Caisteal Grugaig

Caisteal Grugaig -(Dun Totaig)  the witch of the north

NG86692508 
Factual details below -- for details of our visit on 27/6/17 skip to visit

Park at Letterfearn - opposite post box or drive further on twards Totaig where there are a few places to park.  The broch is a short walk, along good paths,  from Totaig House at the end of the road.

This is third of the duns/brochs we have visited bearing the same name; Dun Grugaig Skye (witch of the west) and Dun Grugaig Glenelg (witch of the east) 

Caisteal Grugaig, sometimes referred to as Dun Totaig, stands on the hill Faire an Duine, which is Gaelic for watch place of the man.(1)  The hill has excellent views over Loch Alsh, Loch Duich and Loch Long.

Grugaig  means a wretched, gloomy or sullen woman or sometimes a witch.  Please note that the references to witch of the north, west or east are purely my own invention.  

The broch is said to have been the residence of Grugaig the witch, mother of two giants Telve and Todder after whom the Glenelg brochs Telve and Trodden are named.(2)   Another story says Caisteal Grugaig was named after an old woman who could raise storms to wreck ships and cast spells on milk. (3)  On the other hand perhaps it was the same woman!

From AOC report

A description of the "clearing out" of the broch in the 19th century can be found at
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_031//31_086_089.pdf

This is a fascinating document as it also makes reference to a vitrified wall at Eilean Donan, cup marked stones, and road markers for General Wade's roads (together with costing for these roads which indicate  that between £5 and £10,000 per yer was spent on building these roads --sadly the equivalent amount of money is not spent these days!!)

In 2010, AOC archaeology did a laser scan of the broch and the results are available in video format here:  This video is far more informative than any description I could write.

Caisteal Grugaig broch: laser scan survey from AOC Archaeology on Vimeo.

https://vimeo.com/17634384



There is some evidence of other iron age settlement nearby:  At Òb na Leòbaig,small bay of the flounder (1)  there is a wheelhouse (NG 870 254). A dun is marked on the map south of Letterfearn.  Eilean Donan castle, across the loch,was originally built in 13th century - could it have been built on the site of an earlier structure?


References:

1) translation courtesy of Jake King of Ainman-Àite na h'Alba.
2) http://www.lochalsh.co.uk/caisteal_grugaig.shtml
3) http://www.skye.co.uk/images/resources/lochalsh-leaflet.pdf
http://her.highland.gov.uk/hbsmrgatewayhighland/DataFiles/LibraryLinkFiles/193545.pdf 

Dun Grugaig , Skye Part 2

Dun Grugaig , Skye
26/7/16

I fancied looking at Dun Grugaig because:

 -  - It was said to have some similarities with the promontory fort at Rubh an Dunain – our last trip

- - We had already visited one of the two Dun Grugaigs on the mainland.  We visited the Dun Grugaig near Glenelg on 17th May but there is another Dun Grugaig near Dornie that we have yet to visit.

- -  I thought it was time to venture down to the south of the island.

Hence with minimal preparation I set the destination as Dun Grugaig. 

As the date grew nearer and I had had limited time for research, I began to regret my choice.

Euan Mackie, (https://canmore.org.uk/site/11442/skye-dun-Grugaig) describes the site as “a dangerous site to visit because sea erosion has narrowed the neck of the promontory and the clefts in it – next to the path – can be concealed by bushes.”

I had already extracted the directions from the excellent little book “In search of prehistoric Skye” by Ian Donaldson-Blyth (available from Portree Library).  Donaldons-Blyth says “care is needed when exploring this dun since the cliffs on which it stands are high and the edges unguarded and in some cases hidden by the vegetation.  This is no place for young children or excitable dogs”… that seemed OK – no young children and the only dog likely to accompany us is always on a lead and not excitable…but maybe a warning was required.  However, experience has shown me that his directions are now out of date.  So, with the aid of google, I found more up-to-date directions.

Finding description of chest high bracken, brambles and birch scrub obscuring the cliff edge I was seriously doubting my choice of field trip – especially as the weather forecast wasn’t too promising either.

My final decision (one which other members of the group had come to themselves after their own research so we all agreed) was to give it a go – and if the vegetation and/or weather beat us we would give up and do Dun Ringill instead.

We deviated slightly and successfully from the various directions given.  A suitable parking place (not a passing place and not obscuring the traffic!!) was found just beyond No 3 Glasnakille.  We ignored the stile mentioned in Les Hamilton’s otherwise useful description at http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5136/dun_grugaig.html

 

A few metres north of No 3 and of the stile there is a fence.  With this fence on our right, we bravely entered the jungle of brambles, birch scrub and bracken on a steep and muddy slope.      In reality, only the first few metres were difficult and this is the stage which is nowhere near the cliff so there is no danger beyond being caught by brambles or losing one’s dignity by slipping into the muddy slope.  

 Soon a faint path appeared beneath the extremely high bracken.  We stayed close to the fence (to facilitate retreat) and much sooner than we expected the Dun was visible in all its glory – but there was a gully between us and the Dun… a very short retreat took us to a route directly leading to the entrance.

There may not be a lot of this Dun left but when it suddenly becomes visible after the short fight through the “jungle”, it presents a glorious view.  We were transported back almost 3,000 years in time.

This one definitely requires a re-visit when vegetation is lower to get better photographs but I hope I can edit this blog later and include photos better than mine.

Far better than any photos, Kathy Lindsley of Ravens Press Gallery in Colbost, really did the Dun justice with her engraving:
http://s3.spanglefish.com/s/4088/pictures/dun%20grugaig%20strath194.jpg

Inside the entrance there is a curious triangular shaped ledge – the shape of the stone above does not give the impression that stones are missing – it really looks like it was planned as a ledge..for a lamp?  Sadly the photo does not show this clearly

Archaeology notes:

http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1468997

Canmore shows the 1921 plan:

Mackie describes this as an unexcavated semi broch or galleried dun.  He says “ There is a clearly defined chamber above the passage roof which communicates with the interior; its right face is traceable all the way forward as far as the massive front lintel.” But we, in our ignorance, were unsure of identifying this chamber

The scarcement he mentions is clearly visible.  As Mackie says this is unusually around 2ft below the level of the passage lintel making access to any higher level difficult.  Also unusual is the fact the remains of a stairway go in an anti clockwise direction – apparently only otherwise seen at Clickhimmin in Shetland.  Several other architectural similarities to Clickhimmin lead Mackie to suggest that this is an early structure within the broch type class, possibly dating to 6^th or 7^th century BC.

Dun Grugaig, Skye Part 1

Our next trip could be an adventurous one - from what I have read it is not the easiest place to reach -- maybe bring along your pruners to cut back brambles!!  We shall see....

I have never been there, so it will be an adventure -- showing below the start of my research.  This picture is from http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/rcahms/11442/skye-dun-grugaig/rcahms?item=1470393#carousel

 
I am intrigued by the triangular lintel - several brochs (and similar structures) had these... just a fashion?  or something more?

It certainly looks an interesting and atmospheric location...

more to follow......
Grugaig part 2