Eilean Donan Castle

We've been here twice, 2015 and 2023. It's charming and the docents are absolutely wonderful. You get a bit of history of the castle as well as the ownership. The gift shop is really nice as well.

Really cool place on a relatively not too busy day.

Castle is a must see as far as castles go.

Only did the walk around self tour for 3£. Parking was easy and there were not too many people.

The grounds were very well maintained.

The staff were very helpful.

Last time in Scotland we didn't visit the world famous Eilean Donan Castle, weren't in the area but always wanted to come.

On this years Road Trip through the UK we finally made it and took many hours to really enjoy and appreciate this amazing place.

You know this castle from tourist brochures, from pictures, from movies. It is a famous and really popular spot. And for really good reason. It does hold up to all the expectations.

Park your car just outside on the big carpark. Even though well visited, there are spots available, if you wait a few minutes.

From here alreay you get a perfect view of the castle. Any many do that, park and take pics from this angle. It is the perfect angle indeed.
But we wanted to get a closer look. There's a visitors centre with shops, toilets and restaurant. There are some nice souvenirs here. Got some good stuff for fair prices.

You can choose a ticket just for the island and castle grounds. Or a ticket to go both inside the castle and to the grounds.

We had our Bulldog with, so we chose a ticket just for the outside area. Where dogs were welcome, that's very nice. Staff everywhere was really friendly.

The name Eilean Donan, or island of Donan, is most probably called after the 6th century Irish Saint, Bishop Donan who came to Scotland around 580 AD
The first real fortified structure wasn't built until the 13th century though. It reached its biggest size in the medieval times and then was later reduced in size. It was in ruins for about 200 years until it got bought in 1911. It took 20 more years to bring it back to glory and fame.

And you can see why it's famous. It's just an amazing location with the green hills in the back, sitting on the small island. From the island itself you get some really nice views and from the bridge leading here. Really worth the small fee to step on the island.

We came on a dry day, but tried not to arrive on a fully sunny day. Because with a bit of (dark) clouds, the castle looks even more eerie and magical than on a bright blue skies sunny day.

Waited long to finally visit this castle. And it is absolutely worth it. Highly recommended.

This is a gorgeous castle, but be warned that photographs are not allowed inside the castle in most areas. I forgot and was lining up a perfect shot when my cousin was like "no!" Lol.

Worth the admission. It took about an hour to go through with a light volume of tourists. We also appreciated the treats in the cafe.

Pronounced similar to Ellen Done-un

I was here on Saturday 3rd Feb 24 with my 20 year old son and his gf. Being a McKinney, we have derived from MacKenzie (owners of the castle), so we were all looking forward to this tour. We were met by a very interesting and knowledgeable tour guide named Richard. He was so engaging and passionate about the history of the castle and made the whole experience so much more fascinating. He made this the best part of our trip. I really think his boss needs to seriously consider giving him a raise as he deserves it 100%. The youngsters adored his story telling skills and said it was the best experience they had during our visit to Western Scotland. We will be recommending this experience to everyone, everyone needs to meet Richard

Sufficient parking, great views, reasonably priced and great gift shop. Highly recommended

This was a must stop. We paid $3 for parking, but it was worth it for a picture of the view. We didn't pay the ten pounds each to go in, but we heard it was worth it. Seeing the outside was enough for us.

When I was in the planning stages of my trip to the UK back in 2018, Scotland wasn't even on my radar. Consulting my bucket list, I noticed the entry for Loch Ness, and figured if I was going to visit Scotland, I should probably do so for a couple days, and see what else the country had to offer.

It takes precisely .0006 seconds searching Google for "Scotland" before you find a picture of Eilean Donan castle, and it took another .0001 seconds before I had decided that I *needed* to see it in person. It couldn't be that stunningly beautiful, could it? Well, my friends, I can attest to you that it is, and it is well worth the visit, even if it is a bit of an odyssey.

I flew from London to Inverness, a surprisingly short (and cheap!) flight, and rented a car from one of companies onsite. I had hoped for an automatic, but I was informed that *the* automatic I'd reserved (yes, they only had one!) hadn't been returned on time, so I was stuck with a manual. Now, I can drive a stick, but the prospect of my dumb American ass driving a *left-handed stick*, sitting on the "wrong" side of the car, and driving on the "wrong" side of the road, was a little daunting. Nevertheless, I made it work, once I remembered how to put the thing in reverse. After checking into my hotel in Inverness, I drove straight to Eilean Donan, about two hours away.

It's a captivating sight from the road, and continues to improve as you draw closer. I parked, purchased my ticket, and crossed the bridge to the castle grounds. Pictures within are prohibited, so I respected their wishes, but I can attest that the interior contains a fascinating museum of Scottish and Jacobite history, a window into Highlander clan life, with a simultaneously military and warm and cozy aesthetic. You'll be transported to another time, filled with strife and struggle, flanked on all sides by pictures of long-dead soldiers, weapons and artifacts, and yet at the same time, be overcome with a strong desire to curl up next to the fireplace and absorb the history that surrounds you. It's a truly magnificent place, and the experience is not to be missed!

Once you've explored the interior, the outer grounds are available for further exploration. Clambering stony stairwells, or walking the ramparts, gazing out of Loch Duich, it's easy to see why this castle was as prized for its beauty as it was for its strategic, defensible location. It may have been nearly razed to the grounds a few centuries ago, but the rebuilding and restoration of this monument was money well spent!

I stopped in the cafe for a quick bite, purchased a couple souvenirs, then headed back to the car to continue on to my next tourist stop. However, on my return drive to Inverness, I passed by Eilean Donan again at sunset, and was once again compelled to stop and take dozens of pictures. The walls are illuminated at night, and are particularly photogenic in the twilight hours, with the setting sun behind it. Any photographer worth his salt will not want to miss such a picturesque opportunity.

There's a good reason Eilian Donan is the most photographed castle in Scotland (maybe the UK?), but the castle is more than just a pretty face. It is rich in history, steeped in tradition, and cared for by loving hands with a strong desire to preserve the heritage of Highland culture, and this castle is one of their crowning jewels. Along with Glencoe, this is one of the absolute must-see places in all of Scotland!

Great photos but mainly a money grab in side castle is not very well kept pictures are in cheep frames and some artifacts are out of place to the time of castle

A quaint, simple, basic, small castle.

This seems like a one to two family castle (plus staff). It is rebuilt after it was destroyed. I was told the head of the McRae family lives there now.

If you are in the area, it's worth a stop.

If you are not in the area, I don't know if I'd make a special trip.

It's nice because you can walk around it. You can notice the tidal waters.

We lucked out with this stop on our tour, as could cross the bridge and walk the outside of the castle. Unfortunately the Happy's Tour we were on, didn't allocate enough time to go instead and check out the Castle's interiors, something my brother said he had done previously (and recommended) with the Rabbie's tour group.So this review is primarily for the castle grounds, as well as the excellent tea-room and shop facilities.

Regarding the external castle walls, it was a thrill to walk around and see the memorial to WW1 Scottish poet John McRae (We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Field) and the walk around the castle walls, situated as it is on the banks of 3 lochs, was very beautiful with a refreshing blustery breeze as accompaniment. I also found out from one of the ladies at the ticket office that the Castle is still held by a family trust, and that members of the McRae family occasionally still use the castle and then it's occasionally also not open to the public during the many film shootings that also take place here.

The cafe facilities are also excellent, good number of ladies loo stalls although the shop is a bit expensive. I found the same brand of locally made chutneys, jams & honey for a much cheaper price in Inverness.

Very glad made a stop here, although wish it had been for s longer time.

Yelp 76 / 2019