Eilean Donan Castle and the Isle of Skye

Perhaps the most photographed and iconic castle in Scotland, the Eilean Donan (pronounced A-lean Donan) castle has been restored and was used in several movies (Highlander and The New Avengers among them). Eilean is Gaelic for island, and a Bishop Donan was the first known settler on the little island n 540 AD...but it was surely used by the earlier people in the area. It has a wonderful history linked to the Jacobite uprising. The castle was in ruins for over 200 years but was restored in the 1800's.

The Isle of Skye is awesome in its heartbreaking beauty and charm. We visited a beautiful lighthouse located at Neist Point. You have to hike about half a mile to get to it, but it is so worth it.

The castle at Donvegan on the Isle of Skye has been restored by the McLeod clan, and is currently being used as a home, and also as apartments. About half the castle is given over to a museum and has guided tours that are very interesting. The grounds are lovely. Many of these castles have rented rooms and some are like hotels. This one sells tickets to view the museum which run about $9 pounds. I would estimate they have around 1000 visitors per day, and they have a gift shop that you can't avoid at the end of the tour, and a small canteen to victual the guests, and I'd be surprised if they aren't still very well off even though they can't "tax" the people any more.

There is a bridge from the mainland at Kyle of Lockalsh, and a wonderful little village at Portree.