This stunning photograph was taken on a Winter walk to Dun da Lamh Pictish Fort, starting from Laggan Wolftrax. We have been enjoying some lovely crisp winter days recently. This day was particularly clear, with early morning fog, but when the fog lifted it revealed the beauty of the loch and hills below. They were positively glowing in the winter sunshine.
The walk can be made either from Laggan Wolftrax or from the Spey dam road beyond Laggan. Either way, you soon turn off on a track heading beneath the Fort. This day I headed up the direct route, up some steep mountain biking trails in the wood. These emerge just below the Fort, with a rather icy ascent onto the Fort itself. Apparently the majority of Scottish hillforts date from the Iron Age, the later half of the first millennium BC, although this one might actually originate from the Bronze age. All that remains now are some ramparts and an impression of the site with its impressive defensive position. The hillside drops dramatically down hundreds of feet to Spey dam, so be careful if you are there with small children or inquisitive dogs!
Descending again, I took the gentler track route back, which zig-zags its way back down the hill. The walk can be extended before going down, to reach the summit of Black Crag. The route is planted with Forestry. On this occasion there were quite a few trees down, from the ravages of Storm Arwen. For a short walk, the views are stunning, and this is definitely a route we recommend.