Caisteal Maol

Abandoned castles come in all shapes, sizes, and states of disrepair, but few could argue that poor Caisteal Maol (Scots Gaelic for the “bare castle”) is one of Scotland’s most decrepit examples. Protruding from atop a promontory like a pair of fangs, the castle ruins brood over Kyleakin Harbor on the Isle of Skye. The remaining fragments of the castle’s walls continue to decay from harsh weather. 

The ruins of Caisteal Maol probably date to the late 15th century, though Vikings may have built an even older structure on the site in the 9th century. The 15th-century castle was essentially a squarish three-story keep built to control the strait of Kyleakin between the Scottish mainland and the Isle of Skye. Ship captains far preferred passing through the strait to avoid the treacherous waters of The Minch, the sea between the western coast of Skye and the Outer Hebrides.

According to one legend, a 10th-century Norse princess known as Saucy Mary and her family controlled the keep. When Mary married Findanus, the 4th chief of Clan Mackinnon, the property was part of her dowry and the castle subsequently came under the control of the clan. Legend says, the newlyweds stretched a chain across the strait and levied a toll on ships and cargo. 

Later history supports this Norse connection. Haakon IV Haakonsson, King of Norway, is believed to have gathered his fleet of longships in the strait before the Battle of Largs in 1263. The town of Kyleakin would eventually take its name from him: kyle, or “strait,” of Haakon. Even today, Caisteal Maol is known by some as Dun Haakon or Dunakin Castle (literally “fort of Haakon”).

Clan Mackinnon controlled the castle throughout the Middle Ages. Sometime during King James IV of Scotland’s reign between 1488 and 1513, the clan rebuilt the keep. 

Caisteal Maol was likely abandoned in the early 17th century. The centuries-old building was likely too drafty and uncomfortable to serve as a residence. 

A short hike to the site at low tide affords an opportunity to see all that remains up close. Seriously compromised by storm-related deterioration in 1949, 1989, and most recently in a lightning storm in 2018, what little is left has been consolidated and stabilized for safety. On a clear day, visitors can see the harbor and the village of Kyleakin, the Skye Bridge, and the Scottish mainland from the castle ruins.