Castle Stalker is a four-storey medieval tower house on a tidal islet in Loch Laich, an inlet off Loch Linnhe, in Appin on Scotland’s west coast between Oban and Glencoe. Built in its present form around the 1440s by the Stewarts, it later passed to the Campbells, fell roofless, and was restored as a family home from 1965 by Lieutenant Colonel D. R. Stewart Allward, whose family still owns it. It’s private, but the family runs a small number of booked guided tours by boat, at £25 for adults in 2026. Most visitors see it from the shore, and film fans will recognise it as Castle Aaargh in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

History of Castle Stalker

The MacDougalls and the First Fortalice, c.1320

Castle Stalker takes its name from the Gaelic Stalcaire, meaning hunter or falconer. According to the castle’s own history, the site is believed to have first held a fortalice, a small fortified building, built around 1320 by the MacDougalls when they were Lords of Lorn. The MacDougalls had lost that title after their defeat by Robert the Bruce at the Pass of Brander in 1308, regained it for a time after 1328, and saw it pass, with the lands that included Stalker, to the Stewarts in about 1388.

Sir John Stewart and the Battle of Stalc, 1468

Sir John Stewart, Lord of Lorn, is believed to have built Castle Stalker much in its present form around the 1440s; the castle’s history links it to the birth of his son Dugald in 1446. In 1463 Sir John set out to legitimise Dugald by marrying the boy’s mother, a MacLaren, at Dunstaffnage, and was fatally attacked outside the church by Alan MacCoul, a renegade MacDougall, though he lived long enough to complete the marriage. Dugald took his revenge in 1468 at the Battle of Stalc, fought opposite the castle, where the Stewarts and MacLarens defeated the MacDougalls and Dugald killed MacCoul himself. A memorial stone to the battle stands in the churchyard at nearby Portnacroish.

King James IV at Castle Stalker

King James IV, a kinsman of the Stewarts of Appin, is traditionally said to have used Castle Stalker as a base for hunting and hawking in the area, and the royal arms are thought to be the faded carving above the door. In 1513 the Stewarts of Appin followed James IV to Flodden, where the chief and his five sons are said to have all survived the defeat in which the king was killed.

The Drunken Wager and the Campbells, c.1620

Castle Stalker’s most famous story is how the Stewarts lost it. According to the castle’s history, around 1620 Duncan, the 7th Stewart chief, handed it to the Campbells of Airds as the result of a drunken wager, in exchange for an eight-oared wherry, a large rowing boat.

The Jacobite Sieges of 1690 and 1745

The Stewarts of Appin won Castle Stalker back in 1689, when they rose for King James VII against William of Orange. After the Jacobite defeat at Dunkeld it was forfeited to the Campbells again, but the Stewart garrison refused to hand it over and held out through a siege of several months before being granted an honourable surrender in 1690. During the 1745 Rising, the castle was held for the government by the Campbells with a garrison of about 59 men. The Stewarts of Appin raised a regiment of 300 for Prince Charles Edward Stuart, but, as the family’s history puts it, their two-pound cannonballs simply bounced off the walls.

Ruin and the Stewart Allward Restoration

The Campbells eventually abandoned Castle Stalker, and by around 1840 it had lost its roof. It returned to Stewart hands in 1908, when Charles Stewart of Achara bought it and carried out basic conservation work. In 1965 Lieutenant Colonel D. R. Stewart Allward bought the castle and spent the next ten years rebuilding it as a habitable home. Remarkably, no conventional builders were used: the work was carried out by the Colonel himself, with his wife, family and friends giving up holidays and long weekends to help, and materials had to be ferried across the water by boat. The Colonel died in 1991, and the castle remains the Stewart Allward family’s home.

Castle Stalker and Monty Python

Castle Stalker appears near the end of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) as Castle Aaargh, the fortress King Arthur and his knights finally reach, only to be taunted from the battlements once again by the French. Tours of the castle include stories from the filming.

Visiting Castle Stalker: Practical Information

Castle Stalker Tours

What’s included: A boat crossing of about 200 metres to the islet and a personal guided tour led by a member of the Stewart Allward family.

2026 prices: £25 for adults and £15 for children under 16.

Dates: Only a limited number of dates each year, published on the calendar on the castle’s official website, with a maximum of two tours a day.

Group size: A maximum of six people per tour, because of the boat’s capacity, so book early.

Booking: In advance only, through the ‘Contact Us’ form on the official website.

How long: Allow up to two hours, including the boat trips.

Weather and tides: All tours depend on tide and weather, and can be cancelled in rough conditions at the guide’s discretion.

What to Wear and Accessibility

Getting aboard: The small open boat launches from a shoreline that can be rocky and slippery, and the tidal loch can be rough in wind. The family recommends waterproofs and wellington boots; lifejackets are provided.

Access: You need to be able to get in and out of a boat and manage numerous steps outside and inside the castle. The family says it isn’t possible to accommodate wheelchairs or coach parties.

Getting There

Location: In Appin, on the A828 between Ballachulish and Connel, about a mile and a half north-east of Port Appin.

To the tour boat: The castle boathouse is reached via the car park of The Old Inn. From Ballachulish, pass Linnhe Marine and the Castle Stalker View café, go down the steep hill and turn right at the sharp left-hand bend just before The Old Inn, then follow the lane to its car park. Walk down to the cycle track and turn right; the boathouse and jetty are about 30 metres along on the left. From Oban, drive through Appin village to the row of white cottages ending at The Old Inn and turn left at the sharp bend.

Don’t go to the café for the boat: The castle notes the boathouse can’t be reached directly from the Castle Stalker View café; you have to continue along the road.

Castle Stalker View and Viewpoint

Castle Stalker View café and gift shop: On the A828 just above the castle, with panoramic views over the castle and Loch Linnhe towards Lismore. It’s the easiest viewpoint for most visitors, and the one recommended by the castle’s owners for a drink before or after a tour. Check its own opening hours, which are shorter in winter.

From the shore: The cycle track near the boathouse gives lower, closer views of the castle across the water, especially at high tide.

Don’t try to walk out: The islet can be reached on foot at the lowest tides, but the castle is a private home, so admire it from the shore unless you’re on a booked tour.

Prices last checked: September 2026.
Tour arrangements last checked: September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside Castle Stalker?

Yes, but only on a booked guided tour. Castle Stalker is a private family home, and the owners run a limited number of tours on set dates, with a maximum of six people per tour. Book in advance through the official website.

How much is a Castle Stalker tour?

In 2026, tours cost £25 for adults and £15 for children under 16, including the boat crossing and a guided tour by a member of the owning family.

Was Castle Stalker in Monty Python?

Yes. Castle Stalker is Castle Aaargh in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), the castle King Arthur’s knights reach near the end of the film.

Where is the best view of Castle Stalker?

The Castle Stalker View café on the A828 above the castle has the classic elevated view over the castle and Loch Linnhe. For a closer, lower view, use the shoreline cycle track near The Old Inn.

Who owns Castle Stalker?

The Stewart Allward family. Lieutenant Colonel D. R. Stewart Allward bought the ruin in 1965 and spent ten years restoring it as a home, largely by hand with his family and friends.

Did the Stewarts really lose Castle Stalker in a bet?

So the story goes. According to the castle’s own history, around 1620 the 7th Stewart chief, Duncan, lost it to the Campbells of Airds in a drunken wager, in exchange for an eight-oared rowing boat.

Castle Stalker sits on the A828, the coast road between Oban and Glencoe, so it’s an easy stop on a west Highland drive. For another photogenic Argyll ruin, see Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe. Browse more castles and historic attractions, or return to the Scotland hub.