Every season of Monarch of the Glen ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Monarch of the Glen!

Young restaurant owner Archie MacDonald is called urgently from London back to his ailing fathers bedside in the ancestral home in Scotland, Glenbogle. He soon discovers that Hector has nothing worse than a cold and his sweet but dotty mother Molly has called him home on a pretext and has worked events so he can't easily escape back to London.

Episode 1

Archie's attempts to return to his life in London are stalled by the banks threat to foreclose on the huge loan the estate has taken out. Everyone on the estate works hard to change the bankers mind when he arrives at Glenbogle but it's Lexie, the young housekeeper who persuades him that there are more important things in life than money.

Episode 2

Jealousies run high when Archie's girlfriend and business partner, Justine travels up from London to see what's holding Archie up. It seems she feels he has developed too much of a soft spot for local girl Katrina. She also stumbles on a locked room at the estate which apparently belonged to Archie's brother who drowned when they were teenagers. The Glenbogle ball proves to be the scene of the Justine/Katrina showdown.

Episode 3

A visiting genealogist friend of Hectors discovers a diary which records Katrina's mother, a former servant in the house, as having an affair with someone called â€˜H'. Molly is understandably upset by the implications until it is discovered that Katrina's father, the mysterious â€˜H' is the genealogist himself.

Episode 4

Archie's wayward sister Lizzie turns up with her New Age boyfriend Gerald and it seems the pair have big plans to turn Glenbogle into a kind of hippy retreat. Archie and Gerald end up at loggerheads, however, when some of their New Age ideals seem to involve Hector rediscovering his lost youth and taking an ill advised swim in the lake.

Episode 5

As the Laird of Glenbogle Archie takes part in a traditional boat race across the loch. He is up against Laird Kilwillie, a neighbouring land-owner. Archie finds himself having to race to win back a MacDonald heirloom ring which has ended up in Kilwillie's possession.

Episode 6

Archie tries to juggle his life in London with his new role as Laird of Glenbogle. He and Lexie make a hectic journey down to London for a special Highland night in his restaurant and he dashes back north just in time to see Katrina beat Kilwillie in the local elections. Understandably Justine's patience is wearing very thin.

Episode 7

Inevitably, Justine gives Archie an ultimatum: come back to London, to the restaurant and her or give up both. Archie offers to sell out of the restaurant to help save Glenbogle, but is that what he really wants. Justine arrives at Glenbogle and Archie must decide where his loyalties and his heart lie, London or Glenbogle. Either way, Justine is determined not to lose her man.

Episode 8

Six months of Justine at Glenbogle has been too much for the other residents, Lexie is threatening to quit her job, Hector and Molly have already moved out and Katrina just won't come near the place. To add to the stress, the bank keeps sending representatives to keep an eye on things. Eventually, Archie and Justine have a big, public break up.

How will Golly and Duncan react to being passed over for the job of Head Ranger? Even Archie isn't sure that appointing dashing Irishman Fergal Mac Lure is a good idea. He has the right qualifications and determination but not only, will it upset the household, Katrina seems to have taken a real shine to the new guy and Archie can't help but worry.

While Hector has to go to an old flame for help with a rejected grant application, Golly and Fergal are locking horns in a power struggle over the estate. Poor Duncan finds himself stuck in the middle again as the two mean battle for his loyalty.

Hector decides to marry Archie off and invites a host of possible brides to the estate. Meanwhile Molly is organising Archie's surprise 30th birthday party. Archie has his own problems what with a cantankerous former tenant causing trouble and the revelation that Katrina and Fergal are more than just good friends.

While Archie attempts to turn a derelict Crofters cottage into a proper tourist attraction, Molly finds her gambling addiction has landed her in trouble with a Glasgow gangster who arrives on the estate expecting his I.O.U.'s to be paid in full.

