Dunan Aula

Nearest town:
Lochgilphead (19km SSE)
OS reference:
NM83420697
OS sheet:
55
Latitude:
56° 12' 21.11 N
Longitude:
5° 29' 32.53 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Articles

Dunan Aula

nix
nix May 15, 2023

This is an easy and beautiful walk from the road.
The cist is in a gorgeous location on top of a natural mound.
Take a picnic

Follow the direction for the Barbreck stone row.

From the Barbreck stones (in the farmyard behind and slightly to the east of the grand house) take the track that runs east over a grass bridge.

Follow the track as it bends to the left and winds up the valley with the river to your left. After a mile the track turns sharp left and heads through a ruined farm’s yard.

Pass through a gate, turn right and follow the track with thrive to your left again until it crosses a stream. The cist / cairn is on top of the mound ahead of you.

You will be able to see the massive Sluggan standing stone from it too.

Folklore

Dunan Aula
Cist
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Jul 3, 2012

There’s a natural knoll not far from the Barbreck stones. A mausoleum was built here in the late 18th century, and the builders found a cist made of four large stones and a gabled capstone. Inside was an urn and cremated remains. There’s an upright slab on the side of the knoll too.
Canmore record

The Battle between the Craignish People and the Lochluinnich Norwegians at Slugan.
The Norwegians once made a sudden descent from their ships on the lower end of Craignish. The inhabitants, taken by surprise, fled in terror to the upper end of the district, and halted not until they reached the Slugan (gorge) of Gleann-Domhuinn, or the Deep Glen. There, however, they rallied under a brave young man, who threw himself at their head, and slew, either with a spear or an arrow, the leader of the invaders. This inspired the Craignish men with such courage that they soon drove back their disheartened enemies across Barbreck river. The latter, in retreating, carried off the body of their fallen leader, and buried it afterwards on a place on Barbreck farm, which is still called Dunan-Amhlaidh, or Olav’s Mound. The Craignish men also raised a stone at Slugan to mark the spot where Olav fell.

From ‘Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition’ (Argyllshire series) by Archibald Campbell (1889).

Slugan is now Sluggan on the OS map.

Sites within 20km of Dunan Aula

Like all websites everywhere, we use cookies.