Standing stones of Craig na Dun. Six real places in Scotland. Stirling Castle and Doune Castle in Scotland Appearances in films

Story

Not even all Scots know about the first owner and, probably, the architect of Doune Castle - the first Duke of Albany. And in vain. This man led Scotland for a long time - under his father Robert II, under his brother Robert III and nephew James I. The father was old, the brother was sick, and the nephew spent 18 years in English captivity.

Yes, the older brother was actually named John, but when he became king, he took the name Robert, like his father and great-great-grandfather. Robert the Duke himself lived and allowed others to live; he can be considered one of the founders of the phenomenon called in our time corruption.

Studying the biography of the first Duke of Albany, you begin to think that genius and villainy are compatible after all. So we wander around this man’s home.

The title of Duke of Albany is approximately the same as if some member of the Russian royal family were called the Grand Duke of Russia. Not so long ago, Scotland was called Alba, or Alban in Gaelic pronunciation. The Duke's royal ambitions are obvious.

The reliable ancestor of the Stuart clan is Alan, seneschal of the Earl of Dol in Brittany. His grandson Alan fitz Flaald was invited to England by Henry I and received lands from him. During the civil war between Stephen and Matilda, Alan's sons supported Matilda. When Matilda's party won, the eldest, William, was rewarded with a sheriff's office in England. Middle - Walter fitz Alan moved to Scotland. There he won the favor of Matilda's uncle David I, and his career took off.

In 1137 Walter became High Stuart (Seneschal) of Scotland (a few years later this position was established as a hereditary title). In addition, he received substantial land holdings from the king, and became one of the largest landowners in Scotland. In 1164, Walter defeated the army of the Kingdom of the Isles at Renfrew, King Somerled of the Isles died, and the influence of the kingdom was seriously weakened.

Walter's eldest son Alan inherited the title of High Stuart, and under his son Walter the position came to be used as a family surname.

The 6th High Stuart, also Walter, married daughter Marjorie. The poor young princess died in childbirth, but managed to give birth to an heir. This child, named Robert after his grandfather, also became High Stuart in time. In 1371, King David II died, and the male line of the Bruce family was cut short. The closest relative was Robert Stewart, who was crowned Robert II.

Robert II had a huge number of children. The elder John, Earl of Carrick and Earl of Atholl, later renamed and became Robert III. Daughter Margaret, married to Ian MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, and became the mother and grandmother of all subsequent Lords, which did not prevent her relatives from brutally fighting each other for the next hundred years.

Born in 1340, Robert eventually received the titles Earl of Menteith (for this he just had to successfully marry the Countess of Menteith), Earl of Fife, and later Duke of Albany. Earl Fife gradually increased his influence, and prudently began to build himself a castle that could, to some extent, serve as the residence of the ruler of the country.

In 1382, Robert Stuart received the post of Great Chamberlain of Scotland, responsible for collecting revenues for the royal treasury. His father, King Robert II, was already approaching 70 at that time.

In 1388, John Stewart was hit in the head by a hoof. And so the not very successful politician became not only incompetent, but also unable to concentrate on solving state problems. However, two years later he became king, replacing John as Robert. And the younger brother Robert, still Earl of Fife, was the real ruler of Scotland.

Earl Fife, of course, was a fairly capable politician and skillful manager. But he was more concerned about replenishing the family budget than the state treasury: he received the right to duty-free export of wool, income from the customs of several cities was transferred to him and several pensions were assigned from the state treasury. As a result, Robert's income reached a huge amount for that time - 2000 pounds sterling per year.

The count, presumably, maintained order in his personal possessions. As for Scotland as a whole, everything was left to chance. War of clans, again an independent Lordship (kingdom of the Isles), etc. and so on. In 1398, Robert Stuart received (assigned to himself) the newly established title of Duke of Albany.

In 1399, the king's eldest son, David, Duke of Rothesay, turned 21. He raises the issue of his uncle's abuses before Parliament; the Duke of Albany is removed from all posts. The young prince himself would hardly have been able to do anything if not for the support of his father-in-law, Archibald the Fierce, Earl of Douglas. But he was already over 70, and even they, old and young, had turned their southern neighbors against themselves.

