The Glenelg Brochs, so-called, are of course not actually in Glenelg at all. They are, if one insists on accuracy, in the smaller Gleann Beag, but such a trifling detail is likely of no interest to the modern tourist, who seeks spectacle over precision. Here, there are two of these ancient towers to be found, though a lesser known third lurks further up the valley—Dùn Brugaig, for those with the energy or inclination to find it, although this one being ‘D’ shaped, is it a true broch? Yet the twin towers of Dun Telve and Dun Troddan, a mere stone’s throw apart, are hailed as “among the best-preserved in Scotland,” or so we are told, and we are inclined to believe such accolade written by experts, who must know their stuff.
The purpose of these structures is, of course, the subject of much scholarly wrangling. Were they fortified houses, multipurpose village halls, or perhaps more mundanely, simply a strategic spot for monitoring cattle or trade routes up the glen? We are assured, however, that they did serve to protect the locals from marauding groups. This sounds very plausible, but one cannot help but wonder if the chieftain simply wanted to flaunt his wealth.
Both duns are substantial. Dun Telve, in the photo, rises to a dizzying 10 metres in some parts. They were constructed using drystone walling techniques, so beloved of ancient builders, and have defied the best efforts of the Scottish weather to batter them. Archaeologists, whose job it is to speculate wildly on such matters, suggest that there may have been a sort of itinerant class of broch builders, wandering from one project to the next like iron age consultants.
Dun Telve, we are assured, is also particularly unique, featuring a “scarcement ledge,” which apparently supported wooden beams—quite the innovation. The broch stood proud and nearly complete until the 1700s, when its luck ran out, and along came the Government to tear it apart to build the Bernera Barracks for its Redcoats, doubtless an equally fine contribution to the landscape and quelling the local rebellious clan at the same time.