Dun Beag Cairn

Also known as:
Balmeanach
Nearest town:
Uig (8km SW)
OS reference:
NG460682
OS sheet:
23
Latitude:
57° 37' 55.45 N
Longitude:
6° 15' 20.44 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Dun Beag Cairn (Cairn) by drewbhoy

South of the cairn, my old stomping ground behind.

Image credit: drew/A/B
drewbhoy
drewbhoy Aug 6, 2019
Image of Dun Beag Cairn (Cairn) by GLADMAN

As Carl notes, the cairn is accorded splendid views.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 15, 2019
Image of Dun Beag Cairn (Cairn) by GLADMAN

Looking across the cairn to the wondrous Cleat, top right foreground; the Trotternish Ridge, culminating at The Storr (guardian peak of ‘the Old Man’, of course), stretches away to the left.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 15, 2019
Image of Dun Beag Cairn (Cairn) by GLADMAN

Seeing as I couldn’t discern anything looking down from the vantage point of the fort the scale of this cairn came as a pleasant surprise...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 15, 2019

Articles

Dun Beag Cairn

drewbhoy
drewbhoy Aug 7, 2019

From Boraig, on the A855 and head west. Now we got very lucky as the gate beneath Dun Beag was open so I simply drove carefully in a short distance, well clear of the road. This is the track that Les describes which goes round the hill and up to the dun. Next time for the dun.

The Balmeanach cairn still stands at over 14m wide and 1m tall, a bit of cairn robbing has flattened the top. There is the remains of a more up to date wall but there might also be kerbs on the west side, at least 2 stones are earthfast.

A great position for a great site with great views of Staffin Bay.

Traffic
Now on the day we visited it was clearly the day for idiot drivers as we were twice practically shoved from the road as people rushed to the top. At the top it seemed if everybody with a car was here, some of Scotland’s most legendary walks/climbs are in the vicinity. Fortunately there is a car park in the middle of being built (with signs about thieving), it will need to big when finished, however with all the traffic the road is beginning to fall apart. To get through to the other side is nervous drive through cars and a hamburger van crammed in at both sides. Once through it’s a clear run to rejoin the A855 above Uig. Just time for another idiot, as we we were slowing down at the ‘give way sign’ to rejoin the A87 we were overtaken at the junction by someone speeding towards the ferry. Unbelievable or words probably stronger!

Visited 20/7/2019.

Public road announcement over.

Dun Beag Cairn

C
CARL Aug 21, 2013

We parked at the burial ground and I left the others in the car (it was raining – again) while I headed up the hill opposite.

The Cairn is not visible from the road but soon comes into view as you reach the higher ground.

The Cairn is approximately 1m high x 15m across and is afforded great views.

Sites within 20km of Dun Beag Cairn

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