Castle Stalker

Castle Stalker is an island castle in a shallow bay clearly visible from the main road along the west coast north of Oban. It is possible to visit the castle by booking a boat trip and guided tour, and the castle remains the property of the Stewart family.

The castle was made up of a tower house and associated walled courtyard that enclosed a large part of the tiny island, and access to the tower was via a staircase to the first floor door in the north gable. It may be that a wooden bridge connected the castle island with the slightly larger Eilean a Ghaill to the south-west, and that this island was connected to the shore with a causeway, but access may always have been by boat. Perhaps occupying the site of an earlier MacDougall stronghold, the castle was built in the 16th century by the Stewarts of Appin, and was part of a dispute between the Stewarts and Campbells that wrangled on through the civil wars of the 17th and 18th century, the Stewarts consistently supporting their royal namesakes. In the end the Campbell garrisons proved too strong, and it was retained by them until the castle was abandoned c1800. The castle was later abandoned, but has since been restored. Tour spaces are limited and should be prebooked.

Official Castle Stalker website

HES Canmore database entry