Loch Leven, its castle and Mary Queen of Scots

(MAIN PHOTO)

Loch Leven is about four miles long, and on one of its two islands, about half a mile from the shore, are the ruins of a castle which dates back to the 14th century.

Here the hapless Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1567.  She escaped by boat in the following year, after persuading - and presumably paying - her gaoler to help her in the enterprise; pursuit was impossible because he sabotaged the other boats on the island.  

Perhaps this landing stage is where she boarded the boat.

Mary was clearly a charismatic and very beautiful woman.  She was proud of her heritage:  she was the widow of the King of France.  Neither of her two subsequent marriages were wise ones.  She had little understanding of the intractable political difficulties and religious rivalries besetting both England and Scotland. Not long after her escape from Loch Lieven she fled to England, expecting help from her cousin Queen Elizabeth.

However, Mary was a Catholic and became - perhaps unwittingly - the focus of Catholic plots to assassinate Elizabeth.  She was a danger to her Protestant cousin, who imprisoned her and eventually ordered her execution.

On Elizabeth's death in 1603, Mary's son James, already crowned King of Scotland, was invited to become King of England.  Since then the crowns of both countries have been united.


(EXTRA PHOTO)

A comparison of two photos, one taken while approaching and the other on leaving the island, and separated by just one hour.

The sun was just starting to break through when we alighted on the island.


A great trip to make, especially if accompanied by young children.  The island is tiny.


This blip was added in May 2015.