Parking
Start at Laggan Wolftrax Centre car park, at the far northeast end of the parking area. A parking fee applies.
Overview
About Dun da Lamh Fort Trail
Why go
- A clear destination combines Iron Age archaeology with far-reaching mountain views.
Heads up
- The steep, narrow finish to the fort is much harder than the main track.
Dun da Lamh means “fort of the two hands.” The Iron Age fort was built around 2,000 years ago, and its position on Black Craig gives a wide view over Strath Laggan: look southwest toward Loch Laggan, northwest toward the Corrieyairack Pass and northeast toward the Cairngorms. The hillfort and its outlook give the walk a clear payoff beyond the steady forest climb.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy go to the topMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Cairngorms map
Full mapElevation253–431 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Cairngorms alerts
- CautionStorm Boelo high windsStorm Boelo will bring extremely windy weather to the Cairngorms; take extra care and limit time outdoors. - The Park Authority expects the very windy weather to last until Monday 26 October.Official details
- ClosureGlenmore wildfire closures and dangerous treesWildfire damage has closed Allt Mor car park and the path to Sugarbowl/Utsi’s Bridge; keep out of the closed area.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Cairngorms Tour Guide
Your drive to Dun da Lamh Fort Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Cairngorms National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Cairngorms audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Laggan Wolftrax and Dun da Lamh0:00 / 0:36
“Up ahead is Laggan Wolftrax, a mountain-bike centre with trails ranging from beginner greens to expert blacks. Start on the green routes if you're new; the black trails involve steep, technical riding.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Cairngorms Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Gold Speckles on the Moor
- A Military Road’s Unintended Use
- Laggan and Corrieyairack Pass
- Lower Pattack Falls
- 298 audio storiesacross Cairngorms’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Reindeer, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 260 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Dun da Lamh Fort Trail
The walkDun da Lamh Fort Trail is a moderate out-and-back from Laggan Wolftrax Centre to an Iron Age…
Dun da Lamh Fort Trail is a moderate out-and-back from Laggan Wolftrax Centre to an Iron Age fort on Black Craig. Plan on about 4½ miles (7.2 km) return and around three hours. The current route listing rounds that to 4¼ miles (7 km), while an older route map labels the final 500 m approach separately; keep time for the steep climb if you want to reach the fort itself.
Through woodland to open groundThe path leaves from the far northeast end of the Wolftrax car park, climbing through woodland…
The path leaves from the far northeast end of the Wolftrax car park, climbing through woodland before opening onto Black Craig. Most of the approach is firm gravel, with uneven stretches and a gentle to moderate climb. Purple waymarks mark the main junctions; there is one road crossing and one gate.
The fort approachA picnic table sits before the information board.
A picnic table sits before the information board. From there, the fort lies about 165 m farther north. The final path is steep and narrow, and the stony summit is uneven underfoot. This short section asks more of you than the broad track, so take care on the way up and down.
Before setting outStart at Laggan Wolftrax Centre car park; a parking fee applies.
Start at Laggan Wolftrax Centre car park; a parking fee applies. Dogs are welcome under the National Park’s usual access guidance: keep them close and on a short lead near livestock, nesting birds or wherever signs request it, particularly from April through August.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Cairngorms
159 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
63 sightingsReindeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
102 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
37 sightingsBlack GrouseMost seen around 4 AMSighting map
72 sightingsRed GrouseMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
82 sightingsPine MartenMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Cairngorms. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
