Ardvreck Castle

The iconic ruins of Ardvreck Castle date back to around 1490. If you are heading to the north of Scotland or completing the NC500, you will not be able to miss it as you pass Loch Assynt on the A837. It stands on a promontory in the loch and can be boggy to get to, so boots are recommended.

Ardvreck Castle and the surrounding lands of Assynt belonged to the MacLeods. It replaced the earlier Assynt Castle which was 6km north west of nearby Inchnadamph.

In 1650, the castle was where the royalist James Graham (1st Marquess of Montrose) sought refuge with MacLeod after losing the Battle of Carbisdale. Graham was handed over to the Covenanter forces by MacLeod, but the truth of the event is unclear. Either MacLeod who was loyal to the Covenanters arrested Montrose and held him before handing him over, or he provided comfortable shelter for the weary Montrose, then betrayed him for a hefty reward. Either way Montrose was subsequently executed in Edinburgh and his body dismembered and publicly displayed.

Ardvreck Castle has a rectangular keep and a round staircase tower to the south east. The stair turret (spiral stairs) provided access to the upper rooms. The ground floor had three vaulted chambers and there is evidence that the first floor was also vaulted. The remaining floors were supported by joists, some of the supporting holes can still be seen in the walls as can the gunports in the lower walls. In the 16th century a walled garden was added to the property.

The structure itself is very fragile, so please treat the building with respect.

Its position is absolutely stunning. You can spend hours just sitting, listening to the lapping water of the loch and admiring the surrounding mountains.

From the castle you can see the remains of Calda House, which sits next to the Calda Burn. This manor house was built in 1726 providing the family with a more modern home. Although the house was gutted by a fire in 1737, it is believed that the house was lived in since. But for how long is uncertain.

Next to the parking area on the road is a lovely little waterfall which is also worth a visit.