Castle Tioram

(photo - Simon Willis)

Castle Tioram sits at the mouth of Loch Moidart on the rocky Eilean Tioram (Dry Island). Probably started around the 14th century, it's an imposing pile. It is associated with Clanranald, and particularly with the females of the clan. We had a stunning autumn paddle in October 2009 around Eilean Shona, starting beneath the castle on a bright, frosty morning.


The defensive position of the castle is well illustrated in this picture, but it had a flaw. built on an island called "Dry Island" - it didn't have a well and so couldn't withstand long sieges. Clanranald has a very bloody history. A very prominent clan which traces it origins to Somerled, Lord of the Isles, most of the chiefs up until the 18th century appear to have died by sudden or violent means.

(photo - Simon Willis)

Heading back towards the castle in the evening light via the north channel of Eilean Shona, Castle Tioram appeared calm and serene, afloat on its island. Sadly, the castle is the subject of a wrangle between the current owner who wants to convert it to a dwelling, and Historic Scotland (a government agency) who insist it must remain a ruin. Meantime, the building is suffering the ravages of time and weather.

Ardvreck Castle

In the north west of Scotland, another dramatic ruined castle stands guard




Ardvreck Castle is on a rocky point in Loch Assynt near Inchnadamph and guards the strategic ford now occupied by Skiag Bridge. The castle is on the route from the south to Lochinver, and, via a pass on the shoulder of Quinag, to the far north. It was built around 1490 and was a MacLeod stronghold.

It's a very dramatic and atmopheric ruin, a stark tooth of stone rising from a wild loch. It always seems to me to have an air of cold indifference. Certainly it gave cold comfort to the Marquis of Montrose, who was betrayed and captured whilst sheltering here in 1650 after the defeat of the Royalists; a remarkable breach of traditional values by the wife of the MacLeod chief.




In this view of the castle, a sense of the strategic position is shown. The steep slopes of Glas Bheinn (776m) sweep up from the loch shore, routing travellers and armies right to the castle. A little to the north west is the superlative mountain Quinag (the stoup, or milk bucket). One of my favourite hills, I've climbed it, kayaked along part of it's base and stayed in a cottage at it's foot - I really recommend it!

Castles Stalker and Shuna

I've been looking through some photographs recently and noticed how many I've taken of castles. Scotland is studded with fortifications, from Iron Age hillforts and Brochs right up to Victorian castles.


The west coast is particularly rich in fortifications of all types, most for defence against sea raiders, but some built to exert control over the vital sea routes which link the islands and reach deep inland via sea lochs.



This is the rather magnificently sited Castle Stalker. It's in the entrance to a shallow loch (Loch Laich) which is an arm of Loch Linnhe in Appin. Although the water dries out around the rocky island the castle is built on at low tide, it would still have been a very effective defence. It seems to me to be a statement of power. Built by the MacDougalls of Lorn, probably replacing a smaller fortification, in the 13th century, it was designed to stamp the authority of this colourful clan of sea raiders on an arterial route.



The story of Clan MacDougall and their struggles with the Stewarts is fascinating; a roller coaster ride of triumph, disaster, bloodshed and battles. The castle is a fitting monument to those turbulent times.




In this wider view, another castle can just be made out. Castle Shuna is in front of the tree plantation on Shuna Island. Built by the Stewarts of Appin some 200 years later than Castle Stalker, it's now a ruin. It seems to have been more a fortified house than a castle.

The views from both these castles are fabulous; these pictures were taken in December 2008 when I paddled around Shuna Island and down to Lismore. The mountains across Loch Linnhe are Fuar Bheinn and Creach Bheinn in the Kingairloch area of Morven.

The Snow Continues...

The recent winter weather has continued. It's been even colder; reaching minus 20 Celcius on one night, and whenever the teperature has warmed to around freezing there has been more snow; which has in turn frozen. The stuff on the ground is very hard.



There's an impressive growth of icicles on all the houses. In these conditions, simple chores can be a bit of a struggle. Credit to Aberdeenshire Council, who are keeping all the main routes clear so far.

A Cold Snap

Back in September, I posted about the Rowan trees in our garden having a huge berry crop. It certainly looks as if the tradition that a good Rowan year heralds a hard winter to come is being borne out. Along with consistently heavy snowfall there's been some really cold temperatures- typically minus 13 Celcius overnight.



There's a car under there somewhere!



It looks pretty, but after a while things become difficult. These pictures were sent by my wife, who is having to cope with these conditions whilst I'm away at work. It can't be much fun; and it's still snowing heavily...

Amongst Sunken Ships

We did manage a couple of paddles during our week in Orkney. We enjoyed an unusual paddle around Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm, which took us up the line of Churchill Barrier Number 2 linking Lamb Holm with Mainland. It was a slightly strange experience paddling amongst the remains of the blockships which were sunk in this channel before the Barriers were built to deter a repeat of the incident in which Kapt Lt Gunter Prien entered Scapa Flow and torpedoed the battleship HMS Royal Oak at anchor in 1939. She went down with the loss of over 800 lives. The feat of seamanship by Prien in entering, pressing home his attack and then evading the hunting Royal Navy vessels shook the Admiralty, but drew private admiration despite the terrible loss of life.


Prior to the building of the Barriers, additional blockships were sunk in the channels between the islands surrounding Scapa Flow. It's quite a unique experience to paddle among the sunken remains; you can easily identify boilers, deck machinery and superstructure in the clear water.

The Churchill Barriers were built largely by Italian POW's who were accommodated on Lamb Holm. The Geneva Convention forbids the using of POW's for work on warlike projects, so roads were placed on top of the Barriers. These links are now a vital part of the Orkney infrastucture. The Italian men built a chapel nearby. This moving abd poignant building housed in a former Nissen Hut was decorated by the men using scraps and papoer mache; the images and icons within it evoking images of Italy. Today it's a popular stop for tourist buses. We were fortunate to see it at a quiet time, in the company - somewhat fittingly- of a German couple and two young Italians.

The Ring of Brodgar

Just along the road from Stenness is the magnificent Ring of Brodgar, a very large stone circle set on a gentle rise, visible from many miles around. The stones make a dramatic skyline and have a tangible presence. When in use, the circle must have been a very potent place.


Some are fallen or missing, but the outline of the outer ring of stones is very clear.



Like Stenness, the stones slope at the upper edge, mirroring the Ward Hill on Hoy



The stone itself is very characterful, and doesn't come from the immediate vicinity

The Stones of Stenness

In the summer we spent a week in Orkney. It turned out to be a wet and windy week so we didnt't do as much sea kayaking as we had hoped. We more than made up for it in exploring Orkney's fabulous ancient monuments.

We were utterly blown away by the standing stones, stone circles and remains. Set in the stark yet very green Orkney landscape, they retain a powerful and emotive presence. This is one of the Stones of Stenness. A blade of rock transported and raised at great effort. It and it's companions dominate the narrow neck of land between Lochs Harray and Stenness



The stones seem to have been placed where they would be visible to all the inhabitants of an area. From Stenness one can see the chambered tomb at Maes Howe and several other stone circles and monument sites.



The great majority of the stones have a sloping top, and the slope is almost always in the same direction. This seems to mirror the slope angle and orientation of the Ward Hill on Hoy; which is visble from all of the stones. It can surely be no coincidence that the midwinter sun sets behind this end of the Ward Hill - the winter solstice was one of the most momentous times of the ancient year.