Castle Campbell

Lying between the Burn of Sorrow and the Burn of Care above a ravine is Castle Campbell which previously was called the Castle Gloom. It had been an important lowland home of the Campbells and in 1563 Mary Queen of Scots stayed for a few days to celebrate the wedding of her half-sister to the Earl of Argyll. 
Today it seemed hard to imagine the banquets and festivities in the bitter cold which seemed to permeate the rooms in the tower while just above the castle there were reminders that winter was not too far behind with patches of snow still visible on the hill.  The swallows nesting high in the tower were probably wishing they hadn’t left their winter homes in Africa while the kestrel had started the nest high up in the ruined walls but was probably relieved that there were no chicks yet.  The only signs of spring were the masses of primroses and stitchwort and a few emerging bluebells on the steep walk up to the castle and the flowers on the ruined castle wall

This is part of my occasional series on places connected with the famous, but tragic, Mary Queen of Scots (see the tags)

(Mary Queen of Scots 9)