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View Full Version : World War II defense post - Toward, Dunoon - January 2010



trencheel303
17-01-2010, 11:42 PM
This is a bit of an ambiguous one, I hope it's right for the site and this section of the forum.

The site lies at Toward (pronounced 'Te-wurd') Point just 10 minutes drive south of Dunoon, and can be seen from the road. It appears to be on private land (what isn't these days?) and we had to cross a farm to get to it :rolleyes:
There isn't much left of the insides of the buildings, but surprisingly most of them are still standing. It's the kind of thing that you wouldn't notice from the road unless you knew it was there... case in point, I've lived in this area for over 10 years and didn't know it existed until my mate pointed it out. He reckons they are from the WW2 era, which would make sense so as to defend from the U-boats creeping up the Firth of Clyde.

Let's get on with it :thumb

Difficulty: Easy, just don't get caught crossing the farm.
Time needed: 2-4 hours. Not a big site, but has you wandering for ages, and if you look hard enough, there's all sorts to find.
Return visit: Not essential.

Gear: Canon EOS 450D & 18-55 kit lens.

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Approach.jpg

Approach.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Firstbuilding.jpg

First building.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Fallenwalls.jpg

This one has submitted to the constant battering of our weather.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Control.jpg

Control.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Rubble.jpg

Fallin' tae bits!


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Watchout.jpg

Watch out!


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Window.jpg

Window.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/RemainsofanoldFireplace.jpg

Remains of an old fireplace in one of the buildings. I think this was a gatehouse or something similar, due to its position. It's the building on the far right in the approach photo.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Remainsofatoilet.jpg

The bog ... whats left of it anyway.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Outletforthetoilet.jpg

Outlet.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Infiltrationoftheweedsandmoss.jpg


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/BrokenWindows.jpg


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Throughthedoorways.jpg

Looking in to the central building.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/bottleandpossibleremainsofagaslamp.jpg

What looks like the remains of a gas lamp, and a bottle. I sincerely hope that white object at the bottom isn't a bone :eek:


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/LookingouttoWemyssBayandLargsfromth.jpg

Looking towards Wemyss Bay and Largs.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/LookingtoMillportfromthecontrolbloc.jpg

Cumbrae.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Lightinthecontrolblock-upstairs.jpg

Arty shot from upstairs.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Possibleweaponmountwithshellcasings.jpg

I can only imagine this was a mount for a weapon, with shell casings on the right.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Metalplatewithbulletholesandemptyca.jpg

:smclap


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Switches.jpg

Switches.


The sun started to set, so I did some of my usual arty shots.

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Thesoldier.jpg

The soldier.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Thesoldier-Redux.jpg

The soldier - Redux.


http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/bathtime.jpg

Bathtime!


That's all for now. More of an excuse to take arty-farty photos than an explore, but I thought it was worth a mention anyway.

industry
18-01-2010, 12:15 AM
Some cracking pictures there Mate :thumb

superkev
18-01-2010, 12:24 AM
Excellent pics there, really like your arty shot! looks like a cracking view!

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac70/trencheel303/World%20War%20II%20post%20remains%20-%20Toward%20-%20January%202010/Possibleweaponmountwithshellcasings.jpg
quite possibly the mounting base for a range finder.
:thumb

trencheel303
18-01-2010, 01:06 AM
I tried to find out more on Google but there's nothing there :(

Tankman
18-01-2010, 09:45 PM
The Defence of Britain Database lists the buildings as:

Toward Point Coastal Battery. The site is depicted as five roofed buildings on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 scale map (1981). The battery was armed with two 4.7in guns during 1940, but recorded as having none by 1943 (PRO: WO 199/2627 and WO 199/527).
(Source: NMR 1999/03)

Link here:
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/specColl/dob/ai_full_r.cfm?refno=15277&CFID=3647617&CFTOKEN=67087549

the_undertaker
18-01-2010, 09:48 PM
liking the shots looking out to sea, captured in some nice light :thumb

boxfrenzy
18-01-2010, 10:52 PM
I do like these places. Good report, and top marks to Tankperson for more info :thumb

trencheel303
19-01-2010, 12:13 AM
Thanks guys and thanks Tankman!!!

wolfism
19-01-2010, 09:51 AM
Interesting place - I think there's more about it on the Secret Scotland website. I'm 99% that's a range finder base - we came across one that's almost identical at the Sutors of Cromarty ...