Dun da Lamh facts for kids
Dun da Lamh is an old, ruined hill fort built by the Picts long ago. It's located near a place called Laggan in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. This important historical site has been protected as a scheduled monument since 1986, with more land added to its protected area in 2001.
What is Dun da Lamh?
The name Dun da Lamh comes from Gaelic. It means "fort of the two hands." This name gives us a clue about its shape or how it was used.
Dun da Lamh sits high up on a hilltop. From there, you can see a dam on the river Spey to the north. To the south, there are views of the River Mashie and Strath Mashie. The sides of the hill are very steep, making it hard to reach. Only the western side is easier to get to.
How Big Was the Fort?
This fort is about 110 meters (360 feet) long. Its width changes, from 30 meters (98 feet) to 75 meters (246 feet). The fort has strong walls called ramparts. These walls were made from large stone slabs.
The best-preserved parts of the ramparts are on the western side. These walls are usually between 4 and 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) wide. At their widest, they can be up to 7.5 meters (25 feet) across.
The inside of the fort covers an area of about 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet). Most of the inside is clear of trees, but some small plants are starting to grow. You can also find two small shelters inside the fort. People believe these were built by the Home Guard during the Second World War.
Archaeologists have not dug up the fort yet. However, they did study it carefully in 2010 and 2011.
Images for kids
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A recent structure at Dùn dà Làmh
