Castle Urquhart

Trip Start May 19, 2008
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Trip End Jun 02, 2008


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Where I stayed
Loch Ness Backpackers
(Drumnadrochit hotels)

Flag of United Kingdom  , Scotland,
Monday, May 26, 2008

After all our hiking, we finally made it to Castle Urquhart, but past five in the evening, it was closed. We walked around and at first thought that Shawn would have a difficult time sneaking in at night, since you have to go in the visitors center, down their stairs, and underground to come out in the castle area. It is surrounded by a wall with wire fencing on top-- although not barbed-- and signs warning of a steep drop-off on the other side. As we looked further, we found that for all this protection, there is a gate at the far end of this wall that says personnel only, and is never locked. Two students went through to go see the castle.

Being honest, law-abiding citizens, we did not follow, but went instead to our new hostel, Loch Ness Backpackers. There, one of the staff told us off the cuff that it is perfectly okay to go in the castle by that gate, as there are no no-trespassing laws in Scotland and no police in the village. So, with reluctance on Andrew's part, we went back and found another family-- mom from Toronto, Dad from Scotland-- helping their two little girls through the unlocked gate and over the locked one further on. So we followed.

It was really neat to see in real life the castle I have spent so much time researching and seeing through pictures. But it's a good thing I decided to base Niall's castle on it, rather than try to be completely factual. It's far too ruined for my purposes, and even though Shawn can easily get onto the grounds (in fact, he'd probably make Amy go over the fence and not tell her there's an easier way in, knowing him), he can't get up into the tower, because that is locked, and climbing the walls is impossible. (No, I didn't try.) Also, Niall would have been locked in in the morning. But it was fun to see, and gave me some more to think about in the next edit. Including that if the weather is always this cold, there is no way Shawn would be making his romantic plans for that tower!!!!! I haven't uploaded pictures of the castle yet, and it's too late tonight, but now that I have internet from my own computer at the hostel, I'll add some pictures to some of the other entries.
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