"ceremonies. In 2011 more than 315,000 people visited Urquhart Castle, making it Historic Scotland's third most visited site after the castles of Edinburgh and Stirling. Urquhart Castle is sited on Strone Point, a triangular promontory on the north-western shore of Loch Ness, and commands the route along this side of the Great Glen as well as the entrance to Glen Urquhart. The castle is quite close to water level, though there are low cliffs along the north-east sides of the promontory. There is considerable room for muster on the inland side, where a ""castle-toun"" of service buildings would originally have"
"stood, as well as gardens and orchards in the 17th century. Beyond this area the ground rises steeply to the north-west, up to the visitor centre and the A82. A dry moat, across at its widest, defends the landward approach, possibly excavated in the early Middle Ages. A stone-built causeway provides access, with a drawbridge formerly crossing the gap at the centre. The castle side of the causeway was formerly walled-in, forming an enclosed space similar to a barbican. Urquhart is one of the largest castles in Scotland in area. The walled portion of the castle is shaped roughly like"
"the estates in Aberdeenshire, was granted Urquhart on the west side of Loch Ness and probably built the oldest surviving part of Castle Urquhart (today regarded as the best place to see the Loch Ness Monster!). And ""Gilbert Durward, as yet another member of the Durward family, was granted the lands of Boleskin on the eastern shores of Loch Ness around the same time as Alan was granted Urquhart"" Thomas de Lundin Thomas de Lundin, often referred to as Thomas l'Ussier or Thomas Durward (), was a 13th-century Scottish nobleman. Thomas takes his name from the villa of Lundie in"
"determined it to be a sonar anomaly. It contains more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined, and is the largest body of water in the Great Glen, which runs from Inverness in the north to Fort William in the south. At Drumnadrochit is the ""Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition"" which examines the natural history and legend of Loch Ness. Boat cruises operate from various locations on the loch shore, giving visitors the chance to look for the ""monster"". Urquhart Castle is located on the western shore, east of Drumnadrochit. Lighthouses are located at Lochend (Bona"
"Craiglockhart Craiglockhart (; ) is a suburb in the south west of Edinburgh, Scotland, lying between Colinton to the south, Morningside to the east Merchiston to the north east and Kingsknowe to the west. The Water of Leith is also to the west. The name is first recorded in 1278 as ""Crag quam Stephanus Loccard miles tenuit"", thus ""Craig (or rock) of Loccard"". The family, whose name was changed to Lockhart, are credited by Historic Scotland with building Craiglockhart Castle in the fifteenth century. The oldest ""structure"" in the area is the remains of a vitrified fort on the top"
"defended by a ditch and drawbridge. The buildings of the castle were laid out around two main enclosures on the shore. The northern enclosure or Nether Bailey includes most of the more intact structures, including the gatehouse, and the five-story Grant Tower at the north end of the castle. The southern enclosure or Upper Bailey, sited on higher ground, comprises the scant remains of earlier buildings. The name Urquhart derives from the 7th-century form ""Airdchartdan"", itself a mix of Gaelic ""air"" (by) and Old Welsh ""cardden"" (thicket or wood). Pieces of vitrified stone, subjected to intense heat and characteristic of"
"Inverquharity Castle Inverquharity Castle is a 15th-century tower house in Angus, Scotland. It lies around north-east of Kirriemuir near the River South Esk. The lands of Inverquharity came to the Ogilvie family around 1420. The castle was first constructed as a rectangular tower in the 1440s, by Alexander Ogilvie, 2nd Lord Inverquharity. In the 16th century a wing was added to form a four-storey L-plan castle. In 1445 a dispute between Alexander Ogilvy of Inverquharity and the son of the Earl of Crawford from nearby Finavon Castle culminated in the Battle of Arbroath in which Ogilvy and the Earl were"
"Craigston Castle Craigston Castle is located near Turriff, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and is a historic home of the Urquhart family. It was built 1604–07 by John Urquhart of Craigfintry (died 1631), known as the Tutor of Cromarty. The castle is composed of two main wings flanking the entrance and connected by an elevated arch, and surmounted by a richly corbelled parapet. There are bases for corner turrets near the top corner of each wing, but the turrets themselves do not appear to have ever been completed. The wood carvings in the drawing room depict biblical themes and Clan Urquhart heraldic"
