Loch an Eilein Castle
Local highlightA ruined tower on a small island in Loch an Eilein, deep in the Rothiemurchus pinewoods — seen from the shore, never reached
Access unclearon an island with no bridge or boat — seen from the loch-side path
Substantial ruinsruined, but plenty survives above ground
Loch an Eilein Castle is a ruined tower on a small island in Loch an Eilein, in the Rothiemurchus estate south of Aviemore, ringed by the old Caledonian pinewoods of the Cairngorms. The oldest stonework is 13th- or 14th-century, and the castle is tied to the Comyns and later to the Wolf of Badenoch, Alexander Stewart, who held the lordship of Badenoch.
There is no public access to the island — no bridge and no boat — so the ruin is only seen from across the water, from the path that circles the loch. That circuit, a little under 5km through the pines, is one of the classic short walks of the area. Ospreys nested on the ruins through the 19th century, until egg collectors drove them off.
