Castle Tioram at Loch Moidart can be accessed easily at low tide in her magical setting between land and sea. Early records show this castle has been here since the 14th century and the original building has been added to over time.
The castle was sold privately to an individual millionaire believed to be acting on behalf of another in a tale of smoke and mirrors. He wanted to restore the castle to its former glory and turn it into a private dwelling with limited access to visitors.
Objections to his ambitious plans flew in from Historic Scotland, council members and others concerned with preserving the historic integrity of the ruin. They wish to maintain year round access for tourists and visitors. Both parties claim they represent the highest good for the castle and its historic interest and value. With this refusal on the table the private owner is no longer doing any work. After a stand-off spanning nearly twenty years the castle has a danger notice and the walls have become unstable. Trees and greens are growing inside the ruin as nature is slowly reclaiming her ground.
non-resistance
among crumbling stones
ferns reach for the sky
© Xenia Tran
We wish you all a very happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!
With love from Eivor, Pearl and Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, settings: Landscape and iA, 1/200 s.
Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Focus
Carpe Diem #1207: Non-Resistance
What a beauty and what a story! It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? Both sides claim to have the best interests in mind for the castle, and yet it crumbles into a ruin. Out of focus, indeed!
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Thank you Laurie, it is quite a story! With neither party able to negotiate effectively nature may turn out to be the eventual winner :o) xxx
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Right you are!
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☺🌲💜 xxx
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Thank you for the story behind this amazing place.
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Thank you Miriam, you are very welcome! :o) xxx
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It is sad and ironic that, with the ongoing argument of what is best for the place, nothing is being done and it will soon be a mute point.
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Nature is gradually reclaiming the site and perhaps this is ultimately for the highest good :o) xxx
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Maybe? I dunno, I’m a fan of preserving our history whenever and wherever possible.
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Thank you J.R., I too love to see history preserved when possible and yet there was something very peaceful about nature gradually reclaiming this tidal island that made me think that maybe this is how it is meant to be.
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I can see your point, it just saddens me.
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Ah, the castle! And what a story… a shame no compromise could be reached after withstanding so many centuries. Still, nature has to win sometimes 🌲A very apt title for this photo challenge. Happy Friday to you and hope you all have a lovely weekend 💖 xxx
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Thank you for your kind words Cathy and in this beautiful setting it will be very fitting if nature ultimately wins over egos and righteousness ;o) A very happy Friday to all of you too and enjoy your weekend! :o) xxx
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Indeed it would be fitting 🙂 and thank you xxx
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:o) xxx
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A very intriguing story. I was feeling badly about it crumbling and being taken over by vegetation. Then I read your poem and rejoiced for the ferns! Thank you!
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Thank you for your kind words Shielagh :o) The way in which the stones surrendered to the vegetation reminded me of the Tibetan practice of non-resistance, which in turn inspired the haiku poem. I hope you are feeling better and wish you a wonderful weekend :o) xxx
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Lovely! 🙂
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Thank you Annica ☺💖 xxx
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The photos are beautiful! What a dilemma of the story. To bad that it was a no ‘win’ situation. We had a story regarding a mansion bought by Steve Jobs, founder of Apple computer. He bought the mansion but wanted to tear it down to rebuild something else. The local official didn’t approve because of the historic value. Well, Steve didn’t maintain it, left the windows of 14 bedrooms open. Eventually, the building was ruin!!
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Thank you for your kind words Miriam 💜 It is a shame Steve behaved in this way and could not come to an agreement about the future of the mansion before he passed away.
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Yes, he was a stubborn guy. His own house is almost empty, no furniture pleased him. When president Clinton went to visit him during his cancer treatment, his wife had to rent all the furniture to prepare a house for Clinton to stay. His wife is one of a kind, knowing him, and supported him!
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Wow, she certainly is one of a kind!☺💖 xxx
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Yes, I only know her as much as from reading. Steve approached Walter Isaacson to write his biography. Walter thought, asked me in 10 years. Steve’s wife told Walter that he had cancer, so Walter made many trips to interview him. His book includes some photos of Steve’s “empty” home and his “office.”