Lexie's estranged mother Pamela appears on the scene wanting to wed her millionaire boyfriend on the estate in a lavish ceremony. Her plans of mother daughter reconciliation don't go quite to plan as Lexie makes it clear that the past is not so easily put behind them. Archie is stuck in the middle trying to please both sides while Katrina is told that the local education authority plan to close her school. But Fergal is planning to leave Glenbogle for a new job in new Zealand and asks her to go with him.

Lizzie arrives at Glenbogle, heavily pregnant and abandoned by the baby's married father. She wants comfort and support but finds her father disappointed and disapproving. Lizzie plants doubts in Katrina's mind about leaving with Fergal to start a new life and as Archie battles to reconcile Lizzie and Hector before the baby is born, Katrina has some serious thinking to do.

Just as Archie finally seems to have got Glenbogle back to it's feet as a fully functioning tourist attraction, a rich businessman from Atlanta USA, Joe MacDonald, makes a legitimate claim to the lands and title. Archie has to invoke the Chieftan's Challenge and battle Joe for the right to be Laird. Lexie has always had her eye on Archie and when Katrina leaves she plans her move. However Katrina returns to the estate, minus Fergal, and sees she has still got a fight on her hands if she really wants Archie back.

The bank sends a manager to oversee the daily running of the new business at Glenbogle and Archie soon discovers that Stella Moon is no push over. After everything they've been through Katrina announces her decision to take a job in London and she and Archie reluctantly agree to part. Meanwhile Hector and Kilwillie stand against each other to take over as new chairman of the golf club.

Stella implements a series of money saving cut backs which include laying off Golly, Duncan and Lexie until further notice, cutting back on amenities and even getting rid of Hectors dogs. Archie will only go along with her so far and eventually ends up going on strike with his friends until Stella agrees to an amicable compromise.

Stella puts a ban on anyone fishing in the Glenbogle river who doesn't pay. Hector and Killwillie are not impressed and defy her rule. They are arrested and find themselves in a cell next to Golly who Stella has reported fro poaching. Of coarse the whole thing is a huge misunderstanding and Molly defends the Glenbogle Three in court where the truth eventually comes out.

Building supplier Stuart McIntosh arrives to repair the bridge and immediately starts flirting with Lexie. He has some big ideas for some of the derelict cottages on the estate but Archie pulls out of a deal when he realises that Stuart is not very trustworthy. Stuart however manages to wrangle a deal out of Hector behind everyone's back much to Archie and Stella's chagrin. In the meantime Golly has made a painful reunion with his daughter Jessica. She believed he had abandoned her but discovers that he tried to maintain contact but all his gifts to her were returned by her mother unopened.

With the bridge repaired, Archie plans an elaborate opening ceremony. He is horrified to learn that the council have approved Stuart McIntosh's proposal to turn Ben Bogle into a holiday village. Molly enlists Duncan's help to prove that the proposed site is actually a place of historical interest but they must work against the clock if they are going to save the mountain. All Stuart's plans are scuppered when Duncan finds a secret passage full of artefacts and Lexie discovers that Stuart made a pass at Stella.

Archie invites a journalist to visit and write an article on Glenbogle. Graham, however turns out to be Stella's embittered ex and he writes a scathing review that will finish the estate for good. While Duncan kidnaps a coach load of tourists and brings them to Glenbogle , Lexie and Archie break into Grahams computer and emails a new and improved article to his editor.   Duncan's tourists have a fantastic time fortunately and Glenbogle becomes an official stop off place on the tour.

While Duncan tries to impress his visiting pen-pal Marie-Helene by swapping places with Archie and becoming Laird for the day, Archie, now as Head Keeper, has to impress an inspector from the Health and Safety Directorate. Nothing goes right however and the inspector threatens to have the place shut down. Broken hearted, Duncan discovers that Marie-Helene is in love with another man but helps her get back together with him. Molly manages to get the estate a stay of execution by playing the sentimental card when she recognises the inspectors face from a visit he and his now ex-wife made to Glenbogle years before.

