Isle of Skye: Ancient ruined Duntulm Castle near Uig under pressure from tourists
Duntulm Castle is under pressure from visitors as the Isle of Skye’s popularity as a tourist destination remains unwavering.
A ruined castle which served as a clan fortress on the Isle of Skye for hundreds of years is now facing a very modern threat.
Duntulm Castle, which dates to the 15th century and sits on the north coast of Trotternish, is undergoing urgent works to fix deterioration of the site, with erosion caused by the impact of tourist numbers.
As summer visitors pour on to the island, the second most popular destination in Scotland after Edinburgh, Duntulm is feeling the pressure as it takes a place on the tourist trail of the otherworldly landscape in the north of the island which includes landmarks such as The Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing.
READ MORE: Up to one million visitors due on Scottish island amid calls for ‘radical rethink’ on tourism
Highland Council has now asked heritage chiefs for scheduled monument consent to repair erosion at the castle caused by “visitor footfall”.
Last year, 74, 203 people visited the castle site, with 85, 177 visiting in 2023, when numbers were first recorded.
Donald Ross, of Skye Conservation, who is working to improve the site said: “The numbers are unreal.
“There isn’t a car park here and people are leaving their cars on the side of the road.
“The place has real historic value and we really can’t afford to neglect the place.
“So many people keep coming to Skye and I don’t think people really understand the numbers. It is all year round now. In the summer, it just gets more manic than usual.”
Castles expert Martin Coventry described Duntulm as once being a “strong and comfortable fortress and residence”.
Vistors today encounter a “very ruined” 15th Century tower and vaulted basement, with other buildings added in the 17th Century.
The MacLeods orginally held Duntulm but most of what can be seen today dates from the 1600s and the MacDonalds of Sleat era.
The castle was abandoned around 1730 when the clan moved to Monkstadt House and then Armadale Castle. A storm took out a major piece of the remains in the 1980s, with further deterioration following.
The castle stands on a promontory owned by Highland Council, with the grazing land on the approach to Duntulm owned by the Scottish Government and tenanted by crofters.
Highland Council has a responsbility written into their deeds to maintain an animal- proof boundary fence at the site.
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “The proposed works at Duntulm Castle includes footpath improvements and replacing broken fencing surrounding and within the castle site to improve visitor safety and manage livestock.
“The Scottish Government is supportive of the works and is contributing financially to the works on their land.
“Highland Council remains committed to preserving our sites of historic and cultural importance, which every year attract visitors from all over the world.
“Along with key partners, the council has worked successfully in recent years to attract investment and improve access and facilities at some of Skye’s most popular attractions such as at the Old Man of Storr, Fairy Pools, Blaven and the Quiraing.”
Figures from Highland Council show the scale of visitors at key sites across Skye.
At the start of the main path at the Quiraing in 2015, a total of 30,475 people were recorded. In 2024, the number of visitors increased more than seven-fold to 217,966.
The Fairy Pools have also experience a huge rise in visitors. In 2015, a total of 83,471 people visited the beauty spot. Last year, a total of 232,570 people were recorded.
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