Castillo Buchanan
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 1.88 mi
- Elevation gain
- 154 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 154 ft
- Max elevation
- 225 ft
- TrailRank
- 27
- Min elevation
- 92 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 43 minutes
- Coordinates
- 543
- Uploaded
- August 10, 2023
- Recorded
- August 2023
near Drymen, Scotland (United Kingdom)
Viewed 70 times, downloaded 3 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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The Buchanan clan previously owned the land on which Buchanan Castle now stands, but when they went bankrupt in the 17th century, the Graham clan took over the property.
Buchanan Auld House was originally the family home, but was destroyed in a fire in 1852, which is when Buchanan Castle was built.
William Burn was hired to design the castle. This Scottish architect was a pioneer of the 'Scottish Manor Style', a highly Gothic and romantic interpretation of Renaissance architecture, with turrets, pinnacles and pointed turrets adorning the mansion.
The family lived there until 1925, and then sold the house, which was then briefly converted into a hotel. It was also when the golf course was established.
You can imagine that it was an exquisite place to spend a night or two, like the modern luxury hotels in New York, but its time as a grand hotel was short-lived. There were plans for residential development that were later derailed by the outbreak of World War II.
The castle was requisitioned and turned into a military hospital. One of the patients was, as is known, Rudolf Hess, Hitler's right-hand man. He had been on a secret mission to negotiate peace with Britain when his plane ran out of fuel and he injured his ankle while parachuting.
After World War II it was briefly used as an army school, but then in 1954 the roof was removed to avoid paying taxes, neglect began then.
Trees now grow amid the old halls and dining rooms, while the towers crumble. Many of the fireplaces are still intact, though now the owls live where roaring fires once kept the family and their guests warm.
Buchanan Auld House was originally the family home, but was destroyed in a fire in 1852, which is when Buchanan Castle was built.
William Burn was hired to design the castle. This Scottish architect was a pioneer of the 'Scottish Manor Style', a highly Gothic and romantic interpretation of Renaissance architecture, with turrets, pinnacles and pointed turrets adorning the mansion.
The family lived there until 1925, and then sold the house, which was then briefly converted into a hotel. It was also when the golf course was established.
You can imagine that it was an exquisite place to spend a night or two, like the modern luxury hotels in New York, but its time as a grand hotel was short-lived. There were plans for residential development that were later derailed by the outbreak of World War II.
The castle was requisitioned and turned into a military hospital. One of the patients was, as is known, Rudolf Hess, Hitler's right-hand man. He had been on a secret mission to negotiate peace with Britain when his plane ran out of fuel and he injured his ankle while parachuting.
After World War II it was briefly used as an army school, but then in 1954 the roof was removed to avoid paying taxes, neglect began then.
Trees now grow amid the old halls and dining rooms, while the towers crumble. Many of the fireplaces are still intact, though now the owls live where roaring fires once kept the family and their guests warm.
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