7 Isle of Skye Castles You Have to See | Maps + Opening Times + Photos

There are several things to see and do on Skye, but visiting the Isle of Skye castles may be one of the best Isle of Skye attractions. The Isle of Skye is certainly one of the most popular places to visit in Scotland and seeing that you will most likely end up here on your trip. You might as well add some of or all seven of the Isle of Skye Castles to your itinerary.

Now, you can easily make an Isle of Skye day trip from Inverness to see the castles because you would only be 2.5 hours from the island. But you couldn’t really do it from Edinburgh or Glasgow seeing that they are upwards of 5-hours away. You would have to do your Isle of Skye road trip over a few days if you’re coming from those cities.

Here in this post, I will be writing about what castles there are on the isle. If there is Isle of Skye castles accommodation available. How to get to the Isle of Skye. What time of year you should visit Skye. Some other notable things to see on Skye while traveling around. And finally, I will mention if there are other castles near Isle of Skye that you can easily add to your trip.

There are certainly several castles all over Scotland, but most people won’t see them all. If you are interested in seeing and learning about more castles in Scotland, then go on over to our Ultimate guide to exploring castles in Scotland here.

Isle of Skye Castles Map

Isle of Skye Castles

Armadale Castle – Armadale Sleat, Isle of Skye IV45 8RS, United Kingdom

• Open: Weekdays in March, every day April – October, Weekdays in November. Walk castle grounds year-round during daylight hour in exchange for a small donation!
• Prices: Start at £14.00
• Access: Wheelchair friendly. Their staff is always willing to help out!
• Drive time: Aberdeen – 4H51M, Edinburgh – 5H0M, Glasgow – 4H39M, Inverness – 2H22M
• Can you stay here? Yes! Choose to stay at one of their six-holiday cottages!
• Should you visit? Yes, there are beautiful grounds, an old castle with beautiful ivy growing off it, a museum, and a bistro!
• Extra Nugget: There is an award-winning museum on-site teaching about the history of the Isles.

History

Armadale Castle is a ruined 18th century country house and former home to the MacDonalds. First on the property was a mansion house that was constructed in 1790. And before that, the property was the ancestral home to Clan Donald.

By 1815, the idea to create a mock Scottish baronial style castle was instilled, which meant for show rather than defense. After a fire in 1855, Armadale Castle was abandoned and left to ruins by the MacDonald family.

It is now owned and operated by a Scottish charitable association. Therefore, they take good care of the 20,000-acre estate and the buildings located within through fees and donations.

Visiting

Getting to Armadale Castle isn’t that bad if you are already planning on driving the multiple hours to Skye from any of the major Scottish cities. Once you arrive, you will have the options for exploring the grounds, the castle, and/or the museum. You can get all the historic information about the Isle of Skye in the award-winning Museum of the Isles. Upon finishing your exploration, you can choose to enjoy their newly opened bar and bistro or the gift shop.

If you are planning to add Armadale Castle to your list of Isle of Skye castles to visit, then you should plan your trip between March and November.

Their open schedule is as follows:

2024 Opening Times
March	Opens on 29th of March, 9:30 – 17:00 daily
April-October	Open daily, 9.30 – 17.30
November	1st – 30th, Open Mon – Fri, 10.00 – 15.00

Armadale Castle’s 2024 admission prices are as follows:

2024 Admission prices
Adult:	£14.00
Concession:	£12.00
Child under 5:	Free
Child 5-15:	£8.00
Family:	10% discount

You can then end your day/evening by staying in any one of their six self-catered holiday cottages on site that start at £100/night with some cottages sleeping, 6 people. That is a good deal in Scotland! Just check the prices on their website according to the high or low season and plan accordingly. And to compare prices, we always advise looking at Momondo, Skyscanner, and Booking.com to make sure you are getting the best possible price.

Opinion

Armadale Castle is one of the finest Isle of Skye Castles. However, we never personally visited this castle. But that doesn’t mean we can’t highly recommend this castle for you to go and visit. With its relatively cheap entry price, a bar and bistro on-site, and you can stay on the 20,000-acre estate, who wouldn’t want to visit Armadale Castle?!
The next time we find ourselves on the Isle of Skye, we will for sure be adding Armadale Castle to the list of Isle of Skye Castles to visit!

