An Lodan, Ford

Explorer Tom Carnasserie Castle looks as if somebody ordered a fortress and a fine new house on the same receipt. John Carswell, the first Protestant Bishop of the Isles, had it built in the 1560s on land granted to him in 1559. He wanted a residence that could speak with authority, and the tall tower beside the hall still does a fair bit of talking. Carswell was more than a man with a taste for masonry. He translated the first book printed in Scottish Gaelic, a Protestant prayer book, while church and politics were shifting beneath everyone's feet. Look above the castle entrance for a Gaelic inscription; it is a rare surviving statement of who made this place and why. Inside the roofless ruin, the tower, hall and rooms show how defence and comfortable living fitted together. The hill setting gives wide views towards Kilmartin Glen. The building did not get an easy retirement. In 1685 Royalist forces partly blew it up during political unrest, and it was left as a ruin. You can stand among the broken walls and imagine a bishop rehearsing a grand entrance, only for the Scottish weather to steal the scene. The real story, of a Gaelic scholar building a showpiece in an age of religious argument, is sharper than any ghost I could invent. Historic Environment Scotland opens the site free of charge, usually from ten until four in winter. From the parking area it is a steep walk of about 550 metres uphill, and the track crosses working farmland; the drive is for residents. Wear shoes that can handle mud and stone, and check for short weather closures before the journey. Do the climb, read the doorway, and let Carswell make his case.

Explorer Tom Carnassarie Castle has a 17th-century gateway and some post-medieval outbuildings. Fancy that! It’s basically a medieval tower house with extra steps attached. Show me what you’ve got in pictures.