This castle is a bit off the beaten track but if you happen to be enjoying a tour of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and Barra is on your itinerary, then it is well worth a visit. Once the stronghold of the MacNeils, the castle is first mentioned in a written document in 1549 but scholars tend to date its construction to the 13th century. Castlebay, where the castle is located, was an important point of anchorage in the Outer Hebrides during the turbulent Middle Ages as it is the first safe harbour north of Ireland and upon visiting the castle, you begin to understand the strategic advantage its construction gave the occupants.

The castle fell into a state of disrepair as the clan system declined but efforts to restore it to its former glory were begun during the 20th century. These days, visitors can access the castle by boat. Lighting and some of the doors are modern, but there is still much of the original castle remaining. Some parts of the castle are accessed by fairly steep steps and you do need to be reasonably fit to cope with this. Amongst the areas to explore are the Watchtower and Dungeon, Chapel, Great Hall and Kitchen House.

While some castles give you a sense of opulence and grandeur, Kisimul will leave you with a real sense of what life for the ruling classes in the Middle Ages was like.