Dunvegan Castle & Gardens
A hidden oasis of gardens around this medieval fortress and mansion.
Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, IV55 8WF
Facilities
-
Accessible loos
-
Accessible parking
-
Cafe / restaurant
-
Easily accessible without car
-
Facilities for children
-
Free parking
-
Garden only
-
Mostly wheelchair accessible
-
Pet friendly
-
Picnic area
-
Shop
Committed to providing an accessible attraction, Dunvegan Castle & Gardens strives to ensure that visitors with disabilities can enjoy as much of the MacLeod Estate as possible.
We warmly welcome visitors with physical, sensory and learning disabilities. We recognise that some areas of Dunvegan Castle & Gardens may present difficulties for people with disabilities. We are continually reviewing our procedures to make access improvements wherever possible to ensure that our visitors have a safe and enjoyable day out.
WHEELCHAIR & LIMITED MOBILITY
Although there is level access to the castle gardens from dedicated parking bays in the castle car park opposite the main gate Ticket Office, some sections of the garden path network are steep in places due to the nature of the terrain itself. Steps on these moderately steep sections were not installed in order to facilitate wheelchair access, and more accessible paths connecting the three formal garden areas have been put in place in order to resolve previous access issues in other areas.
The castle’s entrance hall is accessible with assistance via a ramp (6 steps) and more limited access to the 1st floor (12 steps). Access to the 1st floor is not encouraged, but it may be possible depending on the nature of the visitors’ disability and visitor numbers at the time. When a visitor is unable to access the castle, an armchair visit can be provided by one of the castle guides who will arrange to screen the castle video on a portable electronic device in the flower room or outside on the land bridge weather permitting. Unfortunately, powered wheelchairs cannot be accommodated inside the castle.
HEARING IMPAIRED
Visitors should be encouraged to self-identify on entry. In our video room, subtitles are shown on the video. Information cards in various languages are available in all the state rooms.
VISION IMPAIRED
Visitors should be encouraged to self-identify on entry. Braille information is currently unavailable.
PETS – DOGS
Registered assistance dogs are permitted in all public areas of the castle. Dogs are permitted in the castle gardens, but they must be kept on a lead at all times. Dog owners must ensure they clean up after their dog. A dog drinking bowl is located outside the MacLeod Tables Cafe in the car park.
INFANTS & SMALL CHILDREN
As part of our family ticket offering, there is a special castle key hunt and lots of activities for children to enjoy in the gardens including our popular Wild Wood Trail and the rotating ‘Dunvegan Pebble’ sculpture in the Walled Garden. The seal trips are not to be missed, and they are free for children under 5yrs. Please ask a member of staff about the family workshops and activities during the school holidays, such as our annual Easter Egg hunt.
Please note that for safety reasons, pushchairs and baby backpack carriers are not permitted inside the castle. They must be left and reclaimed at the main entrance. Parents carrying infants should take extra care when entering the Dungeon and Medieval Kitchen due to low ceiling heights.
Baby changing facilities are available in the car park and cafe. All children under the age of 12 must be supervised by an adult at all times.
Any visit to the Isle of Skye is incomplete without enjoying the wealth of history on offer at Dunvegan Castle & Gardens, the ancestral home of the Chiefs of clan MacLeod for 800 years and the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland.
Sir Reginald MacLeod (27th Chief) was the first Chief to open Dunvegan to the public in 1933 for charitable purposes two days a week. Since then, the number of visitors has risen from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands. Despite such numbers crowding into a space that was designed to keep people out, we do everything we can to maintain this atmosphere of a family home while sharing our passion for Dunvegan’s historic collection with you. Your support is greatly appreciated. It will help us to preserve, develop and share this iconic part of Scotland’s heritage for future generations to enjoy.
Visitors can enjoy tours of an award winning castle and Highland estate steeped in history and clan legend, delight in the beauty of its formal gardens, take a boat trip to see the Loch Dunvegan seal colony, charter one of its traditional clinker boats for a fishing trip or Loch cruise, stay in one of its charming Victorian holiday cottages, enjoy an appetising meal at the MacLeod Tables Cafe or browse in one of its four shops offering a wide choice of high quality Scottish products.
