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Dun Gerashader is a prehistoric fort located on the Isle of Skye near Portree in Inverness-shire, Scotland. The site stands upon bedrock composed of Palaeogene extrusive rocks—ancient mafic lavas and tuffs that form part of Skye's distinctive volcanic geology. This dark, fractured stone provided the natural building material for the fort's construction and would have influenced both its structural integrity and defensive siting.
The fort dates to the Iron Age, when such hillforts and duns served as defended settlements across northern Britain. Dun Gerashader's location near Portree places it within the landscape of early Skye communities, whose fortified settlements reflect the social hierarchies and territorial concerns of the period. The volcanic bedrock upon which it sits is typical of the Inner Hebridean islands, shaped by ancient geological upheaval.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the statutory reference SM2350, ensuring its preservation and archaeological integrity for future study. The site remains an important record of Iron Age settlement patterns in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, offering evidence of how prehistoric communities adapted to and exploited their challenging northern environment.
Dun Gerashader,fort,Portree is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2350. View the official record →
Dun Gerashader is a prehistoric fort located on the Isle of Skye near Portree in Inverness-shire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2350.
Dun Gerashader,fort,Portree dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort,portree. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Dun Gerashader,fort,Portree is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM2350.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dun Borve,fort (3.9 km), Dunan an Aisilidh,dun,An Aird (10.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dun Gerashader,fort,Portree's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Dun Gerashader,fort,Portree stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.