Prince's Cairn ***

Region: Fort William, Ben Nevis & Lochaber

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Description:

Here, on the shore of Loch nan Uamh Bonnie, Prince Charlie arrived in 1745 to launch his bid for the throne of Britain. It was also here in 1746 that the Prince, now a hunted fugitive, left Scotland for good.

The Prince's Cairn thus marks both the beginning and the end of Bonnie Prince Charlie's attempt to win back the throne lost by his grandfather.

The Prince arrived in Loch nan Uamh on 25 July 1745 aboard the French privateer the Du Teillay, but there were no throngs of Stuart supporters. That must have been quite a disappointment. Although the local reaction was, to say the least, underwhelming, the news of his arrival spread to the Highland clans and enthusiasm for the Jacobite cause gathered momentum. The Prince moved east to Glenfinnan, at the head of Loch Shiel, where he raised his standard and waited for his support to gather.

Fourteen months later he would be back. After a very succesful start (he even got quite close to London!) Culloden shattered the Jacobite dream for ever. The Prince was a hunted fugitive and could only re-board another French vessel and take flight to safety abroad. He never saw Scotland again.

Why a 3-star for a simple cairn? Because of it's setting and, above all, because of it's historic significance.