Field Visit
Date 3 August 1915
Event ID 1087848
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1087848
Dun Caragarry, Bualie Caragarry, Loch Eport.
Overlooking the mouth of Loch Eport,some 400 yards north-west of the ruined shielings known as Buaile Caragarry, at an elevation of about 300 feet above sea-level, on the rocky south-eastern slope of South Lee, is the defensive site, Dun Caragarry, occupying the summit of a detached, narrow ridge running down the hill towards the east-south-east, which is only reached after a stiff climb. The northern flank is protected by a gully bordered with precipitous rocks, and the other side is almost inaccessible owing to the steepness of the slope, which is broken up by outcrops of rock. The western and higher end is defended by a huge block of rock over 12 feet in height, which has fallen from the cliff above, and access to the dun has been obtained along the sloping ridge at the eastern end. Short sections of drystone building fill up the gaps between the rocks on the flanks, and on either side of the boulder at the western extremity, and there have probably been double walls at the eastern end. Most of the building has collapsed, but on the northern side a portion remains in position for 13 feet in length, and 6 feet in height at the centre. The area enclosed is of small extent, measuring some 40 feet in length, and 35 feet in breadth. N ear the centre of the fort is a beehive cell of drystone building wanting only the roofing slabs. It is an irregular oval, measuring internally some 7 feet in length and 4 feet in breadth, and showing a height of 4 feet 6 inches above the fallen stones on the floor. The wall is from 2 to 3 feet thick, and the entrance on the west, which still shows the lintel in position, is 4 feet 2 inches high and 1 foot 3 inches wide at the narrowest part. There are several rock shelters without the dun, the most prominent being near the eastern end of the northern flank. This cavity under a huge slab of rock measures 11 feet long, 5 feet 9 inches broad, and 2 feet 4 inches high, and the western end of the opening is filled in with rough building. A quantity of limpet and whelk shells, and a few bones, are seen under the shelving eastern side of the large rock at the western end of the dun.
Some 20 to 30 yards down the steep southern slope of the ridge below the dun there have been some stone walled enclosures, possibly for stock; but these are in a very dilapidated condition.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 3 August 1915.
OS map: North Uist xl (unnoted).