"fighting at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333, where the Scots were defeated, Lauder returned to hold Urquhart against another threatened English invasion. It is recorded as being one of only five castles in Scotland held by the Scots at this time (the others were Dumbarton, Lochleven, Kildrummy and Loch Doon). In 1342, David II spent the summer hunting at Urquhart, the only king to have stayed here. Over the next two hundred years, the Great Glen was raided frequently by the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, powerful rulers of a semi-independent kingdom in western Scotland, with a claim"
"river is renowned for trout fishing and canoeing, especially at the Glenmarlin Falls near Penpont. A local legend tells of the ghosts of a horse and rider who drowned in a deep pool, known colloquially as the Black Hole, at the bottom of the falls. Scaur Water Scaur Water is a river which rises near Polskeoch in the Scaur hills in the region of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It flows from its source near Sanquhar in the Southern Uplands and joins the River Nith two miles southwest of Thornhill. The total length is . During its course it descends from"
"painters and visitors to the Highlands. In 1884 the castle came under the control of Caroline, Dowager Countess of Seafield, widow of the 7th Earl of Seafield, on the death of her son the 8th Earl. On Lady Seafield's death in 1911 her will instructed that Urquhart Castle be entrusted into state care, and in October 1913 responsibility for the castle's upkeep was transferred to the Commissioners of His Majesty's Works and Public Buildings. Historic Environment Scotland (formerly Historic Scotland), the successor to the Office of Works, continues to maintain the castle, which is scheduled monument in recognition of its"
"Scaur Water Scaur Water is a river which rises near Polskeoch in the Scaur hills in the region of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It flows from its source near Sanquhar in the Southern Uplands and joins the River Nith two miles southwest of Thornhill. The total length is . During its course it descends from 500m to 55m altitude, and forms part of the boundary between Tynron and Keir Parishes. The river valley, the Scaur Glen, displays several sculptures by Andy Goldsworthy and Bronze Age forts, and is lined for much of its length with birch and oak forest. The"
"metres, and Loch Tummel is now approximately long. The scenery throughout this reach is most picturesque, culminating at the point above the eastern extremity of the loch, known as the ""Queen's View"" (Queen Victoria made the view famous in 1866, although it is probably named after Queen Isabel, wife of Robert the Bruce). The chief places of interest on the river are Kinloch Rannoch; Dunalastair, a rocky hill in well-wooded grounds, the embellishment of which was largely due to Alexander Robertson of Struan, the Jacobite and poet, from whom the spot takes its name (the stronghold of Alexander); Foss; Faskally"
"the Scots. In 1303 Sir Alexander de Forbes failed to hold off another English assault. This time Edward installed as governor Alexander Comyn, brother of John, as the family had sided with the English against Robert Bruce. Following his murder of the Red Comyn in 1306, Bruce completed his defeat of the Comyns when he marched through the Great Glen in 1307, taking the castles of Inverlochy, Urquhart and Inverness. After this time Urquhart became a royal castle, held for the crown by a series of constables. Sir Robert Lauder of Quarrelwood was constable of Urquhart Castle in 1329. After"
"Balnain Balnain is a small village in Glenurquhart, Scotland, about 5 miles west of Drumnadrochit. It is mostly dependent on tourism, forestry and farming. The first buildings were created in the 1880s and minor expansions occurred in the 1900s and 1960s. The River Enrick runs past the village and through to Loch Meiklie. The village also has a primary school. Balnain is a small village 5 miles north of Glenurquhart, Scotland. It is mostly dependent on tourism, forestry and farming. The first buildings were created in the 1880s and minor expansions occurred in the 1900s and 1960s. The River Enrick"
"their works, while Sir Walter Scott, in his 1820 novel ""The Abbot"", suggested Mary, Queen of Scots, watched the Battle of Langside from beneath its yew tree, although the topography makes this impossible. Crookston Castle Crookston Castle is located in the Pollok area of south-west Glasgow, Scotland. The castle is located some 5 miles (8 km) south-west of the city centre, and 3 miles (5 km) east of Paisley, overlooking the Levern Water, just before its confluence with the White Cart Water. Crookston is surrounded by a defensive ring-ditch that dates back to the 12th century when Sir Robert de"
