Ardvreck Castle on Loch Assynt, 2014
Ardvreck Castle in the Highlands of Scotland was the home of the MacLeods of Assynt. The MacLeods were traditional Lairds of Assent and Sutherland. The castle is a 15th-16th Century L-planned fortified tower house. Battles came and went and the MacLeods of Ardvreck Castle was eventually overtaken by their bitter enemies the MacKenzies of Wester-Ross. Lightning destroyed the bulk of the castle much later and the ruins sit majestically next to the A837.
Naturally, there are ghost stories – the favorite being this I read on British Express: “Legends cling to the enigmatic ruins. It is said that the ghost of a MacLeod chieftain’s daughter wanders the beach, weeping. She married the Devil in an effort to save the castle from destruction, then she drowned in the loch. Another ghost, a mysterious man in grey, wanders about the castle ruins.”
Scotland is the perfect setting for ghost stories. That, plus after touring the Highlands one gets the true sense of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings for much of his inspiration was drawn from these mountains, lochs, brooding clouds and damp rains. Scotland inspires.
Debi Bradford Photography 