Eilean Donan Castle is one of Scotland’s most iconic images and is recognised around the world.

Located on an island where three lochs meet, Eilean Donan Castle is surrounded by breathtaking scenery and was built during the mid-13th century when it guarded the land of Kintail. Four different renderings of the castle have been constructed and reconstructed since then as the feudal history of Scotland emerged over centuries.

Some people say Eilean Donan is Scotland’s most beautiful and famous castle and it has appeared in many films, including Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948), The Master of Ballantree (1953), The New Avengers (1976), Highlander (1986), Loch Ness (1996), Entrapment (1999) and James Bond – The World is Not Enough (1999).

I also think that Prince Valinat 1954 had some shots done here although it was mainly a Hollywood Film

There are many reasons why Eilean Donan Castle enjoys such an iconic and romantic status in the hearts of both the nation and its visitors, however to truly understand the magic of this breathtaking historical attractions, it is best to pay a visit there

During the 1719 Jacobite uprising Eilean Donan Castle was partially destroyed and lay in ruins for almost 200 years until the island was bought in 1911 by Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap who restored the castle over 20 years, reopening it in 1932.

Eilean Donan is a picturesque 13th century castle which traditionally features on many Scottish calendars and postcards. It lies on a small island of the same name, at the junction of Loch Alsh, Loch Duich and Loch Long in the Skye and Lochalsh district of Highland Council Area.

I always think that this castle would be a ‘must’ for makers of swashbuckling films particularly of that era, but then again taking those big Technicolor Cameras up into the Highlands along with crew etc would have been a task.

If such a film was mainly made in Hollywood then the producers would have a distance problem to cope with on top of this – so they tended to build big sets outdoors in the Californian countryside – such as this one for Columbia – Larry Parks in ‘The Swordsman’ made in Colour in 1948.

They certainly made a good job of it