For over 700 years, Duart Castle, the seat of the Clan Maclean, has defended the Sound of Mull and Loch Linnhe, with its impressive curtain walls and solid keep. The castle was once abandoned in 1751, and the land on which it stood was sold a number of times after being sold by the Duke of Argyll in 1801. The 26th Chief of Clan MacLean, Sir Fitzroy Maclean, bought the ruined castle and the surrounding land in 1911, returning Duart to the MacLeans for the first time in over two centuries. Sir Fitzroy, when a boy was taken by his father to see the ruins of Duart Castle, burnt to the ground two centuries before, and then made a vow to restore it to its former glory. The vow was redeemed in 1912.
Where can I find Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull?
The site of Duart Castle has a well-chosen defensive position, on a high crag at the end of the peninsula jutting into the Sound of Mull, the stretch of water between Mull and the mainland and also entrances to Lochs Linne and Etive and the neck of the Firth of Lorne.
Chief Lachlan Lubanach Maclean built the Keep and the walls on the more vulnerable landward side are 9m high and 3m thick. An area within the castle’s top floor is dedicated to the History of the Chiefs of the Clan Maclean.
- The castle is open from April to October
- Tickets for adults start at £7.50 and £4 for children
- MacLean of Duart gift shop
- Tearoom/Cafe
- Wheelchair access
