After taking in the wonderful views at Garvard we headed back, east, past Garvard farmhouse to the car park. From here I walked north on the B8085 until the first track that heads east. I followed this track to just before the first serious corner to approach the fort from the north east. The terrain here is also flatter and luckily fairly dry as the area had just missed the previous nights storms.
By taking this route the fort can be entered by the front door on the east, facing stones are still in place. Whoever built the fort must have strong, building stones that remain in place are huge. Most of the defences are on the east with the walls being almost 6m wide. Steep cliffs protect the other sides, their walls being only 2.5m wide. Beneath the south there is a tremendous amount of fallen building material. Even these walls must have been massive. They would have surrounded an area of about 54m east to west, and 25m north to south.
Views are fantastic, Jura, Islay, Oronsay can all be seen as well as views to the mainland. To the north Loch Cholla and my old / new friend Dun Eibhinn which dominates the centre of the island.
Fantastic site.
Visited 13/08/2024.