Latest Posts
April 22, 2025
April 21, 2025
Since Toby Driver gives it a spotlight in his recent book I guess I really had to...
Looking across Soudley Pools towards the promontory fort, which is in the trees, centre.
Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2024)
The northeastern flank, looking NW. The interior of the fort is at the top of the slope on the left.
Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2024)
The northeastern flank, looking SE. There appears to be an outer bank (left of centre) set into the natural slope, with the fort above the slope on the right.
Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2024)
The steep drop from the northeast side of the promontory.
Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2024)
Looking southwest across the ditch from the bank.
Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2024)
Southern part of the bank and ditch.
Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2024)
Approaching the bank of the promontory fort from the southwest.
Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2024)
Visited 28.10.18
There are 2 probable crannogs in the SE corner of Carlingwark Loch, on the S edge of Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway. According to Canmore ID 64674 “Two artificial islands were found when the loch was drained in 1765. At the same time two dugout canoes, a dam, to maintain the level of the water in the loch, and a planking floor were found.” OSA 1794 (T Halliday). A later report states that “there were four fortified islands, two of them artificially constructed of oak piles.” (J Stuart 1875).
Fir Island, a natural island in the SE corner of Carlingwark Loch, is likely to be one of the fortified islands. Ash Island, an artificial island c. 55 yards N of Fir Island, is another likely candidate. A crannog was constructed on the island, probably connected to Fir Island by a causeway. Ash Island is subrectangular, measuring c. 20 yards E-W and 10 yards transversely, with a central clump of mature trees. An unnamed subcircular artifical island, occupied by a mature tree, lies c. 45 yards WNW of Ash Island. It measures c. 10 yards in diameter and may have been connected to Ash Island by a causeway. It could have been one of the man-made fortified islands on Carlingwark Loch.
April 20, 2025
The Sisters at Higher Drift. Photo taken from the east-south-east on 24 January 2004.
Image credit: Chris Bond
The Sisters at Higher Drift. Photo taken from the east on 24 January 2004.
Image credit: Chris Bond
The Sisters at Higher Drift. Photo taken from the east-north-east on 24 January 2004.
Image credit: Chris Bond
The Sisters at Higher Drift. Photo taken from the west on 24 January 2004.
Image credit: Chris Bond