In 1400, Archibald Douglas the Fierce died, the English invaded Scotland, and the Duke of Albany slowly regained lost ground. In 1402, he captured David (heir to the throne and his own nephew!), and kept him in . Where the young duke died a month later, presumably - he was starved to death on the orders of his uncle.

In the same 1402, the war with England ended. Many Scottish knights were captured, and they had to be ransomed somehow.

King Robert III by that time was already seriously ill in the head. He didn’t pay much attention to the death of his eldest son, he said that no one was to blame, and he forgives everyone. Or was he already so intimidated by his brother? In 1406, he, fearing for the life of his youngest son James (from whom is the threat, if not from the Duke), sent him by ship to France. You might think that the almighty uncle did not know where and on what ship his nephew was being sent! As a result, Robert III died of a heart attack, and the 12-year-old heir ended up in English captivity. And for a long time, the regent of the kingdom, the Duke of Albany, took care of this. By this time, Doune Castle had become his main residence, as well as his working residence, where important government papers were signed.

Of course, prisoners must be ransomed; this is required by the rules of good manners. But, of course, not all at once. Who and when is decided by the regent of the kingdom. First of all, although it was very expensive, he naturally bought out his own eldest son Murdoch. Then hostilities with England resumed; in 1417, the Scottish army was led by the regent himself (at 77 years of age).

The ransom of prisoners, meanwhile, went on as usual; of course, the order of the ransom was determined by the degree of loyalty to the regent.

But then something happened that had to happen someday - Robert Stewart 1st Duke of Albany died in 1420 at the age of 80. Murdoch Stuart became the 2nd Duke of Albany, Earl of Fife, and at the same time the regent of Scotland.

Murdoch was no longer a boy, 58 years old in 1420, had adult children, but he committed a great stupidity, or gave in under pressure from the Scottish nobility. Either he did not have the same authority as his father, or he was not so cunning and did not know how to pit opponents against each other, or everyone was already so fed up with the rule of the Dukes of Albany that there was a real threat of civil war - Murdoch ransomed James I from captivity in 1424 -m (issue price – 40 thousand pounds sterling). The king returned to Scotland, was crowned, married and ordered the arrest of Murdoch and his entire family.

In 1425, Murdoch Stuart 2nd Duke of Albany and his two sons, Walter and Alexander, were executed. Duchess Isabella was stripped of her titles and possessions, and went to serve an 8-year sentence in the castle Tantallon.

Doune Castle became the property of the crown; royal motorcades stopped here when going hunting. It was also considered a widow's share for queens - if James I designated Stirling for his wife in this capacity, then his heirs were more modest. The Stuart kings died early, and whether or not the widowed queens lived in the castle (Mary of Gueldern, the widow of James II, Margaret of Denmark, the widow of James III, and Margaret Tudor, the widow of James IV), Doune was considered their inalienable property.

In 1528, James IV's widow Margaret married (for the third time) Henry Stewart, Lord Methven. By that time, a great many Stuarts had divorced, but Lord Methven was a descendant of Walter, son of Murdoch and grandson of Robert, who was executed in 1425. Management of the castle was transferred to Lord Methven's brother, Sir James Stewart. In 1570, King James VI granted his son the title of Lord Doune and Doune Castle itself. It is unlikely that the idea came from the 4-year-old king, but once again the castle returned to the hands of the descendants of its builder and first owner. By the way, his name was also James. If this was not yet so noticeable in the 15th century, then in the 16th century three-quarters of the characters bear the name James Stewart - from kings to humble captains.

The descendants of the 1st Duke of Albany did not remain so modest for long. In 1580, the son of the owner of the castle, James (again) Stuart, married the girl Elizabeth, who bore the surname, of course, also Stuart, but in addition, she was also the heiress of the county of Morey, one of the most significant regions of Scotland, and was also the king’s cousin. So young James received the favor of the crown, the title of earl, and after the death of his father, he also became Lord Doune. And he had a nickname - Handsome Count.

