famous after appearing in the Harry Potter movies. It's the bridge the Hogwarts Express crosses on its way to Hogwarts.