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Castleday Saturday
“The ruins of Inverlochy Castle are large and tolerably entire. It appears to have been a place of considerable strength; and its situation is romantic in the highest degree.”
~ Thomas Garnett, Observations on a Tour through the Highlands and Part of the Western Isles of Scotland, Vol. 2, 1800
Inverlochy Castle stands as one of Scotland’s finest surviving examples of 13th-century fortification. Built by the influential Comyn family—once rivals to Robert the Bruce—the fortress occupies a key position near the mouth of the Great Glen, where the River Lochy meets Loch Linnhe. Its walls have witnessed defining moments in Scottish history, including two significant battles nearby. In the second, in 1645, Royalist forces under the Marquis of Montrose defeated a larger Covenanting army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Though roofless today, Inverlochy’s stronghold endures as a solemn and striking reminder of medieval power, shifting allegiances, and Highland resilience.
This tartan's design was inspired by Ben Nevis, which dominates the area around the Castle. The chosen colourways include: white. to represent the summit of Ben Nevis; blue, to represent how ice and snow from the top of Ben Nevis melts into the river Lochy, and also represents the loch that lies in front of the castle; muted greens, to represent the green needles of the Scots Pine and Sequoia trees (planted in the 1800s) that grow within the castle’s grounds; purple for the Scottish Thistle; and three red lines represent the rustic red bark of the old giant sequoia trees. These three red lines are also a nod to the Cameron Hunting tartan in recognition and respect for Locheil and the Cameron Clan, as the Castle is situated within their traditional lands. The tartan is intentionally woven in subtle muted colours to mark the importance the site has played over the many years in Scottish history. 💙 💚 💜 🤍 ❤️ 🏰
Inverlochy Castle, a formidable medieval fortress near present-day Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, was built in the 13th century, most likely by John "the Black" Comyn, one of the most powerful barons of his time and a prominent figure in Clan Comyn. The Comyns—among the most influential families in Scotland before their fall—controlled vast lands and wielded considerable political clout. Inverlochy was strategically sited at the southern end of the Great Glen, along the River Lochy, giving the Comyns a stronghold from which they could oversee this vital Highland corridor.
The castle’s fortunes turned sharply in the early 14th century when the Comyns were caught up in the brutal wars of Scottish independence. In 1306, Robert the Bruce famously killed John "the Red" Comyn—kinsman of the castle’s founder—in a church in Dumfries. This act sparked a bloody feud, and Bruce soon after seized Comyn lands, including Inverlochy. The castle passed into the hands of the Crown and remained an important royal stronghold in the Highlands during the medieval period.
Inverlochy was later associated with the powerful Clan Cameron, whose ancestral lands surrounded the area. Though not their primary seat, the castle lay deep within their traditional territory of Lochaber. The Camerons fought fiercely in defense of their lands, and their clan chief, known as the “Lochiel,” played significant roles in various uprisings and regional disputes. The castle also witnessed some of the most dramatic clan conflicts in Highland history.
Notably, the first Battle of Inverlochy took place nearby in 1431, when Alexander of Islay, Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald, defeated a royal army sent to suppress Highland unrest. The Lord of the Isles had a long-standing rivalry with the Scottish Crown and often acted independently, commanding loyalty from various western clans, including Clan Donald and allied septs. The battle reinforced the semi-autonomous power held by Highland lords during this era.
Over two centuries later, the second Battle of Inverlochy unfolded in 1645 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Royalist forces under James Graham, the Marquis of Montrose, including strong support from Clan Donald and other Highlanders, surprised and routed a Covenanting army commanded by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll and chief of Clan Campbell—longtime rivals of the Camerons and MacDonalds. This battle was one of the most decisive Royalist victories in the Highlands and deeply intensified the enduring clan enmities between the Campbells and the MacDonalds.
Though Inverlochy Castle eventually fell into ruin, its massive curtain walls and round corner towers remain remarkably well preserved. It stands today not only as a striking architectural relic but as a silent witness to centuries of clan warfare, royal ambition, and Highland resistance.
For more on this historic castle and surrounding areas, click the castle ruins.