But King James VI had other favorites. In 1592, the young earl was killed with a knife by George Gordon, Earl (future Marquess) of Huntly. And he didn’t have anything to do with it.

Moreover, in 1607, the son of the murdered man married the daughter of the murderer.

Is it worth mentioning that both the groom and his heir, in addition to the earldom, were also Lords of Doune, and both were named James Stewart. Well, the younger James was not born right away, and in the same 1607, due to the special location of the king, Doune Castle was used as a prison for the minister John Munro, who did not agree with the religious plans of James VI. However, with the help of the castle constable, he managed to escape. For this support, the constable himself soon found himself in the place of the escaped prisoner.

In general, the young Count Mori got it. On the one hand, there is the king, who is angry for a poorly completed assignment, on the other, the Protestants are raising their heads (some of the powers that be sympathize with them), and on the third, the beloved father-in-law, who is more dangerous than a poisonous snake.

Both of them did not live to see the culmination - his father-in-law died in 1636 at the age of 73, and his son-in-law in 1638, at the age of 47. His heir, also, of course, James, had to survive both the Convenanters and the occupation of the castle in 1645th Marquess of Montrose, and other delights of the War of the Three Kingdoms. After his death in 1653, his heir Alexander Stuart was forced to patiently endure the damage from the fighting between the Scots and the army of Oliver Cromwell, which took place in the lands adjacent to the Doune. It’s good that none of the warring parties had the strength or desire to capture the castle itself, otherwise it wouldn’t have seemed too bad.

During the uprising, which did not agree with the results of the so-called “Glorious Revolution,” Dun was immediately occupied by government troops, so there was no choice, and the castle did not suffer any damage, and even some repairs were made at the expense of the treasury.

In 1715, under Alexander’s son Charles, history repeated itself, and Count Maury could not support the Jacobites even if he wanted to.

But in 1745 he occupied the castle, and the next Earl of Maury and Lord Doune James Stewart did not go anywhere. The prince also used the castle as a small concentration camp for adherents of the Hanoverian dynasty, but not very successfully; a significant part of the prisoners fled.

It all ended in 1746. Somehow the owner of the castle managed to keep Dune behind him.

A sad story happened to his grandson Francis Stewart, 10th Earl of Morey. All four of Sir Francis's sons died, although at an advanced age, but unmarried. Of the three descendants of the 9th Earl, only one left sons. Just some kind of rock, compare only with the fertility of the first Stuarts!

In general, the further you go, the less respectable the owners of Duna look. Duke Robert, he was a villain, of course, but what a figure - he could even write an opera. And then there is no way to increase the glory of the family, even with the birth of heirs.

The condition of the castle deteriorated, and by the beginning of the 19th century, Dun was a dilapidated building without roofs. In 1984, the 20th Earl of Morey found himself unable to maintain Doune, his ancestral castle, and handed it over to Historic Scotland.

There are not a lot of castle ghosts - sometimes an incomprehensible luminous silhouette appears, rather even an orb, which the gullible Scots consider to be the incarnation of Queen Mary Stuart, who once only visited Doune for a short time. But everywhere there is the atmosphere of the 1st Duke of Albany, who in himself is a spirit from the underworld.

Doune Castle: 56°11?06 n. w. 4°03?01 W d. / 56.1851111° n. w. 4.05028° W d./56.1851111; -4.05028 (G) (O) (I)

Doune Castle is located in the Stirling region of Scotland.

History of the castle

The castle was built at the end of the 14th century. and originally belonged to Robert Stuart, first Duke of Albany.

By marrying Margaret, Countess of Menteith, Robert Albany was created Earl of Menteith and Fife. The second son of King Robert II and brother of Robert III, in 1382 he was appointed Lord Great Chamberlain of Scotland - responsible for collecting revenue for the royal treasury, and after the death of Robert III was proclaimed ruler of Scotland.

