Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
3 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
4 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
5 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Druchtag Mote
AO Edited

Druchtag Mote

Nine hundred years ago, this was the home of a feudal lord. Today all that remains is a steep mound surrounded by a deep moat.

Mochrum, Scotland

Added By
katielou106
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The steep sided mottehill   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
The steep sided mottehill   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
The deep surrounding ditch   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
The rope assisted descent.   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Scotland's earliest castles took the form of mottes, these fortifications usually consisted of a wooden keep built on top of an artificial mound. Some mottes also came with a bailey, an enclosed courtyard  fortified with a ditch and palisade which would contain additional wooden buildings.

Mottes were not just defensive structures, this type of medieval earthwork castle acted as a symbol of the lordship of the area. The first mottes in Scotland were built during the reign of David I in the early 1100s. This type of defense was replaced by stone castles from the 1200s onwards.

All that remains of Druchtag Motte is the steep-sided mound, surrounded by the deep ditch at its base. The 6.5-meter mound, surrounded by a two-meter ditch, is so steep that a rope is provided to help pull yourself to the top and stop you from tumbling back down again!

What makes this particular motte unusual is that there has been no evidence found of a bailey to accompany it. It is unknown who constructed Druchtag, or even precisely when it was built, it has never been excavated, but it is thought that the fortification would have been home to an early local lord. Motte castles were abandoned during the Wars of Independence and never reoccupied.

Related Tags

Medieval History & Culture Ruins Castles
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Scotland: Beyond the Haggis

Smoked seafood, single malt whisky, and warm hospitality.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

katielou106

Edited By

rbenn250

  • rbenn250

Published

March 29, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Druchtag Mote
Mochrum, Scotland, DG8 9LZ
United Kingdom
54.787683, -4.568963
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Drumtroddan Rock Art

Mochrum, Scotland

miles away

Drumtroddan Standing Stones

Mochrum, Scotland

miles away

Barsalloch Fort

Monreith, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 734
Stories 49

Nearby Places

Drumtroddan Rock Art

Mochrum, Scotland

miles away

Drumtroddan Standing Stones

Mochrum, Scotland

miles away

Barsalloch Fort

Monreith, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 734
Stories 49

Related Places

  • Castle Lug

    Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland

    Castle Lug

    This castle once belonged to one of the most prominent families of medieval Carrickfergus.

  • Tharandt, Germany

    Tharandt Castle Ruin

    Near Dresden, a scenic medieval castle ruin offers atmospheric views, educational ties to forestry, and a glimpse into Saxony’s past.

  • Conwy Suspension Bridge

    Conwy, Wales

    Conwy Suspension Bridge

    One of the oldest suspension bridges in the world blends in perfectly with a medieval castle.

  • Birkenhead Priory

    Birkenhead, England

    Birkenhead Priory

    The oldest standing building on Merseyside is special for its rich history as a Benedictine monastery and its unique connection to the origins of the Mersey Ferry.

  • Crawford Castle

    Crawford, Scotland

    Crawford Castle

    These crumbling ruins are all that's left of the ancestral home of Clan Crawford.

  • Red-stone castle ruins sit atop a green hill

    Allinge, Denmark

    Hammershus Castle Ruins

    Northern Europe’s largest castle ruins sit precariously on an island cliffside.

  • Dalquharran Castle

    Dailly, Scotland

    Dalquharran Castle

    The ruins of this magnificent Scottish castle blend both Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles.

  • Caisteal Maol

    Isle of Skye, Scotland

    Caisteal Maol

    This ruined castle is said to be the legendary keep of a Viking princess.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.