Images

Image of Cronk ny Merriu (Cliff Fort) by Kammer

Taken 27th August 2003: Cronk ny Merriu viewed from Port Grenaugh (looking approximately east). The little black dot on the cliff top is a man visiting the fort.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Image of Cronk ny Merriu (Cliff Fort) by Kammer

Taken 27th August 2003: Looking down from the rampart into the fort and the bay beyond (approximately south west). In the foreground are the foundations of the Viking house, with earthen banks and some remaining stones.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Image of Cronk ny Merriu (Cliff Fort) by Kammer

Taken 27th August 2003: Cronk ny Merriu viewed from the east, with Port Grenaugh behind it. The defensive bank appears to join on to a natural rocky outcrop on this side of the promontary.

Image credit: Simon Marshall

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Cronk ny Merriu

Visited 27th August 2003: By the time we reached Port Grenaugh, everyone was tired, especially William. It was very hot and sunny, and the last thing he really wanted to do was walk up any kind of gradient. Ice creams were mentioned a lot, but there was no van.

The cliff top path up to Cronk ny Merriu isn’t all that bad, but there’s a stile to get over that will cause problems for anyone with mobility problems. There is a bench along the way for resting though (which William made use of).

The fort isn’t very large, but it’s dramatically situated above the beach. Once inside we kept a t tight reign on Will (Alfie was safely on my back) because there are sheer drops on three sides of the fort. The rampart is large, and tucked in behind it are the remains of a Viking house. It’s worth walking off along the footpath to the east to get views of the fort from that direction. From here you’ll see the rampart apparently joining up with a natural rock promontory running up the cliff side (badly explained, but I know what I mean).

After visiting the fort we played on the beach. In the sunshine this was jsut the trick (even without ice ceams). In most other respects, Cronk ny Merriu is not very kiddy friendly (not small kiddies anyway).

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