After Robert's death, the castle was inherited by his son Murdoch. But in 1425 he was executed by order of the king, the castle became the property of the crown and was used as a royal hunting lodge for a hundred years.

In 1570 the castle passed to Sir James Stewart, 1st Lord of Doune. After his death in 1590, the castle was inherited by his eldest son, who, on marrying, received the title of Earl of Moray. Since then the castle has been owned by this family.

During the Jacobite uprisings of 1689 and 1715. a government garrison was located in the castle. In 1745, Doune was captured by the Jacobites, who set up a prison in the castle.

By the end of the 18th century. The castle fell into a deplorable state - its roof collapsed. Attempts at restoration were made in 1833 and 1970. In 1984, the 20th Earl of Moray transferred the castle to the care of the state.

Appearances in films

The film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) was filmed in the castle.

Before the film went into production, the producers obtained permission to film some Scottish castles from the National Trust for Scotland, as well as permission to film Doune Castle from the castle's private owner. However, the management of the National Trust soon changed their decision and refused permission to film. Finding themselves in a desperate situation, the film crew was forced to film Doune Castle from different angles so that after editing it would appear that the film was showing several different castles.

At the beginning of the film, it is at Doune Castle that King Arthur and his squire Patsy ride up, rattling their haynuts, to begin a long discussion about swallows with a soldier from the castle garrison.

Anthrax Castle, inhabited by playful maidens who pursued Sir Galahad, is also Doune Castle.

Finally, the castle scenes where Lancelot attacks the wedding guests and causes mayhem were also filmed at Doune Castle.

The only exceptions are scenes in which the knights are insulted by a French guard. These scenes were filmed at Castle Stalker.

The castle was chosen as the location for filming scenes set in Winterfell Castle, the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, in the television series Game of Thrones.

Information for visitors

The castle is open throughout the year. Visiting hours: From April to September - daily from 09:30 to 18:30. From October to March - daily except Tuesday and Friday from 09:30 to 16:30. Adult ticket: ? 3.50. Child ticket: ?1.50.

To the question: How many castles are there in Scotland, which is the oldest? given by the author rapid-fire the best answer is Although it’s hard to compete with such enlightened Scots lovers :)
But...
Traquair House Castle is, according to many sources, the oldest residential building in Scotland. It was built at the very beginning of the 12th century - a very long time ago 🙂, and since the 16th century the castle has maintained its own brewery, in which three types of beer are brewed, including the Jacobite ale variety.
Edinburgh Castle, rising on a 133-meter cliff (the remnant of a long-extinct volcano). according to historical evidence, it has existed since the 11th century, but the first buildings on this site appeared almost 1400 years ago. The most ancient buildings that have survived to this day (for example, the Chapel of St. Margaret, the queen, wife of King Malcolm III of Scotland, who died in Edinburgh Castle in 1093) were erected in the 12th century. The castle was constantly added to and expanded until 1927, when a War Memorial was erected dedicated to the Scots who fell in the First World War (now also to the victims of the Second World War). The most notable building is the royal palace with an octagonal tower topped with a crenellated crown (1368).
Traces of human presence on the territory of present Edinburgh can be traced back to 7 thousand BC. e. Archaeological research shows traces of the presence of the Romans and Celts. Edinburgh itself was founded in the 10th and 11th centuries. like the Gaelic settlement of Dunedinn, I agree with the number of castles in Scotland - about 3000, I have not found more precise instructions anywhere.
Scotland is not England at all, or at least not quite England. The difference is immediately noticeable. It is in everything - in the landscape, in the language, in the way of life, in national dishes, but above all - in the character of the Scots. They are welcoming (their hospitality is akin to the East, and there are legends about it), open and spontaneous, and very freedom-loving.
And although Scotland is politically and geographically only a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it is still a special country...
And this is the Edinburgh website and the portal (!!) about Scotland on Wikipedia

The mood is medieval-romantic. I want to go to Scotland...
Source:

Answer from 22 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: How many castles are there in Scotland, which is the oldest?

