Walking in the footsteps of your Ancestors
Private guided walking or hiking vacation uniting you with your Scottish ancestral heritage.
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Innis Chonnel Castle, first the home of the
MacDougalls and later of the clan Campbell
chiefs till they moved to Inveraray
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Journey "back home"
A trip to Scotland - a trip back home - is the best way to discover more about your roots. We will take you on a journey of discovery to places connected with your family name. This can include visits to castles, forts, deserted townships, churches, grave yards and other buildings they new.
We will walk on the land that your people were born on, farmed, fought on, where they had their homes. The walks will be to important historical sites and the most beautiful places on the land of your ancestors. Your guide will tell you about their history, what they wore, thought and felt; how their crafts gave them survival.
Retracing the footsteps of your ancestors will not only bring the past to life, it will also make your walking/hiking vacation a very special and exciting experience.
Some clans in Argyll
Campbells of Argyll
The Campbells arrived in Argyll as part of a royal expedition in c.1220. They settled on Lochaweside where they were placed in charge of the King's lands in the area.
From Bruce's time, the family headquarters had been the great castle at Innischonnell on Loch Awe, and remained so until the 1400's when Sir Duncan Campbell (great grandson of Sir Colin) moved to to Inveraray.
MacDonald
The family was founded in Islay and extended their territory to the mainland. Donald's great-grandson, "Good" John of Islay, became known as Lord of the Isles and later holders of the title became powerful enough to challenge the king of Scotland. The Lord of the Isles had its own parliament at Finlaggan on Islay. The Lordship of the Isles remained the dominant power in Argyll and the Isles for four centuries. Eventually, the Lord of the Isles was defeated in 1493 by King James IV.
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Gylen castle on the Isle of Kerrera,
one of the strongholds of the MacDougalls
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MacDougall
The history the MacDougells dates back to 1164 when Dugall the eldest son of King Somerled of the Hebrides founded the clan when his father was killed in battle against the King of Scots. Dugall, (Dubhgall) took over the heartland what is now called Argyll. His title being, King in the South Isles, Lord of Lorn. Through time the principal seats of our Chiefs were Dunstaffnage, Gylen, and Dunollie Castles.
MacIntyre
Tradition suggests that the MacIntyres originally lived in Sleat on the Southern tip of the largest Western Island, the Isle of Skye. The MacIntyres moved from Sleat to the mainland on Loch Etive in Argyll. They settled with their white cattle at a place called Glen Noe on the North Slope of Ben Cruachan and the South shore of Loch Etive. MacIntyres are probably the only independent clan that has close connections with both the Campbell's and the MacDonalds, who were fierce rivals.
MacLachlan
The Maclachlan lands ran along both sides of Loch Fyne (a sea loch) and branches of the clan became established near Loch Awe. The clan's centre was Castle Lachlan, south of Strachur, on the other side of Loch Fyne from the Campbell seat at Inveraray Castle.
MacLean
The MacLean clan has two main branches of the clan - MacLean of Duart and MacLaine of Lochbuie (both on the island of Mull). Castle Duart, the traditional home of the MacLeans, fell into ruins but was restored early in the 20th century by Sir Fitzroy Donald MacLean and is once again the seat of the clan chief.
Stewarts of Appin
Clan Stewart of Appin is a west Highland branch of the Clan Stewart and have been considered a distinct clan since the 15th century. The stronghold of the Stewarts of Appin was a castle located at the mouth of Loch Laich called Castle Stalker. This Castle was built in the 15th century and was held by the Stewarts and the Campbells of Airds until the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion.
Stuart of Bute
The beautiful Isle of Bute formed part of the domain of Walter, the first High Steward, and remained a Stewart possession except for a brief Norse occupation. But only after 1385 did a family branch become established there, when Sir John Stewart a son of King Robert II was appointed hereditary Sheriff of Bute and Arran; and his descendants still hold the marquisate of Bute.
