Ousdale Broch

Ousdale Broch stands on a narrow terrace above the Ousdale Burn in Caithness, Highland. The drystone tower dates from the 3rd to 2nd century BC and once formed part of a fortified settlement. A gravel path now leads from the A9 to the broch, with interpretation signs along the way. The site lies near the ruined clearance village of Badbea and is surrounded by native birch woodland designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Ousdale Burn cuts a deep ravine to the east, while Allt a’ Bhurg flows through a shallower valley to the south. The John o’ Groats Trail passes the broch, linking Inverness with John o’ Groats along the coast. The broch’s entrance passage still holds most of its original roofing lintels and measures 4.3 m long, 1.78 m high and 75 cm wide. Inside, a central court has an internal diameter of about 7 m and leads to an intramural stairway like those at Mousa and Dun Telve. Excavations in 1891 uncovered ash, charcoal, animal bones, shells and artefacts including pottery, quern-stones and a jet armlet. A human skeleton was found buried face-down by the stair entrance, possibly a deviant burial from a later period. The site also appears in the Orkneyinga Saga as the place where William the Lion met Harald the Elder in 1201. Visitors walk along the new gravel path to reach the broch’s entrance on the southwest side. Inside, the reconstructed aumbry and conserved staircase show how the tower was used. Outside, birch woodland and ravines frame views of the surrounding hills. The clearance village of Borg lies nearby, with ruins of longhouses and enclosures still visible. Interpretation panels explain the site’s history and the conservation work carried out between 2015 and 2020. The broch stands as a reminder of Iron Age life and later Norse influence in this remote corner of Scotland.