Places on the Jacobite Trail
The Jacobite story of 1745 unfolded across a vast swathe of Scotland — from the western shores where Charles first landed, through the Highland passes, across the Perthshire hills and the Central Belt, and north again to final defeat at Culloden. This guide covers the key places connected to the story, from landing to defeat and beyond.
Loch nan Uamh, Moidart
On the western coast of mainland Scotland, south of Mallaig, lies Loch nan Uamh (Loch of the Cave). This sea loch has two powerful connections to the Jacobite story.
On 25 July 1745, Charles Edward Stuart landed here from the French ship Du Teillay — arriving with the 'Seven Men of Moidart' to begin his attempt on the throne. The loch is remote and beautiful, accessible from the A830.
On 19–20 September 1746 — after Culloden, after months as a fugitive — Charles boarded the French frigates L'Heureux and Prince de Conti here and sailed for France. He never returned. A cairn on the shore of the loch marks both the landing and the departure.
Loch nan Uamh is passed by the Jacobite Steam Train on its journey between Fort William and Mallaig. The cairn is visible from the train on the left (north) side.
Glenfinnan
Glenfinnan, at the head of Loch Shiel, is the emotional heart of the Jacobite story. This is where Charles raised the royal standard on 19 August 1745, formally beginning the rising. The Glenfinnan Monument (1815) marks the spot. The Glenfinnan Viaduct carries the Jacobite Steam Train over the valley.
See our complete Glenfinnan guide for full visitor information.
The Corrieyairack Pass
The Corrieyairack Pass (1,094 metres) is a high mountain pass in the Monadhliath mountains, crossed by a military road (General Wade's road) linking Fort Augustus on the Great Glen to Laggan in Speyside. In August 1745, the Jacobite army moved east through this pass.
General Cope, commanding the government army, was ordered to intercept the Jacobites but declined to contest the pass — the Jacobites held the heights and Cope's intelligence suggested an ambush was prepared. Cope turned north to Inverness instead of crossing. This decision gave Charles's army a clear path into the Lowlands without a battle, and the Jacobite army was able to march south towards Edinburgh essentially unopposed.
The pass can be walked — it is a classic Highland day walk or overnight route. The old military road is still visible in places.
Blair Castle, Perthshire
Blair Castle at Blair Atholl in Perthshire is one of Scotland's most accessible and rewarding castle visits. The castle was the seat of the Duke of Atholl — a significant family in Jacobite politics, though the Duke himself did not join the rising; his brother, the Marquis of Tullibardine, raised the standard at Glenfinnan on Charles's behalf.
Blair Castle served as a Jacobite headquarters during the 1745 campaign. Charles spent time there. The castle contains a significant collection of Jacobite artefacts and memorabilia, including items associated with the campaign.
In a historically curious footnote, Blair Castle was besieged in 1746 — by a Jacobite force trying to dislodge a government garrison. This was the last castle in Britain to be subjected to a formal siege.
The castle is open to visitors (seasonally) and the estate is extensive with good walking.
Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh
After the Jacobite army took Edinburgh in September 1745 — the city gates opened and the Jacobite cavalry rode in — Charles held court at Holyrood Palace for several weeks. Holyrood was (and is) the traditional palace of the Scottish monarchs, and Charles's presence there was a powerful symbolic statement: the son of the legitimate king, in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in the capital of Scotland.
The Holyrood period was the zenith of the 1745 campaign. Charles held audiences, gave audiences to local dignitaries, and the social world of Edinburgh found itself in the curious position of attending a Jacobite court. There were balls, concerts, and the full trappings of a royal court.
Holyrood Palace is open to visitors year-round (subject to royal use). The Palace of Holyroodhouse is a working royal palace — the official residence of the monarch in Scotland — and admission is charged. A visit to Edinburgh is incomplete without seeing it.
Prestonpans Battlefield, East Lothian
The Battle of Prestonpans (21 September 1745) was the Jacobites' most stunning military victory. The government army under Sir John Cope was routed in under fifteen minutes by a Highland charge at dawn. The field is at Prestonpans in East Lothian, east of Edinburgh.
A memorial cairn and interpretation panels mark the battlefield. The site is not as comprehensively managed as Culloden — there is no visitor centre — but the field is accessible and worth visiting for those tracing the 1745 campaign.
Stirling
Stirling Castle dominated the strategic heart of Scotland. The town and castle were coveted by the Jacobites in early 1746 as they retreated northward. A Jacobite force besieged Stirling Castle in January 1746 but could not reduce it — government artillery from the castle prevented close approach. The siege was abandoned as Cumberland's army advanced.
See our Stirling Castle guide for visitor information.
Loch Shiel
Loch Shiel stretches 28 km south-west from Glenfinnan, a narrow, deep Highland loch surrounded by mountains with no road along most of its length. Charles used the loch as a route west after landing at Loch nan Uamh, sailing up Loch Shiel to approach Glenfinnan.
Boat trips are available on Loch Shiel from Glenfinnan seasonally, offering a beautiful perspective on the landscape and the monument.
Invergarry Castle Ruins
On the A82 near Invergarry — approximately 24 miles south of Inverness on the Great Glen — stand the atmospheric ruins of Invergarry Castle, once the seat of MacDonell of Glengarry. The castle was visited by both Charles Edward Stuart (twice — on the advance south and on the retreat north) and by the Duke of Cumberland, who burned it in reprisal for Jacobite use.
The ruins are on the estate of the Invergarry Hotel and can be viewed from the roadside. They are photogenic and atmospheric, standing above the River Garry and Loch Oich.
Culloden Battlefield
The final and most important destination on the Jacobite trail: Culloden Battlefield near Inverness, where the rising ended on 16 April 1746. The National Trust for Scotland manages the site with an excellent visitor centre, the battlefield with clan grave markers, and the reconstructed Leanach farmhouse.
See our Culloden guide for full visiting information.