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Castle Haven is a D shaped Iron-age Dun more common to the northwest than the southwest of Scotland and is in excellent condition thanks to reconstruction by the landowner in the 1900's, most academics seem to think he made a good job of it too. The Dun is easy to reach from a minor coast road off the B727 but not easy to see, it is only a short walk from the road but the fort is much overgrown and blends perfectly with its landscape. It is not sign posted so you will need a decent map to locate the site. The Dun itself is enclosed by a similar shaped outer defensive wall of uncertain date and is of a unique, for this area, galleried wall construction. The chord of the "D" is built to run along the top of the line of cliff and there is a seaward entrance with steps leading to the beach below.
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From Port William head out on the A747 toward Monreith for about a mile or so and Barsalloch point is hard to miss. This is a Historic Scotland site and as such comes complete with small car park, info board and neatly trimmed steps to the fort itself but is well worth inspection if you are in the area. The fort has steep natural defences on the coastal side and two substantial horseshoe shaped ramparts and deep ditch to landward. The fort commands outstanding sea views on a good day and is an excellent spot to sit a while.
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Car parking is available at the Laggan Wolftrax centre. Leaving the car park head toward Laggan Bridge along the main road for a few hundred yards. Just after passing a row of white Forestry Commission cottages on your left you will see a forestry track leading up towards Black Craig follow this as it winds up the hill to the fort (it is signposted). Of the fort itself there is some impressive walling still standing and plenty of stuff for the imagination, although the up-down nature of the inside of the fort is a bit harder to get to grips with. The best bit, as with all hill forts is the view and Dun-Da-Lamh is no exception.
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"Teroy-Almost certainly a Broch" R W Feachem 1963 (Canmore).
Well it sure looks like it might have been a broch, although now much reduced. If you remove the surrounding forestry in the minds eye, Broch or galleried dun, Teroy fort must have been a commanding structure sat on its prominence over-looking the loch. There remains what could be an entrance with a possible intramural guard cell on the ENE side; a ditch of significant depth also protects this area with a steep slope protecting the opposite side. It is a bit tricky finding the place but is possible with a good map and for the broch obsessed, a must.
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Follow the farm track from West Ardwell farm, sign-posted Ardwell bay, the track is passable by car (just) and leads to a small car park close to the beach. From here follow the coastal footpath southward around the point, a 5-minute walk, and the broch is un-mistakable and quite dramatic on its promontory. The site is accessible across a built causeway and the remains, although much reduced, are impressive with unusually two openings one to landward and the other to seaward both with checks. There is a mural chamber in the eastern side but we couldn't find any evidence of stairways. Unfortunately we didn't linger due the fact it was raining cats and dogs but this place will stand another visit in better weather as there is much to explore including some outwork.
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We gained access by climbing from the shore below, only possible at low tide. The approach via the gully on the northern side is somewhat easier but not as exciting. It is maybe possible to climb down from the cliffs above but we didn't check this out. There is enough remaining of a substantial broch to make the visit worthwhile and is a beautiful place just to sit and consider the original builders (and the in-coming tide). It's not the best work I've seen but pretty neat nonetheless. There are no door checks or guard cells but there is some remaining intra-mural staircase. So it's a broch all right and quite rare for this part of Scotland.
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A fair walk to the place especially if you have just "done" the White Caterthun, but well worth it in my opinion; if only for the view of the flat top of it's sexier White sister. There is a lot more to see in the winter with less heather and of course only the grouse for company.
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