I received the following email from End to End last night after cycling through the 155 mile barrier. I love the way that End to End are keeping me updated throughout my journey from John O’Groats to Land’s End. I have also linked this paragraph to the End to End website which I encourage everyone to look at. As I continue to chip away at my virtual journey down Britain, I also wonder if I can count on your support and encouragement by sponsoring me. My JustGiving page is linked to at the bottom of this page.
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| In a few miles you’ll see a very impressive ruin. Invergarry Castle is a large 17th-century L-plan tower house. The fortress stands on the Rock of the Raven, the slogan of the family. |
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Invergarry Castle was the seat of the Chiefs of the MacDonells of Glengarry, a powerful branch of the Clan Donald, known as the Clan Ranald of Knoydart and Glengarry. Its situation on Creagan an Fhithich – the Raven’s Rock – overlooking Loch Oich in the Great Glen, was a strategic one in the days of clan feuds and Jacobite risings.
The castle was built by the MacDonnells (or MacDonalds) after raids by the Mackenzies in 1602. The MacDonnells supported Charles I, and the castle was burnt in 1654 by forces of General Monck during Cromwell’s occupation of Scotland. The clan were forfeited but recovered the lands after the Restoration.
The castle was built by the MacDonnells (or MacDonalds) after raids by the Mackenzies in 1602. The MacDonnells supported Charles I, and the castle was burnt in 1654 by forces of General Monck during Cromwell’s occupation of Scotland. The clan were forfeited but recovered the lands after the Restoration.
The castle was back in the hands of the MacDonalds by 1731, and during the Jacobite Rising of 1745-46 was twice visited by Bonnie Prince Charlie. John MacDonnell of Glengarry and his son were imprisoned after the Rising.
Prince Charles Edward Stuart- “Bonnie Prince Charlie” (pictured below) – visited the Castle in 1745, shortly after the raising of the Royal Standard at Glenfinnan and is said to have rested there after his defeat at Culloden, in 1746. The redcoats of “Butcher” Cumberland burned it in 1746 after the Battle of Culloden but the stout walls refused to yield and have survived the centuries to serve as a reminder to their glorious past.
The Chief during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was Alasdair Ranaldson MacDonell, the subject of a famous portrait by Sir Henry Raeburn, which now hangs in the Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh. This chief is said to have been Sir Walter Scott’s prototype for Fergus MacIvor, a principal character in his novel “Waverley”.
Ahead don’t miss Fort William. Blessed with some beautiful natural landscapes in the world, Fort William allows access to many scenic Highland walks, you can also visit historic landmarks such as Old Inverlochy Castle and the Commando Monument (pictured below).
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