Our Amazing Scotland series brings you some of the unmissable sights from Scotland. If you haven’t watched the previous videos of the series, you can watch them here. In this blog, we take you to one of the most photographed castles in Scotland, Eilean Donan Castle.
Sitting at the picturesque settings of Kyle of Lochalsh, this small but beautiful castle draws people from far and wide because of its amazing settings. Eilean Donan means island of Donnán, so named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in 617. Locals say that he established a church on the island, although no trace of it remains.
Sitting on an island, surrounded by lakes and mountains, it is a visual delight. No wonder then that this is one of the most favorite locations of filmmakers around the world. This enchanting castle is the backdrop of several Hollywood, Bollywood and Kollywood films. We first sat up and noticed this castle in 2000, thanks to the title song of superhit Tamil movie Kandukondain Kandukondain.
A desi adaptation of Jane Austin’s Sense and Sensibility, the movie was a super hit, and the songs by AR Rahman were chartbusters. And there is no better place to picturise the title song Kandukondain Kandukondain. You not only fell in love with the song, but the place too. So much that you wish you could visit the place yourself…
Well, we were lucky enough to see it for ourselves – twenty years later… It’s truly a dream come true moment for us… It was exciting and thrilling to be there and to just stand and enjoy the magnificent view.
Eilean Donan Castle – The Movie Connection
Earlier, the castle was the location for parts of the title song of Hindi blockbuster ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. But the viewers couldn’t enjoy a great view of the castle in that song. The castle appears as the MI 5’s Scottish headquarters in the James Bond Saga ‘World is not Enough’. It is groom’s family home in the film Made of Honour. The castle appears in movies like Highlander, Elizabeth, Loch Ness, and Bonnie Prince Charlie among others.
Recently, while watching a TV adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, it was a pleasant surprise to see the castle in it. However, if you think the castle is all about looks and location, you would be wrong.
Historical context
There is a lot of history surrounding the place. It was a stronghold of Clan Mackenzie and Clan MacRae from the 13the century. The fort suffered damages in the Jacobite rebellion and lay in ruins for 200 years or so. But in the 1930s John Macrae-Gilstrap restored the fort in the present form.
Although historically the MacRaes are the hereditary constables of Eilean Donan Castle, the Conchra Charitable Trust owns and runs the castle. Ticket prices are £10 for adults at the time of writing this article. You can check the ticket prices and other details here.
The castle is available for hire for filming, and wedding ceremonies. More information can be found here.
Address: Eilean Donan Castle Dornie by Kyle of Lochalsh IV40 8DX Scotland
Our Verdict
When you visit Scotland, especially Isle of Skye, we highly recommend you visit Eilean Donan Castle. If you are short on time, just spend some time to admire the castle from afar. Photographers will find some magical frames that delights you. You can even fly drones fly before and after the castle closes for the public – it means you can’t fly it from 9 AM to 6.30 PM or so (Please check the official site for details as the drone usage policy is likely to revision from time to time).
You can watch our vlog on Eilean Donan Castle here
