Clan Donald Skye
Armadale Castle Gardens and Museum of the Isles is set in the heart of a 20,000 acre Highland estate. Experience a visit to our 40 acre Woodland Garden set in around the ruins of Armadale Castle.
The warm, generally frost free climate of the west coast of Scotland allows these sheltered gardens; dating back to the 17th century, to flourish. The estate, once part of the traditional lands of Clan Donald, was purchased by the Clan Donald Lands Trust in 1971. The Trust has restored the gardens and part of the Castle, created the Museum of the Isles, founded the Study Centre, built holiday accommodation and established a visitor centre that appeals to all age groups.
Armadale has a licensed restaurant and gift shop.
The centre also invites membership of the Clan Donald Lands Trust. Disabled facilities are available at the centre. Throughout the season we hold various events at the centre and dates and details can be found by on our web-site
Armadale Castle Gardens and the Museum of the Isles. The Clan Donald Lands Trust is custodian of Armadale, and the surrounding 20,000 acre estate. The thirty year programme of restoration and development has made Armadale, with its elegant gardens, a fitting centre for the global family of MacDonald, to be enjoyed by everyone. Walk through 40 acres of exotic trees, shrubs and flowers, which make Armadale Castle Gardens remarkable for their beauty and for their very existence in this part of the country. The warm, generally frost-free climate of the west coast of Scotland – a result of the Gulf Stream – allows these sheltered gardens to flourish with plant and tree species from all over the world.
At the award-winning Museum of the Isles you can trace the history of the Highlands and Islands through the eyes of the MacDonalds, from the days of the medieval Lordship of the Isles, to the sadness of clearance and emigration. Six interconnecting galleries take you through our story. It begins in the early Celtic world and ends with the 19th century diaspora of Highlanders throughout the world. It reveals how Gaelic culture flourished under the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, the importance of their sea kingdom and their innovative galleys. It records the MacDonalds’ support for the doomed Jacobite cause and its miserable aftermath. This year the Museum will host a special exhibition celebrating Homecoming 2009. Family History research and an extensive reference library can be found in the adjoining Clan Donald Library.
The nature trails at Armadale lead the visitor out of the gardens and into areas of beautiful mixed woodlands. In spring these woodlands are carpeted with bluebells and wild garlic, and the air is filled with their scent. The trails pass through areas of pasture with views of the castle nestling amongst the trees and onto open hill to the panoramic view at the top of Cnoc Armadail. This spot will afford you a magnificent vista of the whole Sleat peninsula, framed on one side by the spectacular Cuillin ridge and on the other, by that last great wilderness of the mainland, the Knoydart peninsula. This is the territory of red deer and eagles; with an opportunity of a rare glimpse of the Sea Eagle.
Contact
The
Armadale
Sleat
Isle of Skye
IV45 8RS
Scotland
Tel: +44 (1471) 844305
Fax: +44 (1471) 844275
E-Mail: office@clandonald.com
WWW: http://www.clandonald.com
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