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Visiting Scotland Soon? By Mary Helen Haines |
Here are some must-see places for Clan MacFarlane visitors
First for a quick overview, read an introduction to our Clan History. We have several articles on this website. Another source for information about the area comes from the Arrochar Heritage Society.
Good sites for the first time traveler can be found here. About Loch Lomond.
When you travel to the area, the two most important and moving places to see are the two islands in Loch Lomond where ruins of former MacFarlane castles can be seen. You will need to rent a boat to visit. Allow about 3 hours. Two possible places to rent or hire:
MacFarlane owned enterprise: Balmaha Boatyard
Operating from Luss: Loch Lomond Leisure
Inveruglas Isle: Castle probably dated to 1400s, destroyed by Cromwell’s troops in the 1650s.
To read more about the Castle and the archeological work done by Dr. David Starbuck, a fellow MacFarlane, go to:
By Yon Bonnie And Canmore Loch Lomond & Inveruglas Isle Castle
Eilean-I-Vow: (Elanvow) Castle built by Chief Andrew in 1577. Picture below shows various wall openings.
Recent preservation work has been undertaken by the Elanvow Project https://islandivow.org/
Loch Sloy: former gathering place for the Clan, now a hydroelectric dam supplying the area. A 5 mile hike from the road.
Canmore: Loch Sloy dam
Arrochar: sits at the head of Loch Long facing Ben Arthur and was home to MacFarlane chiefs
Undiscovered Scotland: Loch Long
View of Ben Arthur (The Cobbler)
View of Loch Long from Arrochar
Arrochar Parish Church: another burial ground for MacFarlanes.
Its history is here: Arrochar Heritage: Parish Church
Painting of the church and graveyard by Whitney McFarlin in 2004. Shared with his permission.
Claymore Hotel: (former home of Chief of MacFarlane Clan, formerly called The Cobbler)
Claymore Hotel History
Ballyhennan Burial ground: for MacFarlanes not far from Arrochar, on the road to Tarbet. The former Ballyhennan church next to the burial ground is now a restaurant.
Canmore: Ballyhenna Burial Ground
Luss: Parish Church is another favorite of the MacFarlane chiefs, with many burials on the grounds
Undiscovered Scotland: Luss
Tarbet: on Loch Lomond, another former residence
Gartartan: castle built ca. 1597 by cadet MacFarlane branch on the same model as the earlier castles.
It is on the grounds of Gartmore House in Stirlingshire. It even has a preserved interior accessible through this door.
High Morlaggan: an archaeology project on former MacFarlane land. https://highmorlaggan.co.uk/
Clan MacFarlane Worldwide has worked with and sponsored several digs in MacFarlane territory. Please go to our Archaeology section under Clan MacFarlane in our menu to read about these projects.
