27/08/2026
Barr Iola, one of the hills overlooking Otter Ferry, is home to a beauty of an Atlantic Dun house (a 'dun' is an ancient stone dwelling found on the West coast of Scotland, which often appears like a fort).The position commands extensive views over Loch Fyne and is well worth the challenging walk to the top. The site is marked by a tall cairn on the hilltop, which is easily spotted when driving over the Bealachandrain road from Glendaruel to Otter Ferry.
The dun's enclosure feels large, spanning 24x17m. Its ringed by a stone wall that is 3 metres thick, much of which has tumbled down the hillside to create an impressive apron of masonry. The internal space is too great to have been under a single roof and there are signs that the perimeter wall encircled several cell-like structures. Argyll's atlantic duns were occupied from 500BC-500AD, though there is evidence for sporadic occupation through the medieval period too. Barr Iola offers a fine seat for a local chieftain who would have been part of the wider community occupying the shores either side of Loch Fyne.