Answer from Anatoly Terentyev[guru]
The Isle of Skye is located in the north-west of Scotland. This is not only a historical place where the Gaels once lived, but also a resort. Indeed, despite the fact that the climate in Britain is rainy and cool, the water in July, thanks to the Gulf Stream, is quite warm. There are even palm trees growing on the Scottish coast, opposite the Isle of Skye. In addition, in July the island hosts Gaelic festivals, where you can get acquainted with the ancient culture and even learn a little bagpipe playing and Scottish step dancing.
The ancient MacLeod Castle (Dunvegan) towers over the island and is open to anyone who wants to see it. With the exception of the living quarters - for the castle is considered the oldest of the British ones in which there is continuous habitation - it has been inhabited by the same family for the last 9 centuries. Visitors will find museum halls, a shop where all varieties of Scottish kilts are sold, and an amazing castle garden.
Hepstoff Castle (1067) is considered one of the oldest stone buildings in Great Britain.
But there is another one - the one that was the house of the Canterville Ghost :)

Answer from Caucasian[active]

source: Wikipedia
Exactly how much is not specified)))
I found Eileen Donan, if not the oldest castle, then one of the most impressive
I guess? It is he?

Answer from Natural philosophy[guru]
Scotland is rightfully considered a country of medieval castles (countless number - more than 3000).
The most famous and worth a visit: Edinburgh Castle, the most famous building of the city, overlooking the capital of Scotland; Scone Palace is a castle where Scottish kings were crowned in ancient times; White Fairytale Blair Castle - an ancient fortress of the 13th century, where a unique collection of antique objects and paintings is collected; Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in Scotland; Urquhart Castle, one of the largest castles in Scotland, built on a rock on the shores of Loch Ness, from the walls of which you can see a beautiful panorama of Loch Ness and its surroundings; Belmoral Castle is the current residence of the Queen in Scotland (open to the public from May to July); Stirling Castle is one of the most majestic castles in Scotland, the residence of the royal Stuart dynasty; Melrose Abbey is a Cistirian abbey built by King David in 1136, which is the oldest building in Scotland; Abbotford house-museum of the famous English writer Walter Scott; Mary Queen of Scots House; Traquair House is one of the oldest and most beloved manor houses in Scotland, which was built in the 12th century... and many other magnificent buildings of history... .
The oldest castle in Scotland of the “immortal” MacLeods is Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye.
The castle, overlooking Loch Dunvegan, has served as the home of the island's owners, the MacLeods, for centuries. According to legend, Leod was the youngest son of the last Viking king of the Isle of Man and the Hebrides. When King Alexander II defeated the Vikings at Lairg in 1263, Leod ruled half of the Hebrides. The MacLeods' holdings are still very extensive, but now they include only part of the Isle of Skye, Dunvegan Castle and its surroundings, extending to the steep desert slopes of the Cuillins mountain range.
The main treasure of the castle is, of course, the “fairy flag”. It is believed that the banner has the miraculous ability to bring victory to the owner on the battlefield. Here you will also see the famous “Horn of Rory Mora”, which, according to tradition, each heir in the male line is obliged to drain in one gulp on the day of his majority in order to prove his right to be called a highlander and the future leader of the clan. The horn holds one and three quarters of a bottle of claret, and the current head of the clan, John, spent 1 minute and 57 seconds on this procedure. And also - an elegant box from India - a gift to General MacLeod from Queen Cannanora in South India, who fell in love with him, and was even ready to become the second wife of the fearless Scot. You will also see the infamous Black Cuillin mountain range, which the current head of the clan decided to put up for sale for 10 million pounds sterling in order to save the castle, which is in desperate need of major repairs...

