Did you know
An English king stayed here.
Edward the First of England took Lochindorb in 1303, and his son strengthened it a few years later.
Morayshire
Lochindorb Castle
A ruined island castle of the 1200s in a lonely loch on Dava Moor, once held by the Comyns, Edward the First and the Wolf of Badenoch.
Welcome
High on the open moorland of Dava Moor lies Lochindorb, a lonely loch two miles long, and in the middle of it a small island entirely filled by the walls of a ruined castle.
Visited and photographed by Simon Hird
It is one of the most atmospheric sights in the north-east.
The castle was built in the 1200s, a great four-sided wall with round towers at the corners, and the island itself may be partly man-made, with old oak timbers once seen in the water by the walls. It was a stronghold of the powerful Comyns, taken by Edward the First of England in 1303, and later the lair of Alexander Stewart, the notorious Wolf of Badenoch. Although it was ordered destroyed in 1458, the walls still stand almost to their full height.
There is no bridge to the island. The best way to see it is from the single-track road along the east shore, where you can pull in and look across the dark water to the walls.
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Before you go
Seen from the shore road at any hour; the castle stands on its island in the loch.
- Where
- Lochindorb, Dava Moor, PH26 3PY.
- Built
- The 1200s.
- View from
- The single-track road on the east shore.
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Add your reviewDid you know
Did you know
The Wolf's lair.
From 1372 the castle was held by Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch.
Ben Lerwill
From our guide to Moray
It’s hard to imagine a more atmospheric historical sight than a ruined Scottish fortress on an island in moorland loch. Accordingly, Lochindorb Castle – which sits on the loch of the same name, some 20 minutes north of Grantown-on-Spey – is quite the spectacle, its pale, crumbling stonework offset by the metallic waters of the lake and the deep green of the hills.
Read moreWhat is on
What is new across Morayshire, day by day.
New places, news and stories, as we find them.
What is on in MorayshireWhere it is
On Dava Moor, north-west of Grantown-on-Spey; a single-track road runs along the east shore of the loch.
Close byDava Moor.
Dulsie BridgeThe old military bridge over the Findhorn.8 miles 10 min by road
Viewpoint Walk, Grantown-on-SpeyA short walk from Grantown-on-Spey through the community-owned pines of Anagach Woods, with viewpoints and benches along the way.10 miles 13 min by road
Spey Bank StudioA gallery, pottery and studio in Grantown-on-Spey's old bank on The Square, showing art from the Cairngorms and run by Angus Grant.10 miles 13 min by road
Smarty ArtA family-owned pottery painting studio on Grantown-on-Spey's High Street, where you paint a piece and they glaze and fire it for you.10 miles 13 min by road
Logie SteadingShops and a cafe in the Findhorn valley.12 miles 18 min by road
Brodie CastleThe Brodies' castle near Forres.19 miles 28 min by road
Stay nearby
Places to stay near the castle, and when each is next free.
Strathspey Lodge- Sleeps 8
- In Carrbridge
- 8 miles from Lochindorb Castle
East Dell- Sleeps 5
- In Nethy Bridge
- 11 miles from Lochindorb Castle
Little Dell- Sleeps 2
- In Nethy Bridge
- 11 miles from Lochindorb Castle
West Dell- Sleeps 6
- In Nethy Bridge
- 11 miles from Lochindorb Castle
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Find out more
For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .
- Lochindorb CastleThe castle's record and history.her.highland.gov.ukHighland Historic Environment Record↗
- Lochindorb CastleThe loch, the moor and the castle.livebreathescotland.comLive Breathe Scotland↗
- Lochindorb Castle on GoogleThe loch on the map.google.comGoogle↗
- Elgin CathedralThe cathedral in the Wolf of Badenoch's story.historicenvironment.scotHistoric Environment Scotland↗