Join Photoblog!

Dunrobin Castle

2008.06.25

A view from the garden.

Vaade aiast lossile.

Facade.

Fassaad.

Formal garden.

Lossi aed, taamal on meri.

Formal garden, sea in the background.

Grevillea rosmarinifolia.

On the way from Inverness to Inveraray we passed Loch Ness.

Infotahvel Loch Nessi kaldalt.

Loch Ness.

"Jewel in the Crown of the Highlands" is what Dunrobin Castle website says to describe the house and I can not but to agree with the statement! It was one of the most splendid houses we visited in the Highlands. Hudson's "Historic Houses and Gardens" has even chosen its photo as a cover photo for the current (2008) edition.
Overlooking the Nordic sea, the views from the castle are simply stunning. One can not leave aside the formal gardens that were fascinating even in a dull day with a heavily overcast sky and in a scattered rain (no, not really, we simply did not go out before the rain was over :). We did mange to arrive to the house as it started raining and when it was time to see the gardens, the rain had stopped. What a good timing! About an hour from Inverness towards Thurso it is still worth the visit. Most of the castle is open for the visitors, but some rooms are still occupied by the Lord Strathnaver family.
As I said, it is a lovely place that I would suggest to anyone going to the Highlands. Again, free for the HHA members.
More information is available from their website.

Tea with the Countess of Sutherland, anyone?

Šotimaa reisi üheks pärliks oli Dunrobin'i lossi külastus, samuti asus see geograafiliselt kõige kaugemal. Inverness'ist on sinna enam-vähem tunni aja tee ja Inverness on umbes 1000 km meie kodust.
Lossi ajalugu ulatub tagasi 13. sajandisse ning on esmamainitud kindlustusena aastal 1401. Sir Charles Barry kujundas aastatel 1845-1850 ümber nii maja kui ka aiad; maja puhul oli märgata sarnasusi kuninganna Victoria suveresidentsi Balmoral'iga. Paraku hävines suurem osa sisearhitektuurist 1915 aasta tulekahjus ning täna on näha Šoti arhitekti Sir Robert Lorimer'i kätetööd. Nii maja kui aed on täiesti lummavad ning vaadet majast aeda ning edasi Põhjamerele on raske kirjeldada seda ise kogemata.
Kui vähegi sinna kanti asja on (Aberdeenist peaks ka ühistranspordi abil umbes kahe tunniga kohale jõudma), oleks patt seda maja mitte külastada. Isegi paksu pilvekatte varjus nägi kogu kompleks välja väga suursugune.