Answer from Cat Eyes[guru]
There are about 3,000 castles in Scotland.
Aberdeenshire
Balmoral Castle
Braemar Castle Hugh Scotland - THE OLDEST)))
Dunnottar Castle
Delgatie Castle
Drum Castle

Kildrummy Castle
Craigievar Castle
Corgarff Castle
Muchalls Castle
Slains Castle
Findlater Castle
Fetteresso Castle
Fyvie Castle
[edit] Angus
Brechin Castle
Guthrie Castle
Glamis Castle
Glenbuchat Castle
Colliston Castle
Ruthven Castle
Finavon Castle
Forfar (English: Forfar Castle)
Edzell Castle
[edit] Argyll and Bute
Glengorm Castle
Dunollie Castle
Dunstaffnage Castle
Duart Castle
Carnasserie Castle
Kilchurn Castle
Lachlan Castle
Moy Castle
Skipness Castle
Stalker Castle
[edit] Hebrides
Kisimul Castle
[edit] Glasgow
Crookston Castle
[edit] Dumbartonshire
Dumbarton Castle
[edit] Dumfries and Galloway
Drumlanrig Castle
Caerlaverock Castle
Closeburn Castle
Threave Castle
[edit] Dundee
Huntly Castle
[edit] South Lanarkshire
Bothwell Castle
Crawford Castle
Portencross Castle
[edit] Lothian
Borthwick Castle
Dirleton Castle
Tantallon Castle
Edinburgh
[edit] Midlothian
Blackness Castle
Dalhousie Castle
Crichton Castle
[edit] Moray
Balvenie Castle
Ballindalloch Castle
Brodie Castle
Auchindoun Castle
[edit] Orkney Islands
Balfour Castle
Noltland Castle
[edit] Perth and Kinross
Lochleven Castle
MacDuff's Castle
Methven Castle
[edit] Sterling
Doune Castle
Stirling Castle
[edit] Fife
Aberdour Castle
Wemyss Castle
Kellie Castle
Lordscairnie Castle
Rossend
Fordell
[edit] Highland
Ardvreck Castle
Urquhart Castle
Beaufort Castle
Braal Castle
Dunbeath Castle
Dunvegan Castle
Inverness Castle
Craig Castle
Mingarry Castle
Knock Castle
Skibo Castle
Tioram Castle
Eilean Donan Castle
[edit] Shetland Islands
Scalloway Castle
[edit] Scottish Borders
Duns Castle
Neidpath Castle
Floors Castle
Hermitage Castle
Wedderburn Castle
[edit] Edinburgh
Edinburgh castle
[edit] East Ayrshire
Dean (eng. Dean Castle)
Lochdoon Castle
Trabboch Castle
[edit] North Ayrshire
Brodick Castle
Lochranza Castle
[edit] South Ayrshire
Glenapp Castle
Culzean Castle
Sundrum Castle
Thomaston Castle

Honestly, not all of the points we had planned were able to be visited, and for me the most offensive thing was not visiting the distillery where whiskey is brewed. There were three of them, and we stopped at three more on the road to Elgin, where the destination was the local Cathedral.

Day ten. Glenfiddick, Elgin, Clava Cairns, Inverness, Leod Castle, Bealy Priory, Loch Ness. A beautiful road through the fjord and an overnight stay during a storm

Glenfilik was closed for two weeks - as we learned, each of the distilleries (which one would like to call distilleries, but this is not correct) closes for “rest” for two weeks - each has its own schedule, so if you set out to visit at least one in the summer , you should call or write to them in advance to clarify the schedule.

Plus, most tours start every hour (12.00-13.00, etc.), but some distilleries only conduct tours every two to three hours. In short, if time is limited, it is better to understand in advance how long you have time.
Glenfidyk was very attractive because tours of the production (without tasting) are free. The average price at other distilleries is £5-6, including sampling several whiskeys.
So, after unsuccessfully trying to get on a tour, we went to Clava Cairns - the prototype of Craig na Dun from the Outlander series.

Vladimir and Dashka slept peacefully in the back seats - at the end of the trip, rarely anyone could resist an afternoon nap.
After the stones we went to Inverness - one of the largest cities in Scotland

Parking

We went to the pub, tried the local cuisine - chicken hunter and fish and chips, washed down with a pint of Guinness (there was not a single English beer in the pub). After steamed dinners from the slow cooker, this was a pleasant change, but overall, English cuisine somehow didn’t impress me.

