Skibo Castle

Located just to the west of Clashmore and the A9 road, some 4 miles (6.5 km) west of Dornoch. Skibo Castle was built between 1899 and 1903 for the Scottish-American steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (1835 - 1918) and his wife Margaret as their Scottish retirement home. The architect was Alexander Ross (1834 - 1925) of Inverness. A substantial baronial mansion overlooking the Dornoch Firth, Skibo incorporates another house built some 20 years earlier. In the landscaped grounds, Carnegie created Loch Ospisdale and an 18-hole golf course. The fine Jacobean interior was restored by present owner English millionaire Peter de Savary, who has reinstated the luxury of an Edwardian sporting estate. Today the castle forms a highly exclusive hotel, a discrete get-away for the rich and famous, including film-stars such as Michael Douglas and Jack Nicholson.

Skibo has proved popular as a location for celebrity weddings, including those of singer Madonna, film stars Robert Carlyle (b.1961) and Ewan McGregor (b.1971), together with golfer Sam Torrance (b.1953).

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