Description of the attraction
All the numerous castles in Scotland are beautiful and unusual in their own way. But, probably, the most unusual and picturesque can be called the small Stalker castle, which is located in the Argyll region, near the city of Port Appin. The castle is located on a small island in Loch Leich, and during low tide the castle can be reached on foot, albeit with some difficulty. The fabulous appearance - a castle on an island against a background of mountains - made the image of the Stalker a kind of visiting card and a symbol of the Highlands of Scotland; his photographs have been reproduced on numerous postcards and calendars. It often serves as a backdrop for feature and historical films.
The name "Stalker" comes from the Gaelic word for "hunter", "falconer". The castle was built around 1320 and has survived to this day in its original form. Unlike most other castles in Scotland, Stalker was not rebuilt in the 18th and 18th centuries.
Initially, the castle was built by the MacDougall family, but already in 1388 it passed into the possession of the Stuart clan. In 1620, the castle passed to the Campbells - the then Lord Stewart, on a drunken business, exchanged the castle for an eight-oared boat. The Stewarts bought the castle only at the beginning of the 20th century, when it was already in a dilapidated state and without a roof. Some measures were taken to preserve the castle, but the real restoration began in 1965 when Colonel Stewart became the owner. With his own hands, with the help of family and friends, he rebuilt the castle and the building is now fully habitable.
The castle is privately owned, but it can be accessed with an organized guided tour by prior arrangement.