Caisteal Maol (Castle Moil) – Kyleakin, Isle of Skye IV41 8PL, United Kingdom

• Open: Year-round
• Prices: Free
• Access: At Kyleakin Harbor park and walk 3 minutes to the castle over uneven terrain.
• Transportation time: Aberdeen – 4H2M, Edinburgh – 4H20M, Glasgow – 4H8M, Inverness – 1H55M
• Can you stay here? Castle is in ruins. No.
• Should you visit? Yes. Sitting at the entrance to Skye, it’s an easy castle to see before you begin your journey or after you’ve completed your trip on Skye.
• Extra Nugget: Castle Moil is as old as 1,100 years old.

History

Castle Moil (Caisteal Maol), located just over the Skye bridge on the left in the village of Kyleakin. It is a 15th century building but is claimed to be much much older. Castle Moil is a single rectangular castle that is three stories tall and is nearly in complete ruins.
Castle Moil had been hit by a lightning storm in February 2018 which had caused parts of the building to break apart–furthering its decay. Workers have since re-established parts of Caisteal Maol to prevent further damage from occurring.

Visiting

To visit Caisteal Maol, you will need to drive over to the Isle of Skye and park in the town of Kyleakin. You should park just near the harbor and walk a short period of time (about 3 minutes) to the castle itself. There is no designated trail marked, so be cautious as you approach the castle. Walk around the structure to see all the views Castle Moil has to give. Then begin to picture yourself in the lord’s and clan member’s shoes as they needed to fend off Norwegian attackers.
Check out walkinghighlands.co.uk for a step by step plan on how to do a more proper walk around the castle and its surrounding areas!
Castle Moil is open to exploring year-round and is one of the no-fee Isle of Skye Castles.

Opinion

Since you will already be on the Isle of Skye, adding this free castle to your list is a no brainer. Especially, if you are planning an Isle of Sky road trip.
And because it’s easy to access and it has great views. We think you will too.

Caisteal Uisdean (Hugh’s Castle) – NG380582, United Kingdom

• Open: Year-round
• Prices: Free
• Access: 3km return coastal walk.
• Drive time: Aberdeen – 5H0M, Edinburgh – 5H34M, Glasgow – 5H8M, Inverness – 2H51M
• Can you stay here? No, but if you wanted to wild camp, you could do that!
• Should you visit? Yes. It is one of the lesser-known Isle of Skye Castles. Therefore, you won’t be seeing many tourists!
• Extra Nugget: The builder/owner ultimately died at the nearby Duntulm Castle.

History

Hugh’s Castles or better known as Caisteal Uisdean was built in the late 16th century by Hugh MacDonald. He built it after getting a pardon from his piracy and cattle rustling. Because he had so much money and was gifted the Trotternish area, he built the rectangular-shaped castle. It is unknown if it was ever finished, but it was supposed to look similar to the nearby Castle Moil.

After trying to revenge Hugh’s father’s death, he went on the run and was captured for what he had done. He was ultimately imprisoned at Duntulm Castle, fed only salted beef, and subsequently died of dehydration.

Visiting

Hugh’s Castle is a free castle to visit year-round. The only thing is, you must park and walk a total of 3km along the coastal trail to see this castle. If it’s good weather, it is certainly going to be a nice walk out to the castle. However, it is a little stormy, you may want to skip this castle altogether.
Follow this map to find your way to Hugh’s Castle.

Opinion

Because this is the least known Isle of Skye Castles you can visit, we highly recommend checking it out. You probably won’t find another tourist. Most likely just a local who is out for a walk with their dog. So definitely add Hugh’s Castle in the north to your itinerary!

Although we personally never had the opportunity to see this castle, we know without a shadow of a doubt that we will be adding this castle to our list for the next time we are on Skye.