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Thank you for sharing this Miriam, it sounds like an interesting biography that I will read when Winter rolls back in. Much love to you all ☺💖 xxx
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Thank you, Xenia, Walter Isaacson is a good writer. He wrote Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin. Good day and good week to you!
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Thank you Miriam, a wonderful week to you too!☺💖 xxx
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Same to you Xenaz! xoxo
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☺💜 xxx
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♥*♥*♥*♥*♥*♥
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Love your haiku, my friend. You always come up with a good one.
Sad the tale of the crumbling castle.
Such a loss is grandeur.
First to go is the tassle,
First to come is the canker.
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Thank you for your kind words Herb and yes, it is a sad tale. The local community wanted to buy the castle and they were outbid by the millionaire.
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It’s sad, and sometimes I wish I had the trillions it would take to give new life to these dying icons of our shared past.
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Thank you J.R. and yes it is sad and the direct result of the vendor selling the castle not to the community who put in a good offer, but to the millionaire who outbid them.
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Sometimes, a private owner can do things to preserve these buildings that a community could not. That said, what was really sad was that everyone lost in the end and in the future people will be hesitant to buy these buildings to preserve them. The man was out all that money, and it sends a chilling message to the public writ large. Maybe they should’ve just put some stipulations that could’ve satisfied them? I’m thinking along the lines of how we’ve preserved Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia in the USA. It’s a privately owned endeavor and saved a lot of our history.
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We are fortunate in that we have many historic treasures here who are either owned by a trust or by private individuals who allow access. Castle Tioram is an exceptional case where the owner ignored the guidelines and neither party has been able to resolve the matter.
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I think some of this is a different world view from our differing continents. But the end goal, I value history and wish we could preserve as much of it as possible.
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☺
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Great subject for the challenge.
Wow, the castle’s been there since the 14th century . it’s amazing any of it is still standing. It’s sad that it’s going to ruins without no one maintaining it. I do understand why they would want it to be accessible to visitors but it’s a shame they didn’t secure some way of maintaining it. Still I think it would be an inspiration to focus on for some cool fairytales.
I hope you and the beauties have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
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Thank you for your kind words E.C. It is a magical location for fairytales and who knows how much the fairies have had a hand in all that has unfolded!😉 We wish you a wonderful weekend and much love to you from all of us here ☺💖 xxx
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Great haiku and images Xenia. A fascinating story. There are always these occasional idiots with too much money who think inside their egos all the time.
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Thank you for your kind words Denis and I believe people who operate in this way will always get stuck at some point, until they see the light and change their ways 😉
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It looks like nature is creating a beautiful ambience as it settles into reclaiming its space. It is quite sad to see a historic building crumble into demise though.
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Thank you Amy, I agree :o) xxx
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Fascinating…Mother Earth reclaims her own…lovely post 😺💕xxx
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Thank you Samantha :o) xxx
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Castle Walls
Plant Falls
Seeds Drop
SprOut Roots
LiFE BRinGS LiGht
HOlds Green BriGht
Walls ReTreat Leave Life..
DoG
HOwls
WisDom BreaThe
NatUre Wins PreSenT
Roots Tree HiGher LiFE..:)
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Thank you my FRiEnD Fred 💜 ‘NatUre Wins PreSenT’ captures it so beautifully, like the Gift it holds within ☺💖 xxx
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“Gift it Holds Within”
A greaTest MaGiC i found
bound to sheet music playing
the piano note by note only
iMproviSing by note..
is when the
notes StArting
SinGinG through
My Fingers without
any sheets.. Bare SoUL
ExpoSinG DancEs ouT
Without a Rope
of reins
that
hold.. SingS
oN FloW iN ZoNe..:)
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That sounds like true magic my FRiEnD, what a wonderful gift! A very happy weekend to you all and many sMiles across the miles :o) xxx
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:)!
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