Scotland is a land with a deep history of Viking raids, clan fighting and invasions by English kings meaning that it has been no stranger to warfare down through the ages.
To keep yourself secure in days of old meant huddling together with your kith and kin behind thick walls of stone and solid doors of oak.
This has meant there are hundreds of castles and strongholds that dot the landscape – leftovers of a violent past. Though many of them are still intact such as Edinburgh and Stirling or have been converted into modern accommodation, many more are now little more than ruins.Here are some of the most hauntingly beautiful you'll find across Scotland.This hauntingly beautiful castle ruin stands alone on the edge of sheer cliffs overlooking Sinclair's Bay in Caithness and dates back to 17th century.
Pronounced 'Cheerum' this beautiful castle is found on the tidal island Eilean Tioram in Loch Moidart in Lochaber and is thought to date back to the 12th century.
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