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Dun Mor

Hillfort

<b>Dun Mor</b>Posted by drewbhoyImage © drew/B
Nearest Town:Ballater (21km N)
OS Ref (GB):   NO29007598 / Sheet: 44
Latitude:56° 52' 11.52" N
Longitude:   3° 9' 53.45" W

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Fieldnotes

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Dun Mor, at the northern end of Glen Clova is in a stunning location overlooking the meeting place of the White Water and the River South Esk. To get to the fort is quite stunning as well.

From Marchburn head north west towards the hotel on the B955 and keep going on the minor road until it ends at Braedownie.

To get up to the fort is at first quite steep, a path is indicated opposite to the farm. This sign is a bit of a joke but on we plodded thinking the first hill, called Downie, was the fort. How wrong was I, we walked a fair distance and I hummed and heyed about continuing, eventually I decided to go on.

From here it is dangerously steep, large boulders mostly with small slippery stones between only the occasional flat to have a breather. In reality I should have gone back down but slowly I made my way up eventually reaching the forts north end. Looking back down I could see that it was one of the stupidest decisions I'd taken. However the view is stunning, the two aforementioned rivers, The Corrie, looking up Glen Doll, back down Glen Clova, and the Red Craig, Cairn Derg immediately east towering above.

One thing for sure nobody in their right mind would attack from the south and west. The builders of the fort took full advantage of the natural rock filling gaps with ramparts, very low trenches stretch across from north to east, the only possible entrance. All of the ramparts are grass covered with only the occasional stone sticking out. The forts dimensions are almost 100m by 50m. Interestingly there had been a fence around the west and south edges, all that is left of them are the metal stakes used to hold them.

Now the entrance of the fort is to the north, and we went through this to get to the trees beyond as I wasn't going back the way I'd came. After climbing the fence I walked about 20 yards into a track which in its Tour de France way led back to a 1/2 mile further up the road. There is always a path!!!

Still, there is a sense of achievement in climbing to the top of a hill even if it is pure stupidity to get there. Great site, spectacular views, use the forestry track which is marked on the OS map.

Somehow, no injuries!

Visited 7/8/2018.
drewbhoy Posted by drewbhoy
12th April 2019ce