Skye and Ardnamurchan Peninsula, Scotland.  Day 11, 9th July.

Before catching the Armadale-Mallaig ferry from Skye to the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, I had time to visit Knock Castle, which you can see on the horizon.

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Near the castle is this abandoned building with a damaged roof, probably now a farm building and no doubt with a history.

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There is not much left of the castle these days.  Probably not the best choice for a renovation exercise.

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The castle is also known as Casteal Camus and there was an iron age fort on this site previously, Dun Thoravaig.

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The first castle was built here in the fifteenth century by the MacLeods.  The largest remaining wall fragment is part of the sixteenth century square keep, the heart of the castle at that time.

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The MacDonalds seized the castle in the early fifteenth century and they built the keep.  It was also seized for a while by James I (of Scotland) in a campaign against the Lord of the Isles.

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The castle was abandoned in 1689 or 1690 and the stone was subsequently used as a source material for local buildings.

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This is a view from the ferry having left Skye for the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, en route to Mull.

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The village of Mallaig, where the ferry from Armadale calls, dates only from 1840.  It was created by Lord Lovat so that agricultural workers displaced from his estate could take up a life of fishing.

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Loch nam Uamh, on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula about fifteen kilometres south of Mallaig, is where Bonnie Prince Charlie arrived in Scotland in 1745 and where he left after going in hiding following the defeat at Culloden.

Less than a fortnight after Culloden, two French ships arrived here carrying arms, gunpowder, brandy and gold for the Jacobite supporters.  About a week later, three English ships turned up and a fierce battle ensued for several hours until the English ships were driven off.    This was to be the last naval engagement in British waters.

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By the way, I am updating the index of posts as I go under the North Atlantic item on the menu bar.