Dhayah Fort

Dhayah fort stands on a conical hill between the mountains and the sea north of Ras Al Khaimah city, a small mudbrick and stone enclosure whose position is the point: from it the Hajar ridge, the date gardens below and the coastal plain out to the Gulf are all in view. The hill has been fortified since prehistory and the present walls date from the eighteenth century. It was besieged and taken in 1819, the last position in the area to hold out.

What you actually see

• The hilltop position - the fort commanding the plain between mountains and sea.
• The stepped climb - the built path up the cone to the walls.
• The date gardens - the palm plantations spreading below the hill.
• The mudbrick walls - the eighteenth-century enclosure on much older foundations.

When to go

October to April; the climb is unpleasant in summer heat. Late afternoon gives the best light and a cooler ascent. Winter mornings after rain are clearest.

Honest expectations

The climb is steep with steps and no shade, and it is harder than it looks. The fort itself is small and there is little interpretation. Opening hours are short and the site can be locked.

Nearby

Shimal is south, and Jazirat