The Caterthuns – Two Iron Age Hill Forts Above Strathmore
About 1.9 miles on foot.
On two neighbouring hilltops above Strathmore, in the hills behind Brechin and Edzell, stand a pair of Iron Age forts that are among the most impressive in Scotland.
A minor road crosses the dip between them, so both are a short, steep climb from the same small parking bay. The White Caterthun is ringed by a huge tumbled wall of pale stone, the Brown by banks of earth and heather, and the views from both are enormous.
- Time
- About an hour and a half: 3 km (1.9 miles) for both forts by Walkhighlands' figure, with two short, steep climbs on grass.
- The path
- Steep grass paths and rough, stony ground on the ramparts.
- Where to start
- The parking bay at the foot of the White Caterthun, on the minor road between the two hills above Menmuir. Room for a few cars. Free.
- When to go
- All year in daylight, and best on a clear day for the views. From November to January set off by 1pm.
- Dogs
- Welcome. Keep a lead handy for sheep.
- Children
- Two short climbs with banks and ditches to explore. The tops are open and windy.
- Toilets
- None: the nearest are in Edzell and Brechin.
- Before you set out
- Open hilltops, exposed to the wind. Strong footwear is recommended.
The walk
Park in the small bay at the foot of the White Caterthun, on the minor hill road that crosses between the two forts above Menmuir. It holds only a few cars and there's no charge. There are no toilets, so stop in Edzell or Brechin first. Walkhighlands gives the walk to both forts and back as 3 km, a little under two miles, and an hour and a half is plenty. Each fort is a short, steep pull up a grassy path, and they lie on opposite sides of the road.
The White Caterthun takes its name from its wall, a massive rampart of pale stone that has slumped into a broad ring of rubble right round the summit, with a ditch and more ramparts outside it. The Brown Caterthun is quite different: four lines of earth ramparts and ditches, grown over with heather. Both were built in the Iron Age, and it's thought they served as ceremonial centres as well as strongholds. From the tops you look out over the farmland of Strathmore on one side and into the hills of the Angus glens on the other. It's open hill, exposed to the wind, and rough underfoot, so wear boots and bring a jacket.
Dogs are welcome. There may be sheep on the hill, so keep a lead handy. From November to January, set off by 1pm.
If it rains
Two bare hilltops with no shelter at all, and the view is half the point, so keep this for a dry, clear day. It's a short enough walk to fit between showers.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by Joseph Bishop via Google