Castle Tioram looks so peaceful, and yet a bitter battle has been raging over the castle for years. All the more reason to make sure you visit it on your next Scotland trip.
Through a landscape unusually cultivated for the Highlands, the River Shiel meanders lazily down to a large bay fringed by woodland. In the middle of this bay sits a small island; on the island, a castle, its metre-thick walls now protecting nothing but a roofless building.
The residents? Long gone. Castle Tioram is a ruin.
A ruin well worth seeing. Its romantic setting on the small rocky island of “Eilean Tioram”, and the bay of Loch Moidart, covered at low tide with a carpet of fine sea sand, make the area near Dorlin something of a local getaway spot for many residents.
But the peaceful idyll of the bay is deceptive: there’s a fight going on over Castle Tioram – there always has been. Once fought with cannons, today it’s fought with words and intrigue.
House or ruin? A bitter dispute
Lex Brown is a self-made millionaire. To many, a shady businessman; others describe him as a distinguished former Royal Air Force pilot. Either way, a colourful character. Lex Brown was born a little south of Glasgow on Scotland’s west coast, only about four hours’ drive away, and he has a dream: to rebuild Castle Tioram. As a home and a museum.
Brown bought the castle in 1997 for only around 300,000 pounds. In Munich, that wouldn’t even get you a mediocre three-room flat. But the money for the purchase isn’t what matters here, because the castle is at risk of collapse. Renovating it costs millions – and Brown has the money for it. Yet even though he’s the owner, he can’t get planning permission. Historic Environment Scotland, the government and local residents are standing in his way.
History is sometimes better read in ruins, journalist Muriel Gray, for one, has argued, and finds plenty of agreement. On the other hand, Tioram is in such poor condition that visitors are already barred from entering the building. And nearby Duart Castle on Mull shows just how much good a renovation can do for a castle without erasing its history.
The bone of contention: Brown wants to limit access to the property. There’s talk of visitors only being allowed into the beautiful grounds around the castle on around 50 days a year. To many, an absolute outrage. But Brown has backing from someone with arguably the strongest connection to the castle of all. Chief Ranald Macdonald of Clanranald, descendant of the clan that owned Tioram for centuries, says: “Just because it’s been a ruin with free access for everyone over the past 100 years doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. It [the rebuild] will benefit the Clanranald and everyone who wants to see it [the castle].”
And the tide does indeed seem to be turning soon – even Historic Scotland appears to be softening its stance.
The current stalemate does at least have one upside: visitors can still visit Castle Tioram and let themselves be enchanted by the fairy-tale beauty of the landscape – all in perfect peace.
Update: According to Ellen, who lives in Ardnamurchan, planning permission has now been granted, though building work hasn’t started yet.
Update II, May 2014: According to Ellen, Tioram Castle is now up for sale again. The Scotsman newspaper has some bitter words about Historic Scotland on the matter. For now, Tioram remains a ruin at risk of collapse.
Update III, April 2022: Lex Brown passed away in February after a short battle with cancer. This once again leaves the fate of Tioram Castle open.
Good to know: The history of Castle Tioram
Whoever held the mouth of the River Shiel controlled access to the interior. By boat, you can travel up the river and Loch Shiel all the way to Glenfinnan. Little wonder, then, that a fort is said to have already stood on the island at this strategically important spot as far back as the Iron Age. The castle visible today, with its five-sided shape and tall walls, is typical of the way many castles were built in the 13th century – very similar building styles can be found at Duart Castle or Dunstaffnage Castle (in German for now).
In any case, the castle has belonged to the Clanranalds since the 14th century; John of Islay, one of the Lords of the Isles (in German for now), had bequeathed it to his son Ranald.
As already mentioned: there have always been battles over Castle Tioram (pronounced roughly “chi-ram”). In the 16th century, for example, the castle was bombarded from the sea but managed to fend off the attack. In the end, though, it was its own laird who burned Tioram down, before marching off as a Jacobite (in German for now) to join the first uprising of 1715, where he died. Tioram fell into the ruin that can be seen today.
Anyone wanting to learn more about the castle’s construction and history is recommended this excellent page (in English).
Personal note: A special encounter
Castle Tioram and its surroundings are a truly wonderful place, and while out walking there you meet plenty of interesting people relaxing in the area. That was the case with the older gentleman in the photo, who turned out to be Fergie MacDonald, a direct descendant of the Clanranald (thanks to Ellen from Ardnamurchan for pointing this out). And even more notably: he was a well-known musician.
Generally speaking, the Ardnamurchan peninsula and Castle Tioram (which sits, in effect, right at the start of Ardnamurchan) are well worth a trip, precisely because this “real wild west”, as some locals call it, still sees very little tourism.
Tip: Get close – but not too close
Even though you’re not allowed inside the castle, you can get onto the island and right up close to the walls. That said, you should always stay alert in case something falls on your head – as mentioned, Castle Tioram is at serious risk of collapse. That, together with the looming threat of closure by Lex Brown, is reason enough to put the castle on the itinerary for your next tour of Scotland.
Getting there:
With a sat nav: “PH36 4JZ” will take you to the road to Dorlin; from there, simply follow the road to the car park.
Without a sat nav: You can either combine the drive across the Moidart peninsula with the Road to the Isles, or approach via Kilchoan and Ardnamurchan from the Isle of Mull. Either way, you’ll need to take the A861 to Acharacle. At Acharacle, turn off towards Dorlin and follow the road all the way to the end.
