Duart Castle

Long before Graham and I actually met, when we were chatting in a chatroom online, he told me he is a member of the McClain of Duart clan. It made the first few Christmases easy, buying him ties and scarves with the clan tartan.

When our plans to visit our chat friends in Russia fell through and Graham suggested we go to Scotland, I knew there was a prime destination.....the McClain of Duart clan castle.

One of the few castles that is completely renovated (in 1911) and habitable, it is the residence of the Chief.

In the castle courtyard and a view from the ramparts. We only were permitted in the area of the castle that was the keep....it had a kitchen and a dungeon on the lowest level, a bedroom and bathroom above with a scullery, and above that the grand hall. Climbing another set of narrow circular steps lead us up to the ramparts.

The chief's West Highland terrier apparently likes to sit outside the door to the tearoom and shop. He wasn't particularly friendly...he did not want to be petted, but he did not try to go in. We had read we could have tea at the castle but it was tea meaning snack, not high cream tea like we had in York. So I had a cheese scone and an apple juice (in a juice box!) and the guys got something also light and inocuous.

Proud to be here.....When we were inside there was a docent in one room and she asked us to sign the guest register. I mentioned that Graham was a member of the clan and she immediately straightened up and said "Well then, you will just have to sign the clan register". She offered to let Sam also sign but we had to explain and Sam and I signed the "regular" guest register instead.

Graham noticed that two lines above him was a signature by someone from Beckley, West Virginia and made a comment about that. Just then, a guy came over and said "Hey! that's me and I'm getting married here in a half hour". I missed my chance to ask if we could come. We went around the castle and as we headed over to the outbuilding which is the tearoom we could hear bagpipes and again when we left the tearoom. Think about it....getting married in a Scottish castle is far above some of the venues people chose in the states....I had a friend who got married at Disney World and know someone else who got married by an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas.