Dunadd Fort

Southern Highlands & Islands

LoginSave

This hill fort, 3.5 miles south of Kilmartin village, was the seat of power of the first kings of Dál Riata, and may have been where the Stone of Destiny was originally located. Faint rock carvings of a boar and two footprints with an ogham inscription may have been used in inauguration ceremonies. The prominent little hill rises straight out of the boggy plain of Moine Mhor Nature Reserve.

A slippery path leads to the summit, where you can gaze out on much the same view that the kings of Dál Riata enjoyed 1300 years ago.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Mount Stuart

    Mount Stuart

    27.02 MILES

    The family seat of the Stuart Earls of Bute is one of Britain's more magnificent 19th-century stately homes, the first to have a telephone, underfloor…

  • Kilchurn Castle

    Kilchurn Castle

    28.01 MILES

    At the northern end of Loch Awe are the scenic ruins of the strategically situated and much-photographed Kilchurn Castle. Built in 1440, it enjoys one of…

  • Hill House

    Hill House

    29.37 MILES

    Built in 1902 for Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie, this is perhaps architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh's finest creation – its timeless elegance still…

  • Bonawe Iron Furnace

    Bonawe Iron Furnace

    26.33 MILES

    Bonawe Iron Furnace is one of the region’s most unusual historical sights. Near Taynuilt (not Bonawe), and dating from 1753, it was built by an iron…

  • Duart Castle

    Duart Castle

    26.54 MILES

    The ancestral seat of the Maclean clan enjoys a spectacular position on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Sound of Mull. Originally built in the 13th…

  • Ellenabeich

    Ellenabeich

    15.9 MILES

    On the west coast of Seil island is the pretty conservation village of Ellenabeich, with its whitewashed cottages. It was built to house workers at the…

  • Kilmartin House Museum

    Kilmartin House Museum

    3.36 MILES

    This museum, in Kilmartin village, is a fascinating interpretive centre that provides a context for the ancient monuments you can go on to explore,…

  • Rothesay Castle

    Rothesay Castle

    23.76 MILES

    The splendid, ruined 13th-century Rothesay Castle, with seagulls and jackdaws nesting in the walls, was once a favourite residence of the Stuart kings. It…

View more attractions

Nearby Southern Highlands & Islands attractions

1. Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation

2.75 MILES

This nature centre near the Knapdale beaver project has regular wildlife walks and events; check the website. Drop by the centre for advice on wildlife…

2. Kilmartin Churchyard

3.3 MILES

Kilmartin Churchyard contains medieval grave slabs with carved effigies of knights, swords, shears and hunting scenes. They date across various centuries…

3. Kilmartin House Museum

3.36 MILES

This museum, in Kilmartin village, is a fascinating interpretive centre that provides a context for the ancient monuments you can go on to explore,…

4. Arduaine Garden

10.83 MILES

This lovely coastal garden cascades down a promontory looking west over Loch Melfort, Luing and other islands. Rhododendrons and azaleas provide plenty of…

5. Lussa Gin

12.25 MILES

At the northern end of Jura island, three local women have set up this distillery in the former stables of the Ardlussa estate. It produces gin that's…

6. Tarbert Castle

15.55 MILES

The picturesque harbour is overlooked by the crumbling, ivy-covered ruins of Tarbert Castle, rebuilt by Robert the Bruce in the 14th century. You can hike…

7. Easdale Island Folk Museum

15.81 MILES

This interesting museum, on the small island of Easdale just offshore from Ellenabeich, has displays about the slate industry and life on the islands in…

8. Ellenabeich

15.9 MILES

On the west coast of Seil island is the pretty conservation village of Ellenabeich, with its whitewashed cottages. It was built to house workers at the…