Duntulm Castle – Isle of Skye, Duntulm, Portree IV51 9UF, United Kingdom

Duntulm Castle on the northern bit of the Isle of Skye is often overlooked. Not far from the Quiraig, this castle is a fun one to see, especially if the sheep are in the field around the castle.

• Open: Year-round
• Prices: Free
• Access: Park at the turnout on A855, open the gate, and venture through a sheep grazed pasture to find the castle ahead.
• Transportation time: Aberdeen – 5H25M, Edinburgh – 5H44M, Glasgow – 5H36M, Inverness – 3H16M
• Can you stay here? Castle in ruins. No.
• Should you visit? Yes, if you are doing an Isle of Skye road trip. It will be an easy pit stop.
• Extra Nugget: An old nursemaid was banished to sea for letting the chief’s infant son fall from a window to the rocks below. She now haunts the castle, legend has it.

History

Duntulm Castle is a 14th or 15th-century castle that was used until 1732 when Sir Alexander MacDonald took most of the castle’s materials to outfit another building 5 miles south. In its ruined state, Duntulm Castle has been listed as a scheduled monument.
Duntulm Castle has a lot of history amongst the feuds of the MacDonald and Macleod clans. The MacDonalds ultimately gained the upper hand in the area and became the rulers of the isles.

Visiting

Visiting Duntulm Castle is easy, free, and exciting. Like above, just park off the A855 and walk through a gate to see the castle. You will share the space with sheep. Don’t worry, they are more afraid of you than you are of them. Then walk up to the castle with caution and explore. Try to imagine living in this castle and try to see if you can find the ghost of the old nursemaid.

Opinion

This is one of our most favorite Isle of Skye castles because this is where we had experienced the strongest gusts of wind in our lives. I’m pretty sure if I had a bigger jacket I would have flown off the cliff. Watch our highlight reel of Skye and see me soar for a solid second with my jacket outstretched. You may not have the same experience here and may not find these ruins as exciting as we did. However, adding a free and open year-round castle to your list may spark your amazing memory.

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Dunscaith Castle – United Kingdom, Isle of Skye, United Kingdom

• Open: Year-round
• Prices: Free
• Access: Easy walk from the road at Tokavaig. It starts as a track and narrows down to a path.
• Drive time: Aberdeen – 4H37M, Edinburgh – 5H8M, Glasgow – 4H46M, Inverness – 2H29M
• Can you stay here? No.
• Should you visit? Yes, It’s another one of the Isle of Skye castles that is free!
• Extra Nugget: 

History

Dunscaith Castle is a 14th century castle that was built atop a 40-foot lump of rock that has a 20-foot gap between it and the mainland. There was once a walled bridge which led to a drawbridge that connected the two. First, the castle belonged to Clan MacDonald of Sleat, a branch of the Clan Donald.

In the 1300s, Dunscaith was stolen from them by Clan MacLeod and briefly in control by the MacAskill’s. They were allies to the MacLeods but later was recaptured by the MacDonalds in the 1400s. In 1618, the main Clan MacDonald seat shifts from Dunscaith Castle to Duntulm Castle–resulting in a slow deterioration of the castle.

Visiting

To access Dunscaith Castle, you will need to park at Tokavaig which is on the western side of the Sleat peninsula. Exit the road here and follow the dirt road that runs along the shore towards an old barn with a red roof. Next, pass the barn on its left, the dirt road narrows to a small path that leads you over a small hump and eventually getting you to the castle.

Because this is a free and open year-round castle, go whenever you want. Go at night or during the day. Explore the ruined castle and its grounds and begin to imagine what kind of life people would have lived back in the late middle-ages.

Opinion

This castle was difficult for us to find, which ultimately caused to forgo Dunscaith Castle. We did, however, snap a pic from the hill above unknowingly. All that to say, we find this castle fascinating and if you look at pics on google, you may be more enticed to add Dunscaith to your list of Isle of Skye castles to visit!

