Eilean Donan Castle – kayak trip

Eilean Donan Castle – kayak trip

The castle is probably the most photographed in Scotland. Come and join us for a beginners kayak trip around Eilean Donan Castle. Some people say Eilean Donan is Scotland’s most beautiful and famous castle and it has appeared in many films, including Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948), The Master of Ballantree (1953), The New Avengers (1976), Highlander (1986

), Loch Ness (1996), Entrapment (1999) and James Bond – The World is Not Enough (1999).

Eilean Donan, which means simply “island of Donnán”, is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint who was martyred in 61

7. Donnán is said to have established an early Christian monastic cell or church on the island.

Although first inhabited around the 6th century, the first fortified castle was built in the mid 13th century and stood guard over the lands of Kintail. Since then, at least four different versions of the castle have been built and re-built as the feudal history of Scotland unfolded through the centuries.
The Mackenzie clan histories also claim that Robert the Bruce sheltered at Eilean Donan during the winter of 1306 to 1307.

It was the stronghold of the MacRaes, who were the constables of the MacKenzie Earls of Seaforth.

Following the failure of the rising of 1715, the Jacobites found new support from Spain. In April 1719, the castle was garrisoned by Spanish troops in support of the Old Pretender. The Duke of Ormonde led a main invasion fleet from Spain, while an advance party of 300 Spanish soldiers occupied Eilean Donan Castle. The expected uprising of Highlanders did not occur, and the main Spanish invasion force never arrived. At the beginning of May, the Royal Navy sent ships to the area. On Sunday 10 May 1719 HMS Worcester, HMS Flamborough and HMS Enterprise anchored off Eilean Donan and sent a boat ashore under a flag of truce to negotiate.

When the Spanish soldiers in the castle fired at the boat, it was recalled and all three frigates opened fire on the castle for an hour. The next day the bombardment continued while a landing party was prepared. In the evening a detachment went ashore in the ships’ boats and captured the castle against little resistance.

The partially destroyed castle lay in ruins for the best part of 200 years until Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911 and proceeded to restore the castle to its former glory. After 20 years of toil and labour the castle was re-opened in 1932.

This iconic castle can now be explored by kayak.