Wardlaw

About Wardlaw

At over 300 feet above sea level, the oval fort guards the Nith estuary, a strategic position that the Romans recognised when they built a camp alongside.
Around 950AD the site was recorded as Karlaurock (now Caerlaverock). Caer means fort or stronghold. Laverock is more difficult to translate. The geographical spread of Rheged is not well documented. In 597AD the High Chiefship passed to Llywarch who is believed to have ruled until Rheged was finally absorbed by the Angles in around 630AD. Was Caerlaverock = Caer Llywarch (Llywarch’s Stronghold)?

Directions: Wardlaw is about 7 miles south of Dumfries on the B725, following the River Nith towards the Solway Estuary. Caerlaverock Castle and the Wildfowl and Wetland Centre (WWT Caerlaverock) are on the south side of the road. You may park in the small car park, signposted to Caerlaverock Castle, on the corner of the lane leading to the castle. About a mile above the Castle, on the east side, you will see a circle of trees on a hilltop at the head of a field. This is Wardlaw. It is an easy walk up the hill and there is a style over the stone dyke encircling the fort. The views are superb all round, and you can see over to the hills of the Lake District on a clear day.