Dunyvaig Castle Ruins, Islay, United Kingdom

Dunyvaig Castle was built on top of an ancient fort or dun in the 12th century. Forfeited in 1493, the castle passed to the MacIans of Ardnamurchan. Afterwards the castle was leased to the MacDonalds, then the Campbells and back to the MacDonalds.

In the 17th century Dunyvaig was conquered several times by the English and Scottish armies. The castle was seized in 1647 by the Covenanters and passed into the hands of the Campbells of Cawdor, who held it until 1677, when Sir Hugh Campbell pulled down the castle and moved to Islay House.

Today all that remains of the castle are mainly the ruins of the sixteenth-century castle, although the site includes a thirteenth-century courtyard, and a fifteenth-century keep.

References:

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User Reviews

Roberto Aragão (6 months ago)
Nice ruins, not a lot to do, but just gazing at it and walking inside is nice! Try not to plunge on the rocks, though! There's a little tricky part when going up there.

Matt Thomas (7 months ago)
Worth a visit, if only for views. Climbing to ruins is possible but there's a 10 foot drop to skirt around, a bit crazy in wind and rain. Bloody history.. worth reading up on.

Anonymous Anonymous (8 months ago)
OMG, this place is gorgeous! Our group went to Lagavulin distillery while we decided to walk to these ruins instead! What a treat! The views are absolutely stunning, and it is a phenomenally beautiful ruin, almost as if all its history intended it to be this thoughtful place to stop and appreciate it all. The colors of the moss around the castle are so magical. You could spend just a little time here, or just relax and wander for a bit longer. We climbed up the ruins. I didn't see any signage to give more information, so encourage you to look it up before or after your visit. It's free to visit. Totally worth it!

Suzy Ivy (8 months ago)
Worth the walk - even if it’s raining. Lovely views. Parking available at the end of the road.

Matthew Thomas (2 years ago)
A charming old rustic castle! It’s a short walk getting here, and you may have to not have a fear of heights to actually get to the castle ruins themselves as there are some sharp drop offs right next to the path. Provides an excellent view of the Lagavulin distillery! Definitely worth visiting if you like old castle ruins, smelling the fresh ocean air, and living a little dangerously. :D

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Dunyvaig Castle Ruins

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