Creag Garten has always been high on my list of places to see being situated in one of my favourite areas looking south on to the Cairngorms.
We parked, nice chap the farmer who allowed us to park and gave us directions, at the Gartenbeg Farm. From there we headed north to some old sheds near a brand new gate which gained us entry to the Deishar Wood/Gartenbeg Plantation without jumping any fences. From here we headed north west and cross country to the top of the hill. Creag Garten has impressive northern defences, a sheer drop. It would have had impressive views north and south, and will again when the trees are chopped down. Sadly most of the walls have fallen, however entrances can be seen to the east, with 2 entrances on the west.
According to Canmore the fort is D shaped, presumably the shape of the wee hill its on. It measures 20m by 15m.
A fine way to start another hike in the Highlands.
The remains of the fort at Creag Garten are on an isolated rocky knoll in the forest, and have "extensive views to the North and South" according to the record via Pastmap. It seems in the right area to relate to the following story, collected in Strathspey.
About a hundred years ago, a farm labourer was walking through the woods at Garten Beg towards Carrbridge, on a very misty evening, when he heard the strains of the most wonderful music he had ever heard in his life. Walking towards the sounds, he could see nothing, and the music became fainter and fainter, gradually dying away entirely.
On reaching his home, he informed his old mother, who promptly said: "Oh, those were the fairies blowing their fog horn, while on the march from one place of abode to another."
This is reputed to be perfectly true, and the music had been heard on many occasions. The wood is very rocky and abounds in huge boulders, and to this day a cave is pointed out as one of the resting places of those self same fairy folk.
(Told to Murdoch Maclennan of Dulnain Bridge, Speyside, Scotland, by the farm labourer's grandson.)
p76 in
Folk Tales
E. J. Begg
Folklore, Vol. 50, No. 1. (Mar., 1939), pp. 75-81.
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