Motte of Mark — Attraction in Scotland

Took The Mud Magnet for a trip to the seaside - well, the Solway side - on a really fine day. Parked above Rockcliff, boots on and headed down to the shore. (There are a few parking spots there but you're just as well leaving the car up top). Very popular, so quite busy. Made my way to the trail leading up towards the Mote of Mark, which I hadn't visited for years - no, you don't need to know how many! Do pause and read the information board you pass on the way up. It'll give you a breather before you come to the climb! Not that it's actually that hard, with irregular stone steps, but care is advisable, especially on the descent. Spent some time on top, taking it all in and trying to remember the name of that island! Back to the Magnet and off to Kippford. Mistake... unless you arrive at around 3am you'll never find a parking space! Note to self... next time start our day...

Impressively large earthwork that was clearly of some significance around the 8th century. Not sure if you can access the motte itself as in the day we went we had shorts on and a local warned us it had become overgrown and there was a risk of mites! The overgrown bit is the path down from the crossroads with a sign post on the Kippford to Rockcliffe path, so if you come from Kippford end carry on and you'll see an open field with a cattle grid which gives better access is the side the history panel is on. Worth a look if your in Rockcliffe...

Motte of Mark was the site of an ancient fortified stronghold occupied from the fifth to the seventh centuries AD. The settlement was attacked and destroyed in the seventh century, probably by Angles from Northumbria.

From the summit there are extensive and...