The same family has occupied Dunvegan Castle continually for more than eight centuries. I wish I'd gotten the date of this painting.
Today's castle looks pretty much the same as it did during the last major exterior renovation in 1850, although the current owner is using a combination of public and private funds to shore it up.
A stuffed cow's head greets visitors. Above the mount, it says "Hold Fast," not a maxim I would associate with domesticated animals but much of the huge estate does support farming.
Eight centuries gave the MacLeod clan time to collect a lot of pretty things.
I recognized the medina in Fes immediately. In fact, two Scottish lasses who accompanied us on our Moroccan trip were the primary reason I wanted to visit their homeland. "If you think the landscape here is amazing, wait until you see Scotland's Highlands!" they advised.
Dame Flora MacLeod, born at 10 Downing Street in London and the only woman ever to serve as chief of a Scottish clan, began hosting ancestral reunions at Dunvegan Castle in 1956. Queen Elizabeth II attended this first "parliament of MacLeods" which continues annually to this day.
It looks as if Queen Victoria may once have graced the castle with her presence, too. Or maybe this bust was insurance in case she ever arrived unexpectedly.
Talk about rooms with a view!
Incredible book binding
Check out the silver sporran displayed nearby.
Every dungeon needs shackles and a weight.
We had just enough time to visit the gardens but their memory soon paled in comparison to those we found at Inverewe, our destination the next day.
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