Urquhart Castle, Castle in the United Kingdom
Urquhart Castle is a medieval ruin on the western shore of Loch Ness in Highland Scotland, about two miles south of Drumnadrochit. The site stands on a rocky promontory with views across the dark waters of the loch and the surrounding hills.
The castle was probably built in the 13th century to secure an important route through the Highlands. During the Scottish Wars of Independence, control changed several times between English and Scottish forces, and later government soldiers blew up parts of it in 1692 to prevent Jacobites from using it.
The name Urquhart comes from an old Gaelic word describing the natural shape of the land around the castle. Visitors today often see wedding parties photographed against the old walls, while school groups explore the towers and learn about life in the Middle Ages.
The site is open year-round with longer hours in summer and shorter ones in winter, and it is advisable to book tickets online in advance. Visitors can walk through the ruins and climb the Grant Tower for wide views over the loch, but the stairs are narrow and steep.
A small room beneath the Grant Tower holds a narrow prison cell where a Gaelic bard named Dòmhnall Donn is said to have been held. The site also features a reconstruction of a trebuchet, a medieval siege weapon, which helps visitors understand the techniques of old warfare.
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