Tumbled stone and sand fill the low broch (an Iron Age drystone round tower) remains at Baile Mhargaite. Baile Mhargaite, also called Sandy Dun or Invernaver Broch, is an Iron Age broch, a drystone tower-like roundhouse, in Strathnaver.
The broch has not been excavated and no finds are reported, so its story comes mainly from the surviving structure. A possible entrance is suggested by a partly exposed lintel slab on the west side, while steep rock slopes, a natural ditch, and traces of an outer wall show how the site used the landscape for defence.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
Baile Mhargaite was built in the Iron Age as a broch in Strathnaver.
The broch later became tumbled and filled with stone rubble and sand.
A small building annexe abuts the broch to the west.
A partly exposed lintel slab may mark the original entrance in the west wall.
A natural ditch west of the broch may have formed part of the defences.
The broch has never been excavated, and no finds have been reported.
Connections
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Strathnaver
Sutherland landscape where the broch stands.
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Lochan Druim An Duin
Alternative name associated with the site.
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Scheduled monument
Protected status noted in the source pack.
What to look for
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Tumbled broch wall
Low, rubble-filled wall remains show the circular structure.
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Possible lintel entrance
A partly exposed lintel may indicate the original entrance.
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Natural ditch
Ditch and steep rock slopes strengthened the defences.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 58.5174°N · 4.2380°W
- Access
- Open access
- Terrain
- Rough ground — reasonable boots advised
Opening & admission
- Tumbled scheduled broch; access not established by the source pack.
Nearby places
Questions people ask
- What is Baile Mhargaite?
- It is an Iron Age broch in Strathnaver, also called Sandy Dun or Invernaver Broch.
- Has it been excavated?
- No. The source pack says it has never been excavated and no finds have been reported.
- What survives today?
- Tumbled walling, a possible entrance lintel, an annexe, a ditch, and traces of an outer wall survive.
- Why is the entrance uncertain?
- The original entrance is unknown, but a partly exposed lintel slab may mark it.
Sources
Explore more: Fortified places · Iron Age · Highland
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