Why Castle Tioram Is One Of Scotland’s Greatest Castles!
Scotland has a lot of castles, but there are none quite like the incredible Castle Tioram. I spend a lot of my time visiting and writing about historic sites, so I know a special place when I see it. Perched on a dramatic crag, surrounded by a beautiful loch, it’s the perfect spot for a Scottish island castle.
This is a tidal island so if you visit Castle Tioram at the right time of day then you can walk out to it across a causeway! You can’t get inside, but there’s more than enough reason to make the journey out here. Bring a picnic to enjoy beneath the walls or your swimming kit to enjoy the sheltered water of Loch Moidart.
On my first visit, I was only supposed to spend half an hour getting some good pictures. However, I was so captivated by this ancient fortress that I spent the rest of the day (and night) here. Things only got better when I discovered Castle Tioram’s stories and hopefully they’ll convince you to see it for yourself!
How To Get To Castle Tioram
Be warned – getting to Castle Tioram isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s at the end of a long, narrow and winding single track road in an area known as the Rough Bounds. The road you need sits between Fort William & Mallaig or you can reach it from the Tobermory ferry! Turn off just before you cross Shiel Bridge and you’re almost there!
There’s no public transport in this area so you’re relying on either a car or bike to reach Castle Tioram. Once you arrive, there’s a large car park in the trees and a beach stretches before you. The castle on its island is immediately obvious and at low tide the causeway appears where the beach curves to the right.
If you’re looking for a good camping spot then there is lots of space to set up a tent on the grass at the other end of the beach from the car park. Remember to always camp responsibly and leave no trace!
How To Pronounce Castle Tioram
While the spelling looks a little confusing, it’s not as difficult to say as you might think. Castle Tioram is pronounced “cheer-um”. The name is Gaelic for Dry Castle, referring to the small island that it sits on, accessible with dry feet at low tide!
Castle Tioram’s Early History
Castle Tioram might seem a remote, quiet spot today, but this was a perfect base of operations for a busy Highland clan. There’s safe harbour for a fleet of warships, giving easy access out to the islands or along the coast. Remember, water was once a useful highway rather than a barrier.
Built in the 1200s, the first record we have of Castle Tioram refers to Christina of the Isles. She leased the island to the Campbells in return for one ship of warriors when required. The castle’s story then goes to another extraordinary lady in the form of Amie MacRuari of Gamoran, Christina’s niece. She was abandoned by her husband John of Islay, but passed these lands onto her son Ranald.
He became the first chief of the MacDonalds of Clanranald and Castle Tioram remained the clan’s base. To say that the Clanranalds were wild would be an understatement. Constantly in trouble with the crown as well as their neighbours, they made their name as great warriors. I guess they must have been confident in the strength of their island fortress!
Adventures of Allan MacRuari
Of all the chiefs who ruled from Castle Tioram, none are as well remembered as Allan MacRuari. He built a legendary reputation for himself as an untouchable terror for his neighbours. No matter what happened, Allan always seemed to land on his feet. At one point, he even held four other clans chiefs in Castle Tioram’s dungeon!
The Mackintosh chief simply couldn’t take it anymore. The only way he felt safe was after building a new castle in the middle of Loch Moy, far enough away from Clanranald territory. Hosting a huge banquet, he drunkenly declared that he was happy to finally be free from the mischief of Allan MacRuari!
Unfortunately for Mackintosh, the travelling bard hired for the banquet decided his next stop should be Castle Tioram. For a few extra coins, he let slip that bold declaration of safety and MacRuari wasn’t best pleased. He had a reputation to uphold after all!
Shelving any other plans, the men of Clanranald travelled day and night, carrying small wicker boats inland to Loch Moy. There, they gently paddled across the water and silently scaled the castle walls.
The cunning Clanranald chief delighted in waking up his old enemy and whispering in his ear that he would NEVER be safe from Allan MacRuari! Mackintosh was dragged back to Castle Tioram as a prisoner and kept for a whole year until he learned his lesson.
MacRuari’s reputation had grown just a little bit more!
