Castle Coeffin - Lismore

This is Castle Coeffin on the west side of Lismore: the most evocative castle ruin in the isles. The spiky remnants of a 13th century hall house rise from the top, and below them bits of the bailey that once defended the entrance can be seen.

On the mainland across Loch Linnhe you can see the massive Glensanda quarry. In its grounds is Castle Mearnaig; possibly the most inaccessible castle ruin in Scotland. Which means one thing....I must find a way to see it!

When my wife and I visited Coeffin in 1993 I wandered through a derelict farm house next to the castle. Trees were growing inside, and most of its roof was gone.

Coeffin Farmhouse - 1993

The next photo was taken on a visit in 2006. It was good to see that the house had been renovated and is now lived in.

Coeffin Farmhouse - 2006