KENMORE. A Ruin In The Woods.

The sightless ruin sheltering under the trees.

I like to travel up to Scotland whenever I can and for many years I would spend a fortnight touring around, basing myself just outside of Dunkeld. The town sits on the banks of the River Tay about twelve miles or so north of Perth. Since the widening and diverting of the A9 route to the north a few years back, the heavy traffic has somewhere else to go and the place has recovered some peace and quiet.

Dunkeld is a great place to enjoy for its own charms but also as a place to travel out from, either north by the above A9 or across using the A827 which takes you along the side of Loch Tay. You pass through Alberfeldy and Kenmore on this route with the Tay for company for much of the way.

The tower adding a toytown importance to the building.

It was on one of these drives that I came across this ruined lodge near to Taymouth Castle the former home of the Marquis’s of Breadalbane. The castle is an example of Scottish baronial style extravagance that nestles in the valley by the village of Kenmore. I understand that the castle is being redeveloped with the end use of hotel and golf course. There is a mirror image of this lodge on the road out along Loch Tay, though that one has been restored and is now lived in and yes I admit to a pang of jealousy whenever I drive past it.