Dunadd Fort ***

Region: Argyll & The Isles

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Description:

Dunadd, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Dalriada (Dál Riata), rises out of the barren flatness of Crinan Moss, the raised floodplain of the river Add.

I have 'awarded' Dunadd three stars. Not so much for the magnificence of the castle (there is no castle!) but for the sheer historical importance of this site.

This rocky outcrop was the power base of the Scotii (See: History). This originally Irish tribe were eventually to give Scotland its name, and evidence suggests a rich cultural heritage of fine craftsmanship and trading throughout Dark Age Europe. Excavations show that there has been a fort on this site from the Iron Age period, but the site is most famous as being the stronghold of the Scotii tribe and centre of the Kingdom of Dalradia.