"Sanquhar Castle The castle is a stronghold bounded on the west by the River Nith, to the north by a burn, and made strong by a deep ditch running the remainder of the boundary. It was visited by many notable figures including Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, Edward I, Mary, Queen of Scots, and James VI. Sanquhar Castle was sold by the Crichtons in the mid 17th century to Sir William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry, who established the fairytale pink sandstone Drumlanrig Castle ten miles south of Sanquhar near Thornhill. From then on the castle at Sanquhar began to"
"Sanquhar Castle The castle is a stronghold bounded on the west by the River Nith, to the north by a burn, and made strong by a deep ditch running the remainder of the boundary. It was visited by many notable figures including Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, Edward I, Mary, Queen of Scots, and James VI. Sanquhar Castle was sold by the Crichtons in the mid 17th century to Sir William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry, who established the fairytale pink sandstone Drumlanrig Castle ten miles south of Sanquhar near Thornhill. From then on the castle at Sanquhar began to"
"The Gauldrons The Gauldrons ( meaning ""Bay of Storms"" is a bay facing the Atlantic Ocean in the village of Machrihanish in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland, a short distance north of the tip of the Mull of Kintyre. Robert the Bruce, inspired by his spider encounter on nearby Rathlin, crossed to Kintyre, gathered forces and trained his soldiers at a grassy enclave by The Gauldrons. The views and skies seen from the beach and Lossit Point have been captured by painter William McTaggart, who had a house in the village. One of his paintings, A Westerly Gale,"
"paint their family portraits. Craigston Castle is still in the family's hands. Colonel James Urquhart also supported the Jacobite cause and was severely wounded at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. He was the principal Jacobite agent in Scotland until he died in 1741. The chiefship of the clan then passed to his cousin, William Urquhart of Meldrum, who was a cautious Jacobite and avoided the disaster at the Battle of Culloden. His cousin, Adam Urquhart was a member of Charles Edward Stuart's court-in-exile in Rome. The last of the chiefly line was Major Beauchamp Urquhart who was killed in 1898 at"
"9.1m), now in ruins. To the east side of the inner ward stands the keep, measuring 84 ft by 60 ft (25.6m by 18.3m) and high. The keep is said to have been built by Hugh de Puiset. Norham Castle is now in the care of English Heritage and is open to visitors. Norham Castle Norham Castle is a castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The castle saw much action during the wars between England and Scotland. The castle"
"The Gauldrons. The Gauldrons The Gauldrons ( meaning ""Bay of Storms"" is a bay facing the Atlantic Ocean in the village of Machrihanish in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland, a short distance north of the tip of the Mull of Kintyre. Robert the Bruce, inspired by his spider encounter on nearby Rathlin, crossed to Kintyre, gathered forces and trained his soldiers at a grassy enclave by The Gauldrons. The views and skies seen from the beach and Lossit Point have been captured by painter William McTaggart, who had a house in the village. One of his paintings, A"
"the Battle of Atbara in Sudan. In 1959 Wilkins Fisk Urquhart, a descendant of a branch of the clan known as the Urquharts of Braelangswell, who had emigrated to America in the 18th century, established his right to be chief of the Clan Urquhart. He was succeeded by his son, the historian Kenneth Trist Urquhart. The chief's title is Urquhart of Urquhart. Clan Urquhart Urquhart () is a Highland Scottish clan. Urquhart is a name that is derived from the place name, Airchart. Airchart is first recorded in the early life of Saint Columba, the great Celtic saint. In modern"
"five-year lease of the Glen Urquhart estate in 1502. In 1509, Urquhart Castle, along with the estates of Glen Urquhart and Glenmoriston, was granted by James IV to John Grant in perpetuity, on condition that he repair and rebuild the castle. The Grants maintained their ownership of the castle until 1512, although the raids from the west continued. In 1513, following the disaster of Flodden, Sir Donald MacDonald of Lochalsh attempted to gain from the disarray in Scotland by claiming the Lordship of the Isles and occupying Urquhart Castle. Grant regained the castle before 1517, but not before the MacDonalds"
"II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch. The first documentary record of Urquhart Castle occurs in 1296, when it was captured by Edward I of England. Edward's invasion marked the beginning of the Wars of Scottish Independence, which would go on intermittently until 1357. Edward appointed Sir William fitz Warin as constable to hold the castle for the English. In 1297 he was ambushed by Sir Andrew de Moray while returning from Inverness, and Moray subsequently laid siege to the castle, launching an unsuccessful night attack. The English must have been dislodged soon after, since in 1298 Urquhart was again controlled by"
