Tor Castle, Tower house ruins near Fort William, Scotland
Tor Castle is a ruined tower house in Highland, Scotland, set between the River Lochy and the Caledonian Canal. The remains consist of a rectangular stone structure whose walls still stand in large part, overlooking the valley below.
The castle was built in the early 1500s as a seat of the Cameron clan chiefs, who used it to hold sway over the Lochaber region. After the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the clan abandoned the site and the building slowly fell apart.
Local tradition links this site to Banquo, the Thane of Lochaber from Shakespeare's Macbeth, which gave the place its Gaelic name Tigh Bhanco. This connection is still alive in the area and shapes how people here think about the ruins.
The ruins are located about 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Fort William and can be reached on foot from the surrounding area. The ground tends to be muddy and uneven, so sturdy footwear is a good idea before setting out.
A tree-lined path called Banquo's Walk runs along the edge of the property, bordered by an earthen ridge that gives the site an unexpected feel. Just nearby lies a field called Dail a' Chait, where communities once gathered to perform divination rituals.
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