A short walk around Inverness (we went to the post office, sent postcards), and now we were on the way to Loch Ness - since Klim had been drinking, Vladimir drove for the rest of the day. During this time, we managed to see Bewley Priory - a temple that was under the guardianship of the Fraser clan, and where you can still read on ancient tombstones the names of the descendants of this family who lived long before us.

On the way to Loch Ness, we stopped at a farm where we bought strawberries through an “honesty box” - you take what you want from the counter and put into the box exactly the amount indicated on the price tag.

We saw this quite often in England: for example, on one of the trails there was a cooler bag containing bottles of soda and mineral water: for each you had to put 2 pounds in the bag. In general, the concept of honesty in England is not only taught to farmers. In the same Tesco there are self-service checkouts, where no one checks what exactly you bought for yourself and what you just put in your bag or pocket.

Loch Ness is one of the many lakes that became famous thanks to the legend of a monster supposedly living at the bottom of the lake. Tourists sail on boats and shout “Nessie!!!”, trying to summon the big green monster (as he is depicted on postcards and toys). We stopped outside the tourist camp, went down to the rocks and had lunch (dinner) with an excellent view. The water in the lake is clear and cold, it was not even tempting to swim. Plus, the bottom of small sharp pebbles did not add to the desire to go swimming.

On the same day we saw Castle Leod - the prototype of Castle Leoch from Outlander: it is a residential castle, and tours are given by the descendants of the McKinsey clan, who live right here. We arrived in the evening and didn’t even try to walk closer to the house: we took pictures from afar so as not to disturb the inhabitants.

We were somewhat pressed for time, and expecting to see the Hogwarts Express at 10.46 a.m. the next day, we had to drive another hundred kilometers to the west coast.

The road through the fjord is one of the most picturesque roads we've taken in Scotland. Winding, narrow, surrounded by tall mountains, mountain pastures, fog and hanging clouds, through which the rays of the pre-sunset sun peeked through. Magic!

In one of the towns along the road we saw a clearing suitable for camping: several caravaners and one car with a tent were already parked here.

We admired the sunset, had dinner, set up the tent, sticking in all the pegs and pulling all the ropes, as the storm was heading towards us.

We went to wash in the heavy rain, and climbed into the tent at the moment when the wind became a little frightening. The tent shook and groaned all night - the crepes were either stretched or inflated, the fabric of the tent woke us up in the middle of the night, falling on our faces. In my opinion, only Clementy slept peacefully. Dasha shuddered, I crawled away from the edge of the tent, which was lying on me, Vladimir also woke up from time to time.
In the morning we were rumpled - the rain did not stop pouring all night, and while Dashka and Klim were preparing breakfast, Vladimir and I were huddled in our sleeping bags and did not want to go anywhere until this gray wet nightmare was over. However, after 20 minutes it became clear that we could easily spend the whole day here, because... the sky was evenly filled with gray impenetrable clouds. Here it is, England!
Bitten like hell by midges, we brushed our teeth (for the first time without a morning shower), I ate the cold porridge (buee) left over from Klim, and leaving our wet clothes, we went home in search of better weather.

Day eleven. Applecross – an incredibly beautiful road along the coast, Isle of Skye, Eilean Donan Castle, overnight near Fort William

So, the morning turned out to be not particularly cheerful: we were so glad that we got into a warm car, in which - oh gods! - It didn’t rain. Gradually we managed to emerge from the clouds, and an absolutely stunning view of the mountains and coast opened up before us.

Honestly, I don’t like to find words for such beauties: they are still not enough, and even photographs poorly convey that emotional state when there is a lump in your throat and you feel that this planet is beautiful, that the world is beautiful, and that there is no better moment, than just being where you are.

The road can clearly be an adventure for inexperienced drivers (and for gurus too): sharp inclines, blind turns and foggy clouds on a one-way road can bring their own surprises.

