Third Time’s the Charm

Left Glasgow with a plan to visit Castle Sween. The GPS was a little unclear so we stopped to ask in Inveraray. Bob bought a map of Scotland and got directions from two ladies in the gift shop (one had actually been there). So, after stopping for the night (previous post) we got to the road he thought she had told him about, which was one of the many single tracks in Scotland apparently, and went down it until we came to a ”Holiday Park”. Marilyn had read reviews about the castle which included references to the holiday park. We stopped to ask but the young man in the office didn’t seem to know. We continued a few miles and found nothing so we turned back. Before we got back to the main road we found a sign that actually referenced Castle Sween although it indicated there was no through road. Thinking this might mean we would have to walk some, we went down the road. That ended at a private road and no indication about Castle Sween. So, before getting back to the main road, we stopped to ask a woman standing outside her house (on the road, basically) and she had been there the year before with her grandson. She gave us good directions which had nothing to do with the road we were on but which got us there nicely. The problem had to do with two lochs, two peninsulas, and a somewhat unclear marking for the castle on the map. Hallelujah, we made it!

It was rather awesome to Marilyn to think some of her genes were here back then.
It was by a Holiday Park and quite a hike from the road. Visitors had to park on the main road and walk the 1/4 mile or so down to the park and the castle beyond it.
All of that to see these ruins.
The government is evaluating the state of the castle to determine what to do with it (if anything).
A beautiful spot on Loch Sween!
The changing climate in Scotland since the 1960s is hastening deterioration.

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