One of Hector's old army buddies called Toad, arrives at Glenbogle for a regimental reunion followed closely by his police tail. To his credit, he manages  to point out that a valuable borrowed regimental painting that Lexie has managed to put a hole in, is in fact a fake, which saves the estate a huge insurance pay out. The whole thing ends with a huge Great Escape style exit with the veterans and Hector helping Toad escape the police again and fly off to freedom in a sea plane.

When Stella realises that the estate doesn't need her anymore and the bank will send her to a new assignment she decides to sabotage everything she can lay her hands on to secure her position at Glenbogle.. Archie discovers what she has been doing and she admits that she loves him and doesn't want to leave but she also realises that there is no way she can stay now, after all she has done. Lexie pulls everyone together at the last moment and the bank are satisfied that the estate is running smoothly. Shamefaced, Stella leaves and Archie begins to realise how he really feels about Lexie. He proposes straight away and  although Lexie hesitates to make the leap from cook to Laird's wife, he places a ring on her finger.

Episode 9

Molly is delighted to hear of Archie and Lexie's engagement but Hector declares the marriage doomed. Archie severs all ties with his father saying the marriage will go ahead with or without his approval. Molly's brother Jo arrives unexpectedly from Africa.    Meanwhile Hector is horrified to find his trout are being decimated by a killer pike and he decides to take matters into his own hands, planning to get rid of the brute with plastic explosives. The inevitable happens and Hector manages to kill himself off in the most unusual circumstances.

Episode 10

Poor Lexie finds herself feeling trapped. She is developing serious cold feet about her impending wedding and beginning to wonder if Hector's predictions of doom might just come true.   Archie however is determined to carry on witht the wedding plans and he muddles through his fathers funeral as best he can but is haunted by the knowledge that he lost his father while the two of them were not speaking. Hector however appears to him in a dream and gives his blessing to the marriage and although this makes Archie feel much better, Lexie takes to her heels and heads back to Glasgow. Archie is quickly in pursuit and ends up declaring his undying love for Lexie in front of a bus load of people.

Episode 11

Archie introduces a pack of wolves into Glenbogle even though Golly has warned him against it. The new cook/housekeeper arrives causing a rift between Archie and Lexie. Duncan has his work cut out when he must take a test to show he can look after the wolves when the Wildlife Centre opens. Archie swaps Lexie's ring pull engagement ring for a real diamond ring.

The day of the opening of the Glenbogle Wildlife Centre arrives, with nothing but trouble. A new employee, Esme, sabotages the signs and an enemy of Molly's decides wether the Centre will open or not. Meanwhile, Golly is fighting for Irene's affections with Duncan.

Two faces from the past turn up. Firstly, Katrina, and an old friend of Hector's, Louis. Neither of their intentions are honourable. Katrina wants Archie back and Louis wants control of Glenbogle by marrying Molly. Lexie is hurt by Katrina's prescence and packs a bag and goes over the hills, to be then tracked by Archie. Everyone arrives and the now happy couple get married.

David Fraser, an old friend of the MacDonald's, mainly Jamie's turns up with his freind Jonathon. Lexie takes a disliking to him, as he makes a pass at her. Archie thinks he is the same person as when they were younger, but only Lexie can see what he really is. She confronts Archie, who then has a fight with David, and he is thrown out of Glenbogle.   Meanwhile Molly is harbouring a wolf runt (called Hector) so he won't be killed.

Duncan accidently booked a group of naturists onto the campsite, and when a wolf escapes, there is havoc all around. Duncan is also in trouble when Golly finds out about his relationship with Irene. When the wolf is recaptured Golly explains about his recent lapses and his bad eye sight. He then resigns from Glenbogle and leaves.

With Golly gone, Archie is lost without him. Lexie though locates him and gives him food and supplies. Golly comes out of hiding though when a school boy from a party goes missing and Golly finds him.    Meanwhile Molly and Irene go to an art exhibition to impress on a dealer who has been to see her. Irene though spots someone she once knew, which starts to tell the truth of why she escaped to Glenbogle.   Golly returns in the end when Archie finds some money for a procedure to save his eyesight.

