Visited: May 16, 2014
Just as you are approaching Loch Mealt on the A855 en route for Staffin in Trotternish, you will see an impressive, flat topped, cliff-girt plateau on the right of the road. This is the site of an Iron-Age fort, Dun Dearg. A car-park on the right, just 100 metres farther up he road facilitates easy investigation. A roadside gate near the northern end of the dun provides easy access.
The grassy summit of the dun measures 80 x 40 metres, and precipitous crags and cliffs fall on all sides save the north, where the entrance to the fort is to be found. There is little to seen nowadays, but remains of the footings of its western wall are still evident in places.
The best thing about Dun Dearg is that it is a fantastic viewpoint, particularly to the vertical basalt cliffs along the coastline to the north. It’s also a great starting point for coastal walking along the spectacular cliffs nearby.