A Stranger Takes Charge Of Clanranald
Clanranald might have been unruly, but these raucous, warriors had certain expectations of their chiefs. There was an image to live up to and an unspoken contract to provide for those under his care. That fact was proved during the 1500s when the chiefdom of Clanranald and lordship of Castle Tioram was being fiercely contested between two half brothers.
John of Moidart was the younger of the two, but he’d been chosen by the clansmen to succeed his father. The only problem was that John happened to be locked up in an Edinburgh prison. In his absence, his older half-brother Ranald Galda (meaning “Stranger”), who had been raised by his mother’s clan the Frasers, claimed the title.
He had been put there with the help of a large contingent of Frasers and Clanranald had little option but to accept him. Unfortunately, being raised by Frasers meant that Ranald didn’t quite understand the etiquette that went with his new role.
At his grand welcome party at Castle Tioram, instead of slaughtering cattle for his clansmen, Ranald put on a feast of chicken. It might have saved some money, but it was considered a terrible insult. The clan rejected the outsider and chased him out of his own castle. He went from being known as Ranald the Stranger to Ranald of the Hens!
The Frasers took offence at Ranald being unceremoniously kicked out of Castle Tioram. This dispute over the rightful Clan Chief came to a head in 1544 at The Battle of the Shirts where Ranald and the chief of the Frasers were both killed. If that was what happened when they served chicken, just imagine if Ranald had been a vegetarian!
The Black Frog Of Castle Tioram
Clearly, Clanranald have had some interesting chiefs in their time, but the 12th chief John was the most infamous of all. He was a downright evil man, but an excellent marksman. John even named his gun “Cuckoo” because of how quickly it could appear from nowhere and fire.
It’s said that John liked to stand at the highest point of Castle Tioram and take shots at whoever was passing, including his own clansmen. When he suspected a servant of stealing from him, he tied her to a rock and watched her drown. John was so hated that he even manifested a spirit believed to be sent by the Devil himself. It took the form of a terrifying, black frog.
No matter where John went, this frog would be waiting for him. He once locked it in the dungeon before setting sail, only for a freak storm to overtake the boat. The sailors saw the black frog swimming amongst the waves and quickly let it into the boat where the winds immediately ceased.
When John’s reign of terror was over and he finally died in his bed, the frog disappeared with a loud crack that sounded just like a shot from the Cuckoo. Keep your eyes open when you visit Castle Tioram for any sign of the wee amphibian. Just in case the ghost of this evil chief has returned….
Note that there’s some debate whether this story applies to John or his son Donald, but I’m sticking with John!
The Restoration of Castle Tioram
While Castle Tioram might be full of stories, clearly it’s fallen on hard times. During the Jacobite Risings, Clanranald turned out for the old Stuart Kings, fighting in three of the campaigns. They had lost control of their home, but stormed Castle Tioram to take it back in 1715. When they left, it was burned down to stop the government from using it as a base against the Jacobite loyalists in the future.
It has remained a shell ever since, sadly growing into an ever greater state of disrepair. The present owners have barricaded the doorway for safety, so there’s no way to explore Castle Tioram’s interior now. There are some very slim hopes that one day, this incredible relic will be restored to something like its former glory.
It was purchased in 1997 by Anta Estates with plans submitted for a restoration of Castle Tioram into a private home. Historic Scotland took the decision to block the plan and ever since, the castle has been left to crumble. Some argue that things shouldn’t change, but there are incredible examples of restorations nearby like Castle Stalker or Eilean Donan Castle.
As long as the general public can still visit Castle Tioram and at least part of it is dedicated to a Clanranald museum, I’m all for a restoration. Hopefully, that will lead to even more people being able to enjoy this wee corner just as much as I do.
If you enjoyed these stories of Castle Tioram, you can find more like it in the Scotland’s Stories book! Pick up a copy of it here!
2 Comments
Julie Thames Howell · September 12, 2024 at 4:25 am
It seems such a shame, and a waste, for so many ancient buildings to be eaten up by plants, trees, and neglect. There is so much history of Scotland going to waste and ruin. I’m with you and Molly for the restoration of Castle Tioram.
Graeme · September 12, 2024 at 4:54 am
I’d love to see more ruins brought back to life!