Plan showing the hut circles inside, from ‘Field Work in Colonsay and Islay 1944-45’ by Stuart and C.M. Piggot, in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol 80 (1948).
Images
Why the winds at this place can be benign despite blowy nearby: the cliff profile carries them up and over. Seen from the promontory north of site (centre of image). Possible way down to shore visible below rocky knoll.
Image credit: Mike Purslow
The only upright stone in the fort, presumably part of a hut circle.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Round this cliff into another part.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The wee section beside the sloped cliff.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The interior of the east section, round the sloped cliff leads to another section.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The south section of the west section, no need to build a wall, nature had already done it.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The west section of the fort looking north.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Furthest west point looking down, nobody would attempt to take over the fort from this side.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Furthest west point, sheep on life guard duty as well.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The south west section of the site.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The entrance, there are hut circles both sides of the track.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The furthest south of the hut circles.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The furthest north hut circle.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The most northern part of the east side of the site.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Several parts of the wall survive, this heading north west.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The east wall.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
On the other side of the causeway, a sheer drop into a rough sea.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
A watery grave at the bottom of the hole, eventually I’d assume this will vanish.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The guard was soon shifted :-)
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Walking from Tealtaig, Uragaig to the south.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Articles
The weather remained cloudy and the wind had picked up for the last visit to a prehistoric site on the this trip Colonsay. Follow the track as it heads south west from Dun Tealtaig. Uragaig is easy to spot with its distinctive shape.
Apart from the entrance on the east, a natural causeway some of which has collapsed, the rest of the fort is surrounded by steep cliffs and guarded by some sheep.
It seems to be a fort of extensions, nature had been kind to the builders providing them with what looks like spare rooms, to me at least. They also made use of the ridge on the east side and built a wall – 60m in length and survives, still standing at just over 0.5m and 2m wide. Inside this wall there are several hut circles and other traces of buildings, probably built at a later date.
So that was Colonsay, guess we’ll be back.
Visited 15/08/2024.
...It is interesting to find that a close connection existed between Colonsay and Oronsay and Dublin, in this way, that Aud or Audna, who was the Queen of Olaf the White, lived at Dun Uragaig on the north-west side of Colonsay, along with her son Thorstein the Red. Aud was known as the richest woman in the world, and later she proceeded out to Iceland, and founded a colony at Hvamm Firth. Aud is a very great personage indeed in the Icelandic Sagas. I would refer your inquirer to Grieve’s “Oronsay and Colonsay,” in 2 volumes...
From Mr W.H. Milligan, Carnlough.
A correspondent in the ‘Northern Whig’, 16th October 1924.
Sites within 20km of Dun Uragaig
-
Dun Tealtaig
photo 12description 2 -
Uamh Ur
description 1 -
Uamh Heorredh
-
Uamh na Bantighearna, Kiloran Bay
photo 6description 2 -
Uamh Na Mine
photo 4description 1 -
Cnoc Beag, Beinn Bheag
photo 6description 1 -
Port Sgibinis Raised Beach
photo 2description 1 -
Lower Kilchattan
photo 2 -
Dunan Nan Nighean
photo 12description 1 -
Fingal’s Limpet Hammers
photo 16description 3 -
Clach Na Gruagach
description 1 -
Dun Meadhonach, Balnahard
-
Dun Eibhinn
photo 15description 3link 1 -
Dun Meadhonach
photo 10description 2 -
Buaile Riabhach
photo 9description 2 -
Scalasaig Farm
photo 4description 1link 1 -
Scalasaig
photo 6description 1 -
Clach A’Pheanais
photo 2description 1 -
Scalasaig Standing Stone
photo 5description 1 -
Tobar Fuar
photo 8description 1 -
Dun Gallain
photo 12description 3 -
Dunan Nan Con
photo 7description 1 -
Dun Cholla
photo 18description 2 -
Ardskenish
photo 5description 1 -
Garvard Standing Stone
photo 8description 1 -
Dun a Gheard
photo 2description 1