tits and welcome colour for us to to us for colour welcome and tits
4 3 birds such as blue tits and great great and tits blue as such birds
provide shelter for flocks of small small of flocks for shelter provide
tree of Clan Maclachlan. The trees trees The Maclachlan. Clan of tree
Scotland. The Rowan is the official official the is Rowan The Scotland.
and Rowans which are native to to native are which Rowans and
of the trail has Silver Birch trees trees Birch Silver has trail the of
wildlife as you walk. This first part part first This walk. you as wildlife
enjoy the surrounding plant and and plant surrounding the enjoy
No matter what the season you can can you season the what matter No
walk takes in everything that makes this trail so special. so trail this makes that everything in takes walk
2. Flora and Fauna and Flora 2.
The 360 degree view from the bench at the end of the board board the of end the at bench the from view degree 360 The
and to frame the views of and from the ‘new’ castle. ‘new’ the from and of views the frame to and
the trees towards the new river bridge river new the towards trees the
were welcome. Other fine trees were planted to create parkland parkland create to planted were trees fine Other welcome. were
have been buried here since the 15th century. 15th the since here buried been have
Inver Restaurant and follow the path through path the follow and Restaurant Inver
that Roman Catholics (the religion of Bonnie Prince Charlie) Charlie) Prince Bonnie of religion (the Catholics Roman that
chiefs. Every chief with the exception of three who died in battle battle in died who three of exception the with chief Every chiefs.
Cross the little bridge over the burn at the side of of side the at burn the over bridge little the Cross
were planted - still there alongside the B8000, said to be a sign sign a be to said B8000, the alongside there still - planted were
west Scotland and the final resting place of the Maclachlan clan clan Maclachlan the of place resting final the and Scotland west
the sea is creeping back into the field. Avenues of lime trees trees lime of Avenues field. the into back creeping is sea the
Kilmorie Chapel is one of the last medieval church buildings in in buildings church medieval last the of one is Chapel Kilmorie
land to be drained for agriculture. This is still evident although although evident still is This agriculture. for drained be to land
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An earthwork was built around the bay to enable the marshy marshy the enable to bay the around built was earthwork An
3. Kilmorie Chapel Kilmorie 3.
canalised in the 19th Century. 19th the in canalised
meander through the field in front of the ‘new’ castle but was was but castle ‘new’ the of front in field the through meander
gates along the path. the along gates
From the bridge, notice how straight the river is – it used to to used it – is river the straight how notice bridge, the From
go to Kilmorie Chapel. Please close the the close Please Chapel. Kilmorie to go
At the oval deck take the right fork to fork right the take deck oval the At
4. The Landscape The 4.
overhead and there are rare sightings of sea eagles. sea of sightings rare are there and overhead Old Castle Lachlan. Castle Old
cross the Lachlan River. Lachlan the cross
Herons and Mallard Ducks. Buzzards can also be heard calling calling heard be also can Buzzards Ducks. Mallard and Herons intimate, making the most of its position by the bay with its views of of views its with bay the by position its of most the making intimate,
Return to the bridge and bridge the to Return
seen out on the bay in all seasons, most often Oyster Catchers, Catchers, Oyster often most seasons, all in bay the on out seen conservationist Geoffrey Jarvis, who kept the building small and and small building the kept who Jarvis, Geoffrey conservationist
butterflies and damselflies to spot. Waders and ducks are often often are ducks and Waders spot. to damselflies and butterflies the only woman ever to lead the clan. The architect was pioneering pioneering was architect The clan. the lead to ever woman only the
Anemones hide in the grass in spring and in summer there are are there summer in and spring in grass the in hide Anemones Maclachlan clan chief, Madam Marjorie Maclachlan of Maclachlan, Maclachlan, of Maclachlan Marjorie Madam chief, clan Maclachlan Trust in 2006. in Trust
enjoy in Autumn. Wild flowers such as Bluebells and Woodland Woodland and Bluebells as such flowers Wild Autumn. in enjoy The cottage was converted into a restaurant in 1968 by the 24th 24th the by 1968 in restaurant a into converted was cottage The and conserved by the Lachlan Lachlan the by conserved and
collapse until it was stabilised was it until collapse
The boathouse was the flat roofed part of the building. the of part roofed flat the was boathouse The The ruined chapel was close to to close was chapel ruined The
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especially was plentiful in Loch Fyne throughout the 19th century. century. 19th the throughout Fyne Loch in plentiful was especially
Strachur. It is still in use. in still is It Strachur. Part of their rent to the Maclachlan estate was paid in fish. Herring Herring fish. in paid was estate Maclachlan the to rent their of Part
mile away on the B8000 towards towards B8000 the on away mile of the Crawford MacFadyen family. family. MacFadyen Crawford the of
built a new church which is half a a half is which church new a built tenant farmers, three generations generations three farmers, tenant
In 1792, the then Maclachlan chief chief Maclachlan then the 1792, In was the fresh water source for the the for source water fresh the was
historic graves of local families. local of graves historic from the burn to the side. The burn burn The side. the to burn the from
burial ground contains many many contains ground burial The original cottage is best viewed viewed best is cottage original The
a bigger church, and the tranquil tranquil the and church, bigger a small farm typical of the Highlands. Highlands. the of typical farm small
The chapel is all that remains of of remains that all is chapel The Inver Restauarant was once a croft, a a croft, a once was Restauarant Inver 1. Inver Restaurant Inver 1.