On display are many fine oil paintings and clan treasures, the most famous of which is the Fairy Flag. Legend has it that this sacred banner has miraculous powers and when unfurled in battle, the clan MacLeod would invariably defeat their enemies. Another of the castle’s great treasures is the Dunvegan Cup, a unique ‘mazer’ dating back to the Middle Ages. It was gifted by the O’Neils of Ulster as a token of thanks to one of our most celebrated Chiefs, Sir Rory Mor, for his support of their cause against the marauding forces of Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1595. We also have a small collection of Jacobite and Bonnie Prince Charlie relics on display including the Prince’s waistcoat and a lock of his hair, a Jacobite amen glass, Flora MacDonald’s corset and pin cushion etc.
Dunvegan Castle’s five acres of formal gardens began life in the 18th century. In stark contrast to the barren moorland and mountains that dominate Skye’s landscape, the gardens are a hidden oasis featuring an eclectic mix of plants as you make your way through woodland glades, past shimmering pools fed by waterfalls and streams flowing down to the sea. After experiencing the Water Garden with its ornate bridges and islands replete with a rich and colourful plant variety, wander through the elegant surroundings of the formal Round Garden featuring an ilex crenata parterre as its centrepiece overlooked by a Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana). The Walled Garden is well worth a visit. In what was formerly the castle’s vegetable garden, is now a diverse range of plants and flowers that complement the attractive features including a water lily pond, Garden Museum, Memorial Gazebo, 17th century lectern sundial, Larch Pergola, Glass House and the ‘Dunvegan Pebble’, a rotating 2.7ton Carrara marble sculpture. There is also a herbal border and traditional raised vegetable beds to illustrate the Walled Garden’s original function to provide food for the Chief, his family and clansfolk.
A considerable amount of investment in new planting schemes, design features and landscaping works has been made to restore the gardens to their former glory and exceed our visitors horticultural expectations. This Herculean effort was recognised when Dunvegan Castle & Gardens was made a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Partner Garden in 2022 and was voted Scotland’s RHS Partner Garden Winner that same year. Being accepted into this horticultural pantheon is a glowing testament to the creative vision and funding that has been bestowed upon Dunvegan Castle’s 5 acres of formal and semi-formal gardens since 1976, when the late John MacLeod (29th Chief of Clan MacLeod) decided to follow the example of his ancestors who had tried to create a garden at Dunvegan. More recently, the gardens were shortlisted for the prestigious Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award 2023. The present Chief, Hugh MacLeod, and his dedicated team of gardeners continue to build on this unique horticultural legacy for future generations to enjoy.
Over the centuries, we have given a warm Highland welcome to visitors including Sir Walter Scott, Dr Johnson, HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH The Prince of Wales and Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan. We look forward to welcoming you.
For more information about our VIP castle tours, please contact events@dunvegancastle.com
Please note: The information on the Historic Houses website is advisory, but please always check the website of the house or garden you intend to visit before travelling.
1 April – 15 October annually.
We are open daily 10am – 5.30pm (last entry 5pm). All areas to be vacated by 5.45pm. We reserve the right to change these opening hours or to restrict public access at any time without notice.
Historic Houses members visit for free.
Adult: £16.00
Child (5-15 yrs): £11.00
Concessions: £13.00
Family ticket (2 adults, 4 children): £37.00
Private VIP tours of the castle are available on request. Please contact events@dunvegancastle.com
We extend a warm highland welcome to group visits with discounted rates available for groups of 10 or more people.
For further information please contact us on groups@dunvegancastle.com.
Committed to providing an accessible attraction, Dunvegan Castle & Gardens strives to ensure that visitors with disabilities can enjoy as much of the MacLeod Estate as possible.
