Fury as ‘entitled Instagram vandals’ tear down 500-year-old fort wall to take photos
‘Entitled Instagram vandals’ have been condemned after they tore down a 500-year-old castle wall so they could take better pictures.
Historic Assynt – a charity which protects historic sites from vandals – said visitors to Ardvreck Castle in Lairg, Scotland, ‘ripped down’ part of the historic structure.
It claimed tourists averse to getting ‘their little tootsies wet’ pulled down part of the wall so they could access the site without having to walk across the water-covered beach.
The charity says it is just one of many incidents of vandalism that have occurred as visitors ‘clamber’ all over walls in the search of the perfect shot for their social media.
Ardvreck Castle sits on the banks of Loch Assynt and is on the path of the famous NC500 – a scenic route which traverses the Scottish Highlands.
It is thought to have been built by the Macleod Clan in around 1500 and has been abandoned since 1726.
Now, the ruins have become a popular spot for tourists to explore – and unfortunately, many have caused extensive damage to the historic structures, with the problem only getting worse.
A representative from Historic Assynt said: ‘We had some vandalism at Ardvreck again this year.
Castle Ardvreck, in the Scottish Highlands, has become a tourist attraction. Access to the castle is sometimes blocked by high water levels at Loch Assynt, which it lies on the edge of
Pictured the damaged wall at the castle. The tourists allegedly pulled down part of the wall to make a path to walk across wet sand to get to the castle for a photo
‘Not just the usual theft from the collection boxes and clambering all over the walls like entitled monkeys.
‘This year, some special individuals decided when the water was over the beach area, rather than get their little tootsies wet, they would rip down a 500-year-old wall to make a path for themselves.
‘Truly unbelievable, but it happened.’
Historic Assynt issued a ‘huge thank you’ to Historic Environment Scotland, who provided funding for the repairs – and added additional signage to the area, urging visitors to respect the site’s history.
It also added a QR code at the collection box, as a way to fund future repairs and to avoid further thefts.
Historic Assynt added: ‘If you are planning a holiday and want to clamber over an ancient monument for that Instagram pic, please don’t!
‘This is our history and every time someone clambers all over it, a little more of it crumbles away.
‘Individually it might be small amounts but collectively Assynt’s history is disappearing.
A tourist (not related to the ones who damaged the wall) walks towards the castle through a gap in the wall
Pictured: A tourist (not related to the wall’s damage) sist on the wall outside Ardvreck Castle
The ruins are reportedly haunted by two ghosts – a tall man dressed in grey and a young girl – both linked to the Clan Macleod
‘Take photographs – without climbing on things – leave only footprints, and when you leave, leave the past for future generations to enjoy.’
The castle is over 500-years-old. In April 1650 it was the site where the Marquis of Montrose – who was fighting for the Royalist even after the execution of Charles I – lost the battle of Carbisdale to a much smaller Covenanter army.
He later sought sanctuary in Ardvreck Castle with Neil Macleod of Assynt.
But Macleod’s wife tricked Montrose and called government forces. He was then taken to Edinburgh where he was executed.
The ruins are reportedly haunted by two ghosts – a tall man dressed in grey and a young girl – both linked to the Clan Macleod.
