The Official Urquhart Castle Tartan

Historic Scotland has unveiled a new tartan collection, inspired by the dramatic Highlands landscape, that will allow visitors to take a home a piece of Urquhart Castle’s rich cultural heritage. 

Featuring a bespoke design by local tartan mill, Prickly Thistle, and woven by Lochcarron of Scotland, the luxury fashion and lifestyle range blends fine Scottish fabrics with beautifully packaged artisan goods, paying homage to the Castle’s more than 1,000 year history.

Inverness-based Prickly Thistle, which specialises in creating unique and storytelling designs for its clients, was entrusted with developing a tartan inspired by the castle’s magnificent location on the shores of Loch Ness. A harmonious blend of deep blues and verdant greens evokes the serene beauty and storied past of Urquhart Castle, with a bold teal-blue reflecting the loch’s tranquil waters. Darker hues weave in a sense of the castle’s enduring strength and imposing presence, while a buttery yellow accent unites the design with a touch of warmth.

The new Urquhart Castle tartan retail range, which will be sold online and at the castle gift shop, is a fitting tribute to the iconic landmark - and a stylish addition to any spring wardrobe. 

The versatile collection of accessories has been designed to be worn effortlessly, whether as standalone statement pieces or layered together. The collection includes:
o    Lambswool scarf - £32 
o    Lightweight scarf - £72 
o    Tie - £28 
o    Tam - £35 

Shop the full collection here

The textiles range is complemented by a selection of traditional Scottish treats, also packaged in the bespoke Urquhart Castle tartan, including a shortbread box (£8.50), whisky chasers (£10), whisky cake (£14), chocolate bars (£6), tea (£8) and tablet (£4) – offering consumers a complete sensory experience of Scotland’s finest products, steeped in heritage, tradition and crafted with care.

Once one of Scotland’s largest castles, Urquhart Castle has a turbulent history with control passed back and forth between the Scots and English during the Wars of Independence. Now, managed by HES, Urquhart Castle’s iconic ruins remain, offering visitors a glimpse into medieval times and the lives of its noble residents.

Natasha Troitino, Head of Retail at HES added: “As we continue to evolve our luxury retail offering, we’re delighted to present this exclusive tartan range that we feel perfectly encapsulates the essence of Urquhart Castle and it’s beautiful surroundings.

“It’s been a pleasure to work alongside Prickly Thistle and Lochcarron to bring the sustainable range to life over the past months. We know that fashion lovers in Scotland and beyond will appreciate the quality and detail of this wonderful collection which is sure to elevate any wardrobe with a piece of Highland heritage.”

By placing innovation at the heart of what they do, Prickly Thistle, have earned a reputation for modern, imaginative designs that are redefining the industry.

Speaking about the Urquhart Castle commission, Clare Campbell, Founder of Prickly Thistle, said: “We have loved working with the team at Historic Environment Scotland, who commissioned us to design this new tartan for an iconic building that belongs to a region we call home.  We started working on this design a few years ago and during the process we learned so much more about the history of Urquhart Castle.  
 
“Designing tartans for historic buildings is truly an honour, given that historically tartans were largely created as forms of identity for places opposed to specific people, known as district tartans. The Highlands played a pivotal role in tartan history, and its exciting to think that it will grow once again for the future.  Especially when organisations like HES support local makers across the country for what has become a cherished national icon.”

The full Urquhart Castle collection, including confectionaries, is available to shop now at the Urquhart Castle gift shop. The textiles range, shortbread and tea is also available online at Urquhart Castle — Historic Scotland Shop

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