Ben Griam Beg and Ben Griam Mòr, though neither Munros nor Corbetts, are distinguished by their remoteness and prominence in the flat expanse of the “Flow Country.”
This view is taken from Ben Griam Beg — “little dark hill” — looking towards its taller sibling, Ben Griam Mòr — “big dark hill” — which surpasses it by a mere twelve metres.
These two rounded sandstone hills dominate the headwaters of the River Helmsdale and the Halladale River.
Ben Griam Beg has the distinction of hosting the highest hill fort in Scotland on its summit. There is little to see: the remains of walls, some of which are visible in the photograph. The question arises: why build a fort here? Even if the climate was milder in the past, the site’s extreme remoteness and exposed position render such an endeavour questionable. Scholarly opinion suggests that the fort was likely a temporary refuge for people and animals under threat, rather than a permanent settlement1http://canmore.org.uk/site/6792 .
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