And Clementy seemed to be in his element: sharp turns, brake, acceleration, brake again. At some moments I really wanted a sports seat or at least upper side handles for the rear passengers.
At the end of the “highway,” all the passengers’ knees were shaking from tension, and only Klimenty the driver was completely and absolutely delighted with what was happening.

Klim's driving style every day of joint trips (and my daily life too) is a very sensitive topic: most people do not believe that in our car it is necessary to buckle up in the back. But experienced friends, as soon as they get into the car, immediately click their seat belts.

But that’s not what this is all about, so I’ll get back to our journey. Applecross is a very, very small town

which contains the only gas station in the next 100 km, the only store and a couple of cafes, in one of which we were treated to hot soup and delicious scallops, which are collected on the shores of Scotland. No comparison to fish and chips!

We continued on to the Isle of Skye, a place where we had intended to be wild from the start, as every one of the few blogs about camping in Scotland mentioned that it had some of the most stunning views.

Alas, the weather spoiled our views a little, although it’s like looking at it... Like in the children’s cartoon about the Princess: “The views were beautiful, the weather was terrible!”

In short, our equipment was not enough to walk in such weather. You need storm trousers and jackets, waterproof shoes and a hotel nearby where you can come after such a walk and collapse into a warm bed. We were content with less, skipping the hike 10 km deep into the island, since there was basically no chance of getting there without getting sick. Skye is a beautiful island, but it’s definitely worth setting aside more than half a day for it (as we did) and trying to get the weather right, since walking in the sun is much more pleasant.

“People disappear all the time...

Many of the missing are found.

Anyway. Alive or

dead. Disappearances in the end

receive explanations. Usually."

Getting a UK visa is not very easy, but getting to a bookshop is not difficult. That's why I love books so much - with their help you can go anywhere. For example, to Scotland.

Before this, I had already been lucky enough to visit Scotland, but I spent almost all the time in Edinburgh, and I really regretted that I never went to the wild spaces between the mountains. And having discovered “Outlander”, I again madly wanted to take off and again run, fly, crawl to the embassy for a new visa. But circumstances, unfortunately, did not allow, and still do not allow me to do this. So I spent the next year searching for the original book. I combed the length and breadth of Bookvoed, ebay, Amazon and many other resources. But on ebay I was faced with expensive shipping from the States, and the book was out of stock elsewhere. Because the last edition was from the 90s. And lo and behold! The second season of the series is coming out, and as usual, our dear Eksmo is re-releasing the book with a poster on the cover.

What is the book about? The main story is told from the perspective of a woman who, after the end of the Second World War, travels with her husband to the Scottish Highlands. Fate takes her to a certain hill where the majestic stones of the Craig Na Dun henge stand. If you ever go to Scotland and want to find that same Craig Na Dun, their prototype is called Callanish, and is located. Touching the stones, she is mystically transported to the 18th century, to Scotland during the Jacobite wars. Every page of the book simply breathes that time, that era, imbued with the spirit of Scotland. The way we always imagine her. Kilts, bagpipes, castles, ancient ruins, sacred stones. Much attention is paid to descriptions of local vegetation (the main character is fond of herbs). The ancient customs of the indigenous population, old legends and superstitions are mentioned. Usually, when reading a book, I often just skim through such things, trying to quickly return to the main line of events, but here every word, every line captivates my attention. From the book you can glean a lot of interesting information about the old Scottish clans and their history. Reading the book and watching the series prompted me to do my own Google research, from which I learned, for example, that the current Castles of Eilean Donan and Leod (in the book Leoch) are still considered to belong to the Mackenzie clan.

It doesn’t matter at all whether you watch the series first, as I did, and then move on to reading, or vice versa. The director did a great job! And I think that if you prefer to read first, then the series will not disappoint you, but will only complement your impression. But this book, in my opinion, should take its rightful place on the shelf of any dreamer and traveler. For me personally, it also became a kind of guide. From there I can easily make a list of places I definitely want to visit the next time I get to Scotland! And which I wouldn’t have found out about simply by typing “attractions” into Google. But I won’t share this list with you, read Outlander and make your own! ;)

Vera Rybikova