Dunvegan Castle – Dunvegan House, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye IV55 8WF, United Kingdom

• Open: 29th March – 15th October
• Prices: Begins at £16.50
• Access: Northwest side of the Isle of Skye. Park and enter the grounds and explore this Isle of Skye castle.
• Transportation time: Aberdeen – 5H13M, Edinburgh – 5H25M, Glasgow – 5H20M, Inverness – 2H58M
• Can you stay here? Yes. The Castle Cottages are located on-site and are available to stay at.
• Should you visit? Yes.
• Extra Nugget: Despite it being the largest castle on Skye, Dunvegan’s name translates to the small fortress.

History

Dunvegan Castle is a19th-century remodeled castle built to look medieval in style. Dunvegan’s original structure is from the 13th-century and is the official seat to the clan Macloed. Today, Dunvegan Isle of Skye is an inhabited castle and occupied residence.

The location of the actual castle is situated up off the water on a prominent rock 50 feet above the sea. Nearby, there is a partly dug but natural 18-foot deep ditch on the backside of Dunvegan Castle.

Visiting

Dunvegan Castle follows nearly the typical tourist season of the rest of Scotland from 29th March – 15^th October and is open daily 10 am – 5.30 pm (last entry 5 pm). All areas are to be vacated by 5:45 pm. Dunvegan Castle and gardens are closed from 16 October – 31st March.

2024 PRICING	CASTLE & GARDEN	GARDEN ONLY
Adult	£16.50	£15.50
Student/Senior	£13.50	£11.50
Children	£11.50	£9.50
Family	£37.50	does not apply

If you are interested in staying inside Dunvegan itself, that is not possible. However, the castle does own and operate some holiday cottages that are located on the castle grounds. Dunvegan Castle lets out five self-catered holiday cottages that are available for booking. If you are interested in booking one out for your holiday, make sure to do so well in advance and do it through their website here. The cottages get snagged quickly!

Opinion

Dunvegan is a lovely well-established castle on the Isle of Skye, which makes pretty much everything amazing. However, Dunvegan is a nice castle that has lots to offer. We highly recommend checking it out when on Skye. Look into their seal trips or their loch cruises & fishing trips that they offer.

And why not stay there too?! Add this castle to your list of Isle of Skye castles to visit during your trip to Skye.

Knock Castle (Skye) – Skye, IV44 8RE, United Kingdom

• Open: Year-round
• Prices: Free
• Access: Located across from Torabhaig Distillery. Park near a small cottage house and walk out to the castle.
• Transportation time: Aberdeen – 4H25M, Edinburgh – 4H41M, Glasgow – 4H33M, Inverness – 2H13M
• Can you stay here? Castle is in complete ruins. No.
• Should you visit? Yes, since it’s free and open year-round.
• Extra Nugget: A Green Lady haunts the castle. If something bad is to happen she will weep. If something good is to come she will be happy.

History

Knock Castle is a 15th-century former stronghold and keep for Clan MacDonald after they had overtaken the castle from the Macleods. By the late 17th-century, Knock Castle was abandoned and partly dismantled to help build other nearby buildings.

Visiting

If you are interested in going to Knock Castle, follow the instructions given on Wikipedia. They are written well and accurately described.
This castle in Scotland was difficult to get to in some ways, but a fun adventure trying to find. It was a dreary day and when we arrived an old man in the cottage talked with us for a while and even invited us in for tea. We respectfully declined. But he was happy to say an American was looking to purchase the castle and that he liked Americans.

Opinion

It was a good experience and we enjoyed the hunt finding this castle. So maybe you will too. Just go for it and see it!

Castles near Isle of Skye

Eilean Donan Castle – Dornie, Kyle of Lochalsh IV40 8DX, United Kingdom

• Open: February through December.
• Prices: Begins at £12.00
• Access: Located right on the A87 on Loch Duich. Park at the site and walk a short bit to the castle over its bridge to the main castle grounds.
• Drive time: Aberdeen – 3H49M, Edinburgh – 4H4M, Glasgow – 3H58M, Inverness – 1H39M
• Can you stay here? Not at the castle itself, however, there is Eilean Donan Cottage just a few minutes walk from the castle and Eilean Donan Apartments a few minutes drive away.
• Should you visit? Well, it’s the most photographed castle in Scotland, so if you don’t like all the Instagrammers, avoid it. But because it is one of the most photogenic castles in Scotland, you should probably see it because it is that cool!
• Extra Nugget: The most famous and photographed castle in Scotland as it appears on cookie tins, whisky bottles, and other advertisement related products.