"back, he covered the in 77 minutes at an average speed of . In July 1966, Brenda Sherratt became the first person to swim the length of the loch. It took her 31 hours and 27 minutes. Loch Ness Loch Ness (; ) is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. Its surface is above sea level. Loch Ness is best known for alleged sightings of the cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as ""Nessie"". It is connected at the southern end by the River Oich and a section of the"
"Birkhall Birkhall (BerkHA; from the Scots ""Birk Hauch"": ""Birch River-meadow"") is a 53,000 acre (210 km²) estate on Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located alongside the River Muick to the southwest of Ballater. The property was built in 1715. The property was acquired from the Gordon family (owners of the Abergeldie estate) who had acquired it from the Farquharsone family. Birkhall was acquired by Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria, as part of the Balmoral Castle estate in 1849 and given to his eldest son, Edward, Prince of Wales. Victoria bought Birkhall back to provide accommodation for her staff"
"Cowie Water The Cowie Water () is a river rising in the Grampian Mountains in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that discharges to the North Sea in the northern part of Stonehaven. south of the ruined Cowie Castle. Tributaries of the Cowie Water include the Burn of Monboys, which drains the area to the north, in which the archaeological site Raedykes Roman Camp is situated; and Cowton Burn. Notable features in this vicinity include Dunnottar Castle, Fetteresso Castle and Muchalls Castle. Other nearby coastal waterways discharging to the North Sea include Burn of Muchalls to the north and Carron Water to the south."
"of Scotland as part of his campaign to destroy the power of the Lords of the Isles. In 1685 the castle was involved in another skirmish when Walter Campbell of Skipness Castle seized it as a stronghold for the Clan Campbell. There are only a couple of standing walls left which have been stabilised, allowing removal of fencing and closer access for visitors. The castle is on top of a hill in Tarbert overlooking the bay. The castle has a very commanding view of the water approaches. The coast of Tarbert Bay is rocky and the cliffs are fringed with"
"and the basins of Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness. John Cobb died in an attempt at the water speed record when his boat ""Crusader"" struck an unexplained wake on the surface of the loch in 1952. His accident was recorded by the BBC reporters on site at the time. Nearby, there is a memorial to him erected by the people of Glenurquhart. On 31 August 1974, David Scott Munro, of Ross-shire Caberfeidh Water Ski Club, became the first person in the world to water ski (mono ski) the length of Loch Ness. From Lochend to Fort Augustus and"
"Scottish watershed The Scottish watershed is the drainage divide in Scotland that separates river systems that flow to the east into the North Sea from those that flow to the west and north into the Atlantic Ocean. At a point on the summit of Ben Lomond for example, looking west all water flows to the Firth of Clyde, and looking east all water flows into the Firth of Forth. Similarly Cumbernauld is a point on this line and arguably its Gaelic name has, for hundreds of years, reflected this fact. There is some dispute however about interpretation of the Gaelic"
"Falls of Bruar The Falls of Bruar are a series of waterfalls on the Bruar Water in Scotland, about 8 miles from Pitlochry in the council area of Perth and Kinross. They have been a tourist attraction since the 18th century and were immortalized in a poem by Robert Burns, ""The Humble Petition of Bruar Water to the Noble Duke of Atholl"", supposedly from the river itself entreating the Duke to plant some trees in the then barren landscape. The falls were probably formed some time in the last 10,000 years, after the retreat of the glaciers at the end"
"reserve. Bonnington Pavilion The Bonnington Pavilion or Hall of Mirrors, now a ruin, is situated in the grounds of the old estate of Bonnington, near New Lanark, overlooking Corra Linn falls on the River Clyde in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Alternative names are the Corra Linn Pavilion and the Falls of Clyde summerhouse. It is said to have been the first Camera obscura built in Scotland. The name comes from the Gaelic 'currach', a marshy place. A legend gives 'Cora' as a daughter of King Malcolm II, who leapt to her death here whilst trying to escape imagined danger. The building is"