I capture the castle

   Long before she wrote The One Hundred and One Dalmatians, British author Dodie Smith penned a curious and entertaining novel, I Capture the Castle. In her journal, penniless narrator Cassandra Mortmain "captures" the people and events in the decrepit castle that is now her home. ​Off the west coast of Scotland stands Duart Castle, home of the Clan Maclean. And in May 1988, driven by a lifelong dream to visit the home of my ancestors, I captured the family castle.

Off to Bonnie Scotland

   With no money in the bank and no international travel experience, I somehow made my way to my sister's home in a village near the town of Oban. Here at last in the homeland of the McLeans, I met my kinfolk: neighbor Archie McLean and the auld souls buried in the local graveyard. To my delight, I didn't have to spell my name or correct the pronunciation once while I was there.

On the steps of Duart Castle, Isle of Mull, Scotland. May 1988. Notice that I was wearing my coat because it was so cold in the castle.

Scots Second and McLeans First

   On a sunny spring morning we set out for the castle, leaving her car in Oban and taking the Caledonia ferry to the Isle of Mull. We hitched a ride out to Duart, high on a crag overlooking the Sound of Mull. We walked around the stone structure surrounded by green lawns and fields. The seaward walls of the 14th century castle keep are 5 to 9 feet thick, as few attacks would have been launched from the water. The walls on the vulnerable sides range from 10 to 23 feet thick. 
   Duart is one of the last privately owned clan castles in Scotland, its very extensive restoration begun in 1911 by Sir Fitzhugh Maclean. We stepped out of the 20th century sunlight into the chilly and damp interior of the past. The guide, in woolen kilt and fur jacket, asked us to sign the special guest book for descendants. We toured the public rooms that were once home to generations of people who thought of themselves as Scots second and McLeans first. Walking through the grassy courtyards, I felt strongly connected to my ancestors and longed to capture one long enough for a chat and a cup of tea.

Sheep Wrangling

Saving the lamb! Isle of Mull, Scotland. May 1988. Notice I'm wearing just a hoodie, no coat.

   With no public transportation, we started our long walk back to the ferry landing at Craignure. As long as we kept to the paths, closed gates, and didn't litter, we were welcome to walk through private fields. Then we heard a plaintive "maaaaah" answered by a louder "baaaaah." A little Blackface lamb was outside the fence, separated from its mother. Was it my Scottish genes, or simply many years around farm animals in New Hampshire? Whatever drove me, I scooped up the lamb, planted a kiss on its slightly manurey head, and climbed over the fence to return it to the ewe. And so we headed home for tea.

Duart Castle Today   

Upkeep on the 800-year-old structure, especially repairs due to water damage, is ongoing. The beautiful castle, majestically set high above the cliffs, is host to weddings, storytelling events, Gaelic music programs, pipe bands, Highland dancing, and haunted tours. Here's more information http://www.duartcastle.com/ And for a sneak peek, it's where Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones train for the heist in Entrapment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX2_LCUkhDs