At the meeting of the three lochs, Duich, Alsh and Long, stands possibly the most picturesque and certainly one of the most photographed of all Scottisch castles, Eilean Donan.The island and castle are named after Donan, a 7th century Irish priest who came to the west coast of Scotland to try to convert the pagan inhabitants to Christianity. He was killed on the nearby island of Eigg in 617 AD.

The castle as we know it today was not constructed until 1220 when King Alexander II of Scotland needed a deterrent against the Danish and Norse raiders. Thereafter it passed into the hands of the McRaes, the hereditary Constables of the MacKenzies of Kintail, later to become the Earls of Seaforth.

Eilean Donan Castle stood firm and strong for five hundred years until, in 1719, it was pounded to pieces by a British warship.The Jacobites, attempting another rebellion against the Hanoverians, occupied the castle when blown off course en route from Spain to Inverness. Three hundred Spanish troops and a party of rebel Highlanders garrisoned themselves at Eilean Donan until bombarded into submission by HMS Worcester.

The castle then lay in ruins until 1912 when Colonel John MacRae, a direct descendant of the last Constable, began the restoration of Eilean Donan Castle. Faithfully following the original design, Colonel MacRae has created a fitting memorial to his clan and ancestors.

Tantallon Castle is a fantastic clifftop castle, situated at the edge of a promontory, with amazing views over the North Sea to the Bass Rock. This mighty fortress was the stronghold of the 'Red Douglases', Earls of Angus, until Cromwell's attack in 1651, which left only the massive curtain wall intact.

The castle was built around 1350 by William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas. He was a nobleman at the height of his power who came into possession of large estates including the barony of North Berwick. In the 1380s the House of Douglas split into two branches, known as the 'Black' and the 'Red'. The 'Red' Douglases, as the Angus line was known, continued to hold Tantallon Castle until the late 17th century.

Tantallon saw several significant historical events. It was besieged by James IV in 1491, James V in 1528 and Oliver Cromwell in 1651. Cromwell's army caused such destruction that the medieval fortress was abandoned after this last attack. In 1699, James Douglass, the 12th Earl of Angus, incurred heavy debts due to his gambling addiction and was forced to sell Tantallon Castle. Sir Hew Dalrymple, who also owned the Barony of North Berwick and several nearby properties, purchased the estate, ending the Douglas family’s long history of residence at Tantallon Castle.

Today, the castle is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. It is certainly one of the most enjoyable and intriguing castles to visit in the country.