Greg MacDonald and his wife challenge Archie for the role of Laird of Glenbogle. Also the debt from Hector's death duties must now be paid, £250,000. In order to save Glenbogle Molly agrees to marry Kilwillie, but then has a change of heart. They duel and Archie wins.   Meanwhile, Irene tells Duncan she is pregnant and he cannot be the father.

Archie decides he has no work to do and so starts to decorate a room for the nursery. Lexie and Auntie Liz are trying to find the ghost of a late MacDonald. Andrew a sculptor arrives in Glenbogle as a new neighbour, and does not get off to a good start with Molly. The ghost is found out to be a private detective trying to find Irene sent by her jilted boyfriend. She leaves and Duncan is heartbroken

A stranger, Paul, turns up looking for Golly, believing Golly is his father. He is not Golly's son but is someone from Glenbogle's son. Archie and Duncan hunt for Big Eric because he is badly injured.   Lexie is in charge of arranging the Ghillies's Ball, but things start to get on top of her, like people trying to help. Archie, reluctantly, lets Paul spend the night, and watches the ball from the side.

Molly now knows the truth about Paul and decides to leave with Andrew Booth. Archie does not want Paul around anymore and Lexie must try to smooth things out. Molly asks Golly why he never told her the truth about Hector and Paul's mother and Archie is feeling guilt over his older brothers,(Jamie),death. His feelings of guilt go away a little bit as he saves Paul from drowning in the current. Molly looks within herself and decides to stay and Archie and Lexie finally get their honeymoon,thanks to Kilwillie!

Now that the estate is finally in good shape, Archie feels he must do something with himself. So when Killwillie decides to open a new restaurant in New York, Archie jumps at the chance to manage it. Meanwhile, Lexie scrambles to save a local couple from being evicted and Duncan discovers a shattering secret about his family.

While repairs are being done in the cellar, the family is living in Duncan's B&B. Paul returns to Glenbogle, stirring unwanted feelings within Molly.

Duncan takes a dip into the dating pool with the help of Molly's new dating agency while Paul gets working on establishing his new climbing center. But when the locals find out Paul is targeting out of area teenagers, they refuse to help in developing the center.

Golly gets an unexpected surprise when his daughter Jess shows up and Duncan travels to Glasgow for a job interview. Meanwhile, Paul takes on new responsibilities by trying to reform the local football team.

Duncan starts his new job with Dorothy and Hermione, leaving the Head Ranger position open at Glenbogle. While Jess tries to impress Golly to secure the position, Paul hires a young delinquent with many hidden talents.

Archie's elder sister Lizzie turns up with a life changing proposition for him and Andrew has his own proposition with Molly. At the same time, Archie and Paul continue to battle over joint control of the estate.

Now that Archie has left, Lexie has taken control over all estate affairs leaving Paul feeling left out. Golly is convinced that Andrew cannot be trusted and confronts Molly about his inclination.

Hermione returns to Glenbogle and begins to stalk Duncan with dark intentions. Meanwhile, Dorothy seizes control over a small fishing island and gets Ewan fired from the local pub.

Lexie is the first female laird of Glenbogle and the host of the annual clan gathering which is sure to start creating troubles in every area of the estate. Matters go from bad to worse when an ancient rival of the MacDonalds' sets foot on enemy land.

Lexie gets an unexpected and unwelcome surprise when her father shows up at Glenbogle. Father-daughter relations are strained between Golly and Jess as well, and Paul learns of a secret that Amanda's been hiding.

It's a new era at Glenbogle and Paul is the new laird. Despite his best interests, his attitudes towards the highland traditions are starting to bother the family. Meanwhile, Lexie returns briefly from New Zealand causing Paul to become a little suspicious.

Hector's brother Donald MacDonald returns after a 40-year absence to Glenbogle. But this surprise visit is not a welcome one for Molly who holds a mysterious grudge against Donald. Meanwhile, Lexie avoids the thought of returning to Archie in New Zealand by throwing a 60th birthday party for Molly.

