Nearest History & Heritage The Scottish Highlands
Our History and Heritage category brings all Coast Radar’s The Scottish Highlands listings related to looking for something to do or a place to visit together where they offer some form of historic or heritage based activity.
Finding the best things to see and do on a The Scottish Highlands day out with your family or friends is easy – simply explore the historic and heritage links below, hit the jump to my location button or use the search bar to plan your next The Scottish Highlands activity.
- Brodie Castle was the ancestral home of Clan Brodie, and has a very well preserved central keep with two 5-storey towers on opposing corners. This is really a fortified stately home rather than a castle and has no surrounding wall.
- Keiss Castle, which is now partially ruined, is located less than 1 mile north of Keiss village, on sheer cliffs, overlooking Sinclair’s Bay. The castle was constructed as a Z-plan tower house with 4 floors plus an attic and a vaulted basement. It had a pair of corner towers at opposite angles of a square central block, the main tower being very narrow for its height with tall chimney stacks. The Sinclairs replaced the castle as the family seat with Keiss House replaced Keiss Castle around 1755.
- Culloden Battlefield is where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to a brutal end on the 16 April 1746. The site is managed by the National Trust Scotland and you can walk around the moor along a trail network taking in the battleground and spectacular setting. The Jacobite Rising was where Jacobite supporters, were looking to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British throne, and here the fought the Duke of Cumberland’s government troops. The battle was brutal with approximately 1,600 deaths in the first hour of the battle and out of this number around 1,500 of them were Jacobites. The Culloden Visitor Centre features artifacts from both sides of the battle and interactive displays that looks into the background to the conflict. The centre also has a restaurant. Dogs are welcome on the battlefield but owners must keep them under close control and pick up after them.
- This impressive steeple is 43m in height and was built in 1789-91 on the site of an earlier steeple of about 1690.
- The Strathnaver Museum is based in the former Parish Church of Columba in Bettyhill with its main theme being the tragic story of the Highland Clearances. One room is dedicated to the Clan Mackay and also tells the story of crofting life.
- Inverness Castle sits high up overlooking the River Ness in Inverness. The castle you see today is a red sandstone building built in 1836 by the architect William Burn. It is built on the site of an earlier 11th-century defensive structure. The castle is the Inverness Sheriff Court and is NOT open to the public although you can visit the castle grounds and the north tower.
- Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848, and remains as the private property of the royal family and are not the property of the Crown. The original castle was too small and the new castle was completed in 1856 with the old castle demolished shortly thereafter. The castle grounds, gardens, exhibitions, gift shop and cafe are opened to the public typically (check website) between April and the end of July, after which Queen Elizabeth arrives for her annual stay.
- Castle Varrich is in the far north of the Scottish Highlands, near the village of Tongue, located on a high point of rock, overlooking both the Kyle of Tongue and the village of Tongue. The castle had two floors plus an attic. The ground floor may have been used as stables; it was entered through an existing door on the north wall. There were no stairs between the two floors, suggesting that the ground floor was for horses or cattle. The upper floor entrance was on the south side and would most likely have been accessed by a ladder or removable stair.
- Castle Tioram, meaning “dry castle”, is a ruined castle that sits on the tidal island of Eilean Tioram in Loch Moidart, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. The castle can be reached on foot across the tidal causeway, but there is no access to the interior because of the risk of falling masonry.
- Founded in 722 by St. Maelrubha, the present building dates from 1619. The tomb built into the niche on the south wall of the church is said to be the last resting-place of a famous local villain, Donald MacMurdo, known as Domhnull MacMhurchaidh, responsible for at least eighteen murders. There are a number of interesting 18th and 19th century gravestones, notably the large stone to the Anderson’s of Keoldale. A raised area to the south is the massed grave of the victims of the “Canton”, an emigrant ship which sank with the loss of all lives off Faraid Head in 1849. A monument is in memory of Rob Donn Calder or Mackay, a noted Gaelic poet.
- Ballindalloch Castle is a preserved castle in the beautiful countryside of Speyside, north east Scotland. The castle is still owned and lived in by the Macpherson-Grant family who have resided at Ballindalloch since 1546. The setting for Ballindalloch is stunning, with the Rivers Avon and Spey running through its grounds and surrounded by imposing hills. Speyside, of course, is also known for its whisky distilleries such as Glenlivet and Glenfiddich. Visitors are welcome at Ballindalloch where the castle and its grounds are available to view and tour around. The estate also has a golf course, as well offering shooting and fishing packages for those who like their country sports. Self-catering cottages are available to stay in for short breaks and you can also pick up some of the locally-reared Aberdeen Angus beef at the castle shop. The castle is open from the end of March to the end of September.
