Located on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, Kisimul Castle was once home to the MacNeils of Barra. My family visited the castle during a summer trip to Scotland. I was surprised when I was told that we’d be going to see our family’s castle. It had never crossed my mind that my family may have had one at one point, even with how prevalent they are in Scotland.

When we arrived, I was more than a little disappointed to see nothing more than a small stone structure sitting in the water. As it turns out, the location was carefully planned. The castle is only accessible during low tide. During high tide, the water rises too high up to disembark safely. The next day, we toured the inside and found that it looks far nicer on the inside than the outside.

Upon passing through the gate, you’re greeted by a small grassy courtyard leading to two small single family homes intended for servants and one large house where the MacNeils once lived. A fourth large building acts as a dining hall. Inside the walls, it feels much larger than it looks from the outside. The courtyard makes it feel cozy and almost seem like a small neighborhood.

Eventually, we discovered that the MacNeils of Barra are from a different clan than us. Regardless, Kisimul Castle was an unexpectedly nice stop on our trip through the Outer Hebrides.