HighlandKINTAILStDuthac(andrewwoodCC-BY-SA2.0)1

St Duthac

The ruins of St Dubhthach's church can be found by the Clachan Duich, the traditional burial ground of Clan Macrae.

Kintail, Highland

Opening times

Open daily dawn to dusk.

Address

Kintail
Highland
IV40 8HU

The church was dedicated to the 11th century Bishop of Ross, St Duthac. Once the parish church of Kintail, today it is a late medieval, gabled, rectangular ruin. Damaged by Hanoverian gunfire in 1719, following the Battle of Glenshiel, it was still in use until about 1855.

The Clachan Duich Burial Ground is a religious site dating back to at least 1050 and is the traditional burial place of the Macrae chiefs. St Duthac was a beloved saint of Scotland. Educated in Ireland, he was a great missionary walker and covered a lot of ground in his efforts at conversion.

The St Duthac Way meanders through Glen Affric via Chisholm’s Pass and it is believed that the path follows the original route that he took when travelling between parishes whilst he was a bishop. Modern day pilgrims are invited to follow in this saints footsteps, walk the 40km trail beneath the soaring Highland munroes before finding peace and contemplation at the medieval ruins of the church.

  • Captivating architecture

  • Famous connections

  • Fascinating churchyard

  • Magnificent memorials

  • National heritage here

  • Social heritage stories

  • Wildlife haven

  • Dog friendly

  • Parking within 250m

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Steps to enter the church or churchyard

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Scheduled Ancient Monument (ruin)

Other nearby churches

Duncansburgh Macintosh

Fort William, Highland

Three windows in the porch are associated with the Ben Nevis Peace Cairn.

St Mary

Eskadale, Highland

Built by the 14th Lord Lovat in 1826, altered in 1881 by Peter Paul Pugin and is reputedly the first Roman Catholic Church to have been built in Scotland post Reformation.