We warmly welcome visitors with physical, sensory and learning disabilities. We recognise that some areas of Dunvegan Castle & Gardens may present difficulties for people with disabilities. We are continually reviewing our procedures to make access improvements wherever possible to ensure that our visitors have a safe and enjoyable day out.
WHEELCHAIR & LIMITED MOBILITY
Although there is level access to the castle gardens from dedicated parking bays in the castle car park opposite the main gate Ticket Office, some sections of the garden path network are steep in places due to the nature of the terrain itself. Steps on these moderately steep sections were not installed in order to facilitate wheelchair access, and more accessible paths connecting the three formal garden areas have been put in place in order to resolve previous access issues in other areas.
The castle’s entrance hall is accessible with assistance via a ramp (6 steps) and more limited access to the 1st floor (12 steps). Access to the 1st floor is not encouraged, but it may be possible depending on the nature of the visitors’ disability and visitor numbers at the time. When a visitor is unable to access the castle, an armchair visit can be provided by one of the castle guides who will arrange to screen the castle video on a portable electronic device in the flower room or outside on the land bridge weather permitting. Unfortunately, powered wheelchairs cannot be accommodated inside the castle.
HEARING IMPAIRED
Visitors should be encouraged to self-identify on entry. In our video room, subtitles are shown on the video. Information cards in various languages are available in all the state rooms.
VISION IMPAIRED
Visitors should be encouraged to self-identify on entry. Braille information is currently unavailable.
PETS – DOGS
Registered assistance dogs are permitted in all public areas of the castle. Dogs are permitted in the castle gardens, but they must be kept on a lead at all times. Dog owners must ensure they clean up after their dog. A dog drinking bowl is located outside the MacLeod Tables Cafe in the car park.
INFANTS & SMALL CHILDREN
As part of our family ticket offering, there is a special castle key hunt and lots of activities for children to enjoy in the gardens including our popular Wild Wood Trail and the rotating ‘Dunvegan Pebble’ sculpture in the Walled Garden. The seal trips are not to be missed, and they are free for children under 5yrs. Please ask a member of staff about the family workshops and activities during the school holidays, such as our annual Easter Egg hunt.
Please note that for safety reasons, pushchairs and baby backpack carriers are not permitted inside the castle. They must be left and reclaimed at the main entrance. Parents carrying infants should take extra care when entering the Dungeon and Medieval Kitchen due to low ceiling heights.
Baby changing facilities are available in the car park and cafe. All children under the age of 12 must be supervised by an adult at all times.
Getting here
Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, IV55 8WF
Dunvegan Castle & Gardens is located one mile north of Dunvegan village in the North West of the Isle of Skye.
ROAD APPROACH:
From Inverness A82 to Invermoriston, A887 to Kyle of Lochalsh 82 miles.
From Fort William A82 to Invergarry, A87 to Kyle of Lochalsh 76 miles.
From the Kyle of Lochalsh to Dunvegan via the Skye Bridge 45 miles through some magnificent scenery as you head North West across the island.
ROUTE PLANNER: www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.js
SAT-NAVS – Unless you intend on ‘sailing your car over the sea to Skye’, you should programme your sat nav route via Kyle of Lochalsh
JOURNEY TIMES:
From Fort William – 3 hours
From Inverness – 3 hours
From Glasgow – 5 hours
From Edinburgh – 6 hours
FERRY: to the Isle of Skye in the summer from Mallaig to Armadale on Skye. www.calmac.co.uk/skye
Ferry from Glenelg to Kylerhea www.skyeferry.co.uk
RAIL: Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh or Fort William to Mallaig
BUS: Portree – 25 miles or Kyle of Lochalsh – 45 miles.
Become a Historic Houses member
Explore the nation’s heritage from just £68 per year.
Hundreds of the most beautiful historic houses, castles, and gardens across Britain offer our members free entry.
Also: receive a quarterly magazine, enjoy monthly online lectures, get exclusive invitations to buy tickets for behind-the-scenes tours, and take up a range of special offers on holidays, books, and other products you might like.
