Dramatic lochside monument where Bonnie Prince Charlie launched the 1745 Jacobite Rising.

Standing at the head of Loch Shiel, the Glenfinnan Monument marks the spot where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard on 19 August 1745, signalling the start of the final Jacobite Rising. The lone Highlander statue atop the column gazes down the loch, creating one of Scotland’s most stirring vistas. Managed by the National Trust for Scotland, the site includes an informative exhibition on the ’45 and a climb up the monument’s narrow staircase for a sweeping view of the surrounding hills and the iconic railway viaduct. It is an essential stop for understanding the real events that frame the Outlander saga.