How to Find us
Walking Trails at The Trail
The trail is freely accessible to the public and across private land. The walk to the Old Castle takes approximately 1 hour. Lachlan The Lachlan Trust, which protects and conserves the historical buildings linked to the Maclachlan clan, is responsible for the new paths, bridge and conservation work at Kilmorie Chapel and Bay Old Castle Lachlan. Old Castle Lachlan, Lachlan Bay, Strathlachlan, PA27 8BU near Strachur, Old Castle Lachlan is about six miles south Argyll PA27 8BU ... imagine of the village of Strachur in Argyll, WALK on a single track road, the B8000, a turning off the A886. relaxing ... DISCOVER Journey Times by Car: ... peaceful Glasgow - 1 hour 30 ENGAGING Edinburgh - 2 hours 30 Inveraray - 30 minutes clans ... CASTLE Dunoon - 30 minutes ... the past Old Castle Lachlan, Kilmorie Chapel CHAPEL and Lachlan Bay are free to visit the present ... REAL LIVES and open all year round. Old Castle Lachlan @loveourcastle www.oldcastlelachlan.com Take a walk with us through beautiful landscape and discover the history of this place and the lives lived and lost.
Donations towards the upkeep of the trails are much appreciated and can be made at www.oldcastlelachlan.com Designed by EWDP Limited. New Castle Lachlan 7 Walk from the bridge around the bay (along the top of the old earthwork) and turn left at the farm track that leads around to Old Castle Lachlan. The story goes that after the Battle of Culloden, the Chief’s horse made its way home alone from the battlefield. It was a sure sign to the Maclachlans that their Old Castle Chief had died. The horse, riderless and Lachlan traumatised, had swum across the loch Today the Chief of the Maclachlan Clan then refused to leave the castle until it died. and his family still live in this stunning Scottish Baronial Castle.
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5. Lachlan Bay
Up to the 18th century Lachlan Bay would have been a place of boats and people and the Gaelic language. Archaeological work and old maps reveal there were cottages near the old castle, a walled garden and a spring named Tobar an Ffion (Gaelic for ‘the well of the wine’) This spring’s name may be an indication of the bay’s use as a landing point for bringing French Claret, the favoured drink of the Highland chiefs alongside whisky. 5 Kilmorie Certainly the bay would have provided a valuable link between Chapel land and sea for the goods traded in and out of this part of the Highlands. Nowadays the bay is an anchorage for pleasure craft, 3 a feeding ground for many species of birds and a playground for beachcombers, kite flyers and other visitors. Loch Fyne is a tidal sea loch, Scotland’s B8000 Walking along the bay we can see both Old and New Castle longest and deepest. It’s traditionally been Lachlan Bay Lachlans. Comparing them helps us understand a little of famous for kippers but today it’s better how Scotland changed after the turning point of the battle of known for Loch Fyne Oysters. Culloden in 1746. The old castle was a fortress, a source of clan power during turbulent times, dominating the seaway of Loch 4 Fyne. After Culloden the clan system ended and the chiefs The new bridge is a 21st century addition became landowners in peaceful times. The new castle was built and carries names put forward by donors as a grand country house, at some distance from the sea, with no who help fund the conservation and need for defence or domination. improvement work around Lachlan Bay. The only woman ever to From the track follow the path off to the left lead the clan, Marjorie to the Old Castle. Maclachlan of Maclachlan, who was the 24th Chief, 2 B8000 is buried along side her Inver Restaurant husband George Rome 6. Old Castle Lachlan 1 Maclachlan of Maclachlan at the chapel entrance. The castle is of a unique design. It was built in the 15th Century and features a curtain wall with only one small door leading inside B8000 to a courtyard. There is a well at the far end and on either side is a tower house. Occupants could cross from one to the other by galleries above the well. The tower house to the left of the courtyard is the most important. At ground level are a kitchen and 7. New Castle Lachlan storerooms. Above these is a solar (private chambers and living area Return from the Old Castle to the close to the house, parkland round about and, track. You can either retrace your for the chief and his family) and above that a large hall. To have two Under the new laws after Culloden, tartan was further afield, scenery of a wild and ‘natural’ steps back to your car or turn left grand rooms for the chief’s use is unusual in Scottish castles. banned and clan chiefs lost their power. character. The old castle effectively became a and follow the track, which is a little But the Maclachlans kept their land thanks to ready-made ‘folly’, an exotic ruin harking back The Maclachlans were Jacobites who supported Bonnie Prince overgrown, until you reach a gate. the support of the Campbells and by the time to a past that Scotland had left behind. Charlie in opposition to the neighbouring Clan Campbell. The Go through the gate making sure the 19th chief, Donald Maclachlan, built a new 17th chief, Lachlan Maclachlan, led his men into battle at Culloden you close it behind you. Continue on Later the Queen Anne style house was home, the political landscape had settled. and was killed. His son was only a small boy and was taken in by a short distance to the wide, stony extended and altered in a Scottish Baronial the Campbells who protected him so that the Maclachlans were expanse of Garbh Chamas (‘rough The new house was built in the elegant but makeover. The turret and parapets were not punished harshly by the victors. bay’), a peaceful spot for a picnic simple Queen Anne style set in a designed added as this grandoise style of architecture The castle was abandoned after Culloden and it has deteriorated with stunning views down Loch Fyne landscape of the fashionable picturesque style popularised by the writer Sir Walter Scott over time. The Lachlan Trust is raising funds to complete the 6 (but please take litter home!) – with formal, ornamental planting swept through Scotland. conservation work.