Any visit to the Isle of Skye is incomplete without enjoying the wealth of history and the horticultural delights on offer at award winning 5* Dunvegan Castle & Gardens. Dunvegan Castle’s five acres of formal gardens began life in the 18th century. In stark contrast to the barren moorland and mountains which dominate Skye’s landscape, the castle’s Water Garden, Round Garden, Walled Garden, and woodland walks provide a hidden oasis for an eclectic mix of flowers, exotic plants, shrubs, and specimen trees framed by shimmering pools fed from waterfalls and streams flowing down to the sea. After experiencing the Water Garden with its ornate bridges and islands replete with a rich and colourful plant variety adorning the riverbanks, wander through the elegant surroundings of the formal Round Garden featuring an ilex crenata parterre as its centrepiece overlooked by a Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana). The Walled Garden is well worth a visit. In what was formerly the castle’s vegetable garden, is now a diverse range of plants and flowers that complement the attractive features including a water lily pond, Garden Museum, Memorial Gazebo, 17th century lectern sundial, Larch Pergola, Glass House and the ‘Dunvegan Pebble’, a rotating 2.7ton Carrara marble sculpture. The herbal border and traditional raised vegetable beds illustrate the Walled Garden’s original function to provide food for the Chief, his family and people. The more informal areas of the garden are kept wilder to encourage wildlife and create a more natural aesthetic framed by the beauty of this coastal scenery. A considerable amount of replanting and landscaping has taken place over the last forty years to restore the gardens to their former glory. The present Chief, Hugh MacLeod, and his dedicated team of gardeners continue to build on this unique horticultural legacy for future generations to enjoy.

How to find us

The Castle is one mile north of the village of Dunvegan in the north west corner of Skye.

ROAD approach - From Inverness A82 to Invermoriston, A887 to Kyle of Lochalsh 82 miles.

ROAD approach - From Fort William A82 to Invergarry, A87 to Kyle of Lochalsh 76 miles.

From the Kyle of Lochalsh to Dunvegan via the Skye Bridge 45 miles through some magnificent scenery as you head North West across Island.

Location

Awards

Hudson's Heritage Award "Beyond the Call of Duty" awarded to Head Gardener, David MacLean in 2012.

Scottish Land and Estates "Helping it Happen" awards 2018.

Highlights

• Visit the Walled Garden with its vibrant herbaceous borders.
• In the Water Gardens, walk past shimmering pools fed by cascading waterfalls.
• The Round Garden offers a formal planting which changes with the seasons.
• Our Victorian style glasshouse has a wall of colour of a variety of plants.

Group visits

The Castle and Gardens are open for group visits and for independent travellers daily from 1st April to 15th October each year, from 10am to 5.30pm (last entry to the Castle is at 5pm).

Promotional Themes

• Edible Gardens and Vegetables in Season
• Herbaceous Borders & Plantings
• Snowdrops
• Walled Garden
• Water Gardens
• Woodland Gardens
• Woodland Wildlife