History

Eilean Donan Castle is an early 13th-century stronghold for the Clan Mackenzie and their partners Clan MacRae. The Clan Mackenzie joined in the Jacobite Risings which ultimately led to the castle’s folly in the early 18th-century. Military government ships sailed in and destroyed most of the original castle.

By the early 1900s, John MacRae-Gilstrap led the restoration of Eilean Donan Castle to much of what it looks like today. He also led the improvements of the castle bridge and castle walls. MacRae-Gilstrap also incorporated a war memorial at the castle for the fallen Clan MacRae soldiers of Flander’s Field in Belgium.

Visiting

If you are planning a trip to see Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland, you can see it almost year-round. They are Closed the three days around Christmas, the 24th, 25th and 26th, and the whole month of January. Get all your up to date information on winter wedding and inclement weather closures here.

2024 Opening Times
Feb 1st – Mar 23rd	10.00 – 16.00
Mar 24th -Oct 26th	10.00 – 18.00
Oct 27th – Dec 30th	10.00 – 16.00

Eilean Donan Castle 2024 Admission fees:

2024 PRICING	CASTLE ADMISSION*
Adult	£12.00
Concession	£11.00
Children	£6.50
Family	£35.00

*Audio guides are included with your admission fee.

Getting here is easy. You can take a bus or drive. You come in on the A87 and can park in their lollipop parking lot. Once you park, go into the visitor center and purchase your tickets and explore the wonderful grounds and castle of Eilean Donan. You can see a lot of wildlife in the area, too, if you keep your eyes peeled.

Opinion

We have never been inside this castle as we had already in so many prior so we didn’t feel the need to go in. However, the outside of the castle is stunning and you can get a good appreciation of the castle just from the outside. We had driven by many times and have had to opportunity to photograph this castle from many angles with varying weather and times of the day. I especially like the aerial perspective from the upper road viewpoint behind Eilean Donan Castle. Another nice perspective is from the overnight parking lot across the water.

So if you’re into photography, like popular areas, are kinda into history, and will be in the area for other exploration, then we highly recommend checking this castle out.

How to Get to the Isle of Skye

There are many ways of how to get to the Isle of Skye, but what is the best method for you to choose? You could choose public transportation like a train or bus but that is limiting. The train doesn’t take you to the isle itself. And the bus is dependant on the time. If you miss your pick-up time you may as well set up camp to wait for the next one to show up. However, if renting a car for your trip to and on Skye is not for you, you can check the timetables at Traveline Scotland below.
In our strongest opinion, we believe renting a car or a camper van is the best way to see the Isle of Skye castles and here’s why.

But before you leave home to explore some castles in Scotland, you will need to find a place to put your car at the airport!
Save Big on Airport Parking. Compare parking lots, rates, info and reviews. Only At AirportParking.com Shop Now!

You will also need a flight to get to Scotland, right?!

Renting a car for your trip to the Isle of Skye is probably the best way of going about visiting all the Isle of Skye Castles. You have the endless freedom of choosing which castle you want to see, in what order, when you want to see it and you can get to those harder to reach castles. Most of the castles don’t have public transportation to them, so you must rent a car to see them.

Seeing that you will most likely be flying into either Edinburgh or Glasgow and maybe the off chance of flying into Aberdeen or Inverness. You would need to get your rental car at the respective airports.

Once you know which airport you’re flying into, you can then book a rental car. We HIGHLY recommend booking in advance as you do get the best deals that way.

First, do your research. We like shopping around at the different companies to get an idea of what the best price is, then pull the trigger on whichever one is cheapest.

Look at Momondo first then go over to Sixt rental car to check their best offers. Some companies won’t be at all airports so just be aware of that. Our favorite company is Sixt to work with.

