Caisteal Uisdein, near Earlish

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This easy and secluded short walk visits the remains of a seventeenth century castle with a grim story to tell. It stands in a lovely spot on the Loch Snizort coastline.

Terrain

Good track for most of the distance; final few hundred metres are across pathless grassy pasture.

Public Transport

Bus number 57 from Portree. Get off at the bus shelter at the start of the Cuidrach side road (1.5 km from start of walk).

Start

End of Cuidrach side road from A87(T). Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Currently 2.70/510

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Walk Description

Stage 1

Take the minor road signed for Cuidrach from the A87(T) Portree - Uig road. It is possible to park one car near the end of the road but there is better parking on the grass beside a disused old quarry on the right hand side of the road about a kilometre down - there is plenty of room here (please heed any signs about parking). Continue down the road, passing a crag on the right which was the site of an Iron Age fort, Dùn Borve. A beautiful little bay and house come into view; turn left onto a track with a green footpath sign (signed South Cuidrach)

Stage 2

The track leads above several beautifully situated houses, including one that is almost built underground. Eventually the track leads through another gate and across open pastures.

Stage 3

Continue along the track when it descends and passes through another gate, then continues between a fence and an old drystone wall. Eventually the track forks above some polytunnels, with the castle keep now visible a couple of hundred metres further along the coast. Bear right here, leaving the track and keeping left of the wall, to follow the coastline towards the castle. There is no real path and the route heads along the edge of grassy pastureland at this point - can be wet if the grass is long.

Stage 4

Eventually the castle is reached; a faint path leads up to a gate on the left side of it. It enjoys a beautiful situation, perched on a low cliff above Loch Snizort with great views across to the Waternish peninsula, and, on a clear day, the Isle of Harris. The entrance to the castle was via a ladder to the first floor, so there is today only a single window at ground floor level. The castle dates from the seventeenth century, the remaining walls standing up to twenty feet high. It was built by Hugh MacDonald, a rival to the chief of that clan, his uncle Donald Gorm, who lived at Duntulm castle further north. Hugh hatched a plot to kill his uncle at Caisteal Uisdean, but mixed up the letter inviting Donald with another to his hired assassin. Warned of the plot, Donald imprisoned Hugh in Duntulm Castle's dungeon, feeding him only salt beef through the hole in the roof, and giving him no water. It must have been a horrible death.

Stage 5

It is possible to continue a short distance along the coast but the return is by the same route or you can cut directly back up to the track from the castle.

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Caisteal Uisdein, near Earlish

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Terrain

Public Transport

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Users' reports

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