It's the day after Paul and Lexie's kiss and while Paul is eager to discuss it, Lexie wants to forget it and decides to leave to New Zealand immediately. But slowly she begins to think that leaving her home that is Glenbogle might not be what she really wants. Then, the secret that is the cause of Molly's hatred towards Donald is revealed.

Ewan and Donald find a German Second World War fighter plane at the bottom of the loch and when Paul's former army officer Alex Faversham comes to investigate the plane, he digs up some unwanted memories in Glenbogle.

Alex has decided that the estate is not being run with a firm enough hand and takes it upon himself to bring his military organization to the Glenbogle household but it isn't long before everyone becomes annoyed with Alex. Meanwhile, while Molly is away, Golly strikes up a new friendship with a local dance teacher named Meg.

Isobel's farm is under threat when she can't pay the monthly rent on time, again and is persuaded by her old work colleague to return to Edinburgh to start up a new partnership. Meanwhile, a scruffy stranger who has lost his memory turns up on the estate and the family tries to help the hiker remember his past.

While Golly is away on holiday with Meg, Jess takes over as ghillie. Her skills are put to the test right away when poachers invade the estate. Meanwhile, Paul and Isabel join their new neighbor Lucy at a cocktail party and Paul and Lucy share an intimate moment spotted by Isabel.

Competition sparks between Paul and Chester when they both want to market Isabel's relish. To decide who will be the winner, a duel is called to see who is the better marksman of the two. Meanwhile Meg feels disheartened when Golly gets people into her dance class through favors and Jess gets set up on Rob Roy Radio.

Ewan is shocked when he finds his dad with another woman and learns that his parents are planning on separating. Meanwhile, Lucy's parents are coming over to meet Paul and begin to hint about the possibility of a future wedding.

The time has come for Paul's official coronation as laird of Glenbogle but the family is shocked to find out that Donald is the true heir to the title. Donald takes the news well and begins changing the estate in every which way including taxing the tenants. To settle the decision over who should be laird, Paul and Donald face off in a duel to prove themselves worthy. Meanwhile, Meg returns to Glenbogle with a shocking surprise of her own.

Ever since Meg passed away, Golly has been taking care of baby Cameron as a single parent, with the help of his daughter, Jess. Meanwhile, as spring returns to Glenbogle, the list of repairs to be done is endless and Paul finds himself face to face with a feisty young shepherdess named Iona.

Paul's goddaughter Amy shows up, a relentless troublemaker, and begins to shake up Ewan and Zoe's relationship. Then, Tam Cooper, a recently released convicted poacher returns to Glenbogle, creating havoc for Paul and Golly.

Paul launches his new idea of turning Glenbogle into a luxury retreat when a wealthy couple come to stay at the house. But when Golly has a back injury and Molly rushes to his aid, Paul finds himself short staffed and strapped for cash.

Ewan believes he's struck gold when he discovers that Amy has photographed a monster emerging from the loch. Although skeptical at first, Paul too soon finds himself captivated by the mystical creature and the magical power it seems to have.

Iona is stunned when her former fiancé, Malcolm McRae, comes to Glenbogle to help save the estate's forest from a spreading fungi. The surprise forces Paul to consider his true feelings for Iona while attempting to heal the damage in the woods. Meanwhile, Jess competes in the local Ghillie's challenge, as the only woman, with all odds stacked against her.

Emotions are running high. The bank can no longer wait for Glenbogle to pay off their debt, forcing Paul to sell the estate. Then, a wealthy stranger comes to buy the estate forcing the family to face their futures without Glenbogle. Meanwhile, Molly must decide between Golly and Killwillie, Donald must face up to his future, alone, Paul must confront his true feelings for Iona and Golly must confront his true feelings for Molly. All of this comes to a head, and a surprising visitor from the past lends a helping hand.

Archie MacDonald, a young restaurateur is called back to his childhood home of Glenbogle where he is told he is the new Laird of Glenbogle.

The Best Seasons of Monarch of the Glen

The Best Seasons of Monarch of the Glen

Season 5

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 6

Season 7