Isle of Skye Camper Van Rental

Now, with renting a camper van in Scotland and road-tripping to the Isle of Skye, you pretty much have the perfect combination. You have transportation covered and accommodation, too.

But you know what the best part of it all is?

It’s being able to park anywhere you feel like–within good reason–and camp there without being told to move on. (Just be mindful during the high season as it begins to get crowded on the island and sometimes you are told to turn around)

In Scotland there is a thing called the freedom to roam and that gives you the freedom to be able to explore even the most difficult to get to and far out castles around Scotland.

We have never rented a van in Scotland. However, we do know and understand the benefits of utilizing a camper van in Scotland–we lived that van life in Scotland for 2.5 years.

So that is why we can so highly recommend going down this route!

We saw many companies during our time in Scotland. However, two companies stick out to us the most.

Spaceships Campervan and Motorhome Rentals – You can get a quote for your trip to see if they work for you. The only thing about this company is that you have to pick-up or drop-off in one of two UK cities: Edinburgh or London.

IndieCampers – Give them a check to see if they work for you and your price range. They provide the best rate guarantee–BTW.

Isle of Skye Road Trip Tips

This is the best way to go about seeing all seven Isle of Skye castles–in our opinion! Whichever method you choose… a car or a van.

Driving on left

It’s what they do over there. It can get confusing, but your brain will re-wire itself quickly enough.

Where to get gas?

Go to any gas station you see, but typically the larger grocery stores like Azda or Sainsbury’s will have the cheapest. Just make sure you don’t mistake the wrong fuel type for your vehicle. I did that on our first refueling after we bought our van.

maps.me

Download this amazing free offline maps app. Learn more about it and other apps we love to use when traveling here.

Respect the Land!

If people of Scotland didn’t respect the land so much, there wouldn’t be the freedom to roam option set in place. As a tourist, you have a higher expectation to keep things right and in place. So when you’re in your vehicle stay in the appropriate areas and pack out what you brought in!

Avoid high season!

I know that is probably pretty hard as that is when your kids are out of school or you’re given that summer break from work, but do avoid it if you can. Go in the shoulder season like in April or May or September or October. These months are still beautiful, you have less traffic to deal with, and everything will be cheaper!

Places to Stay on the Isle of Skye

Looking for a place to stay during your time on the Isle of Skye? Well, we’ve got you covered if you decided to rent a car or take public transportation instead of renting (the better option) a camper van.

Isle of Skye Camping

You can pretty much camp anywhere for free, just be respectful of the locals and the land that you are using. And make sure to pack out what you pack in!
If you want to stay at a proper campground that has water, toilets, and even a little gift shop/snack shop. Then check out Glen Brittle Campground!

Isle of Skye Bed and Breakfast

There are tons of B&B on the island. This is a great option to choose from as you will get a great opportunity to connect with locals and see how it is they live day to day on the Isle of Skye!

Check booking.com here.

Isle of Skye Hostel

Hostels are a great option if you are young and looking to meet other like-minded individuals. Going this route can yield opportunities like carpooling with someone you met and trust.

Additionally, you can gain insider information from someone who is coming from where you are going. Those are all great perks to choosing an Isle of Skye hostel for your accommodation.

Isle of Skye Things to Do

Check out the top places to visit on Skye that don’t include seeing a castle!

Or get some inspiration from these videos on YouTube.

Final Thoughts on Isle of Skye Castles

Overall, there are seven Isle of Skye castles dotted all around the island and one just outside the entrance to Skye. We gave you an Isle of Skye map that you can follow and get an idea of how to get to each of the Isle of Skye castles. And we gave you some insight about each castle. Then provided some information on how to get to Isle of Skye, our recommended way of getting around, and the gear you should bring with you!

We love the Isle of Skye and are certain you will too! Just make sure to not go during the high season and choose to go in the shoulder season if at all possible. You can even choose to come to the Isle of Skye in winter. We have been there during this time period and had some amazing times. The weather was a bit more temperamental, but there was nobody on the trails and the roads were completely empty–which made our time that much more special! So pretty much any time of year will be alright to visit. Just go and you won’t be disappointed!

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