Now as I mentioned before Scotland has a plethora of castles strewn all over the country and so here's another five of my favourites.

Duart - The magnificent setting for Duart Castle, home of the Clan MacLean, balanced on a rocky spur jutting out into the Sound of Mull, will remain one of my favourite places to visit on Mull.  The castle dates from the 13th century and began its life as a rectangular wall enclosing a courtyard.  Later in the mid 17th century further additions were made to the original layout.  In 1691 the Macleans surrendered Duart and all their lands on Mull to the Duke of Argyll.  The castle remained in the hands of the government for some years and was used as a garrison for troops until 1751.  It was then abandoned until 1910 when it was purchased by Sir Fitzroy Maclean, the 26th Chief.  He embarked on a restoration project to restore the castle to its former glory.

Tantallon - The spectacular and dramatically positioned ruins of Tantallon Castle, three miles east of North Berwick, perch precariously on steep cliffs opposite the Bass Rock overlooking the Firth of Forth. Battered relentlessly by the elements the castle still appears indestructable. Built in the mid 14th century by William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, Tantallon was the last Medieval curtain wall castle to be built in Scotland. The Douglases were one of the most powerful families in Scotland at the time. Beseiged on several occasions the castle was finally destroyed by Oliver Cromwell during his invasion of Scotland in 1651 and its days as one of Scotland's most intimidating castles ended. Visiting the castle is a great experience with towers, spiral stairs and an interesting prison pit to explore.

Fraser - Castle Fraser, the ancestral home of the Fraser family, dates from 1575 and is the most detailed Z-plan castle in Scotland. Set in 350 acres of scenic countryside, with woodland walks and a picturesque walled garden, it is the perfect place to explore. The castle has many interesting pieces of furniture, wall-hangings and 18th century embroideries on display which are all beautifully preserved. It also boasts a wonderful original library filled with family books and many Fraser family portraits including one by Raeburn. The castle featured in the Academy Award winning movie "The Queen", starring Helen Mirren.

Stirling - Stirling Castle sits impressively on an extinct volcano towering high above the city of Stirling, offering spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding area. Given its superb strategic position it has played a key role as a fortress for centuries and is close to some of Scotland's most historic battlefields, Stirling Bridge, the spot where William Wallace claimed victory over the English in 1297 and Bannockburn, where Robert the Bruce defeated the English in 1314. The castle was then destroyed by Bruce to prevent it falling into enemy hands again. The castle endured a long, volatile history and during the Wars of Independence with England (1296-1356) possession of the castle was eagerly contested.

Urquhart - The romantic ruins of Urquhart Castle perched on a rocky outcrop above the deep, dark waters of Loch Ness must be one of the most spectacularly located castles in Scotland. The views of Loch Ness are unparalleled and it's from this site that the majority of "Nessie" sightings have occured. It is not known exactly when the castle was built but there is evidence of a castle on this site from the early 1200s. Urquhart Castle has certainly experienced a tumultuous history changing ownership many times and finally being left in ruins in 1692. Many of the Loch Ness cruise boats will drop passengers off at the castle and then collect them again after they have had time to explore this impressive historical site.

My journey continues as I still have numerous castles to visit.  Castles are so fascinating to me because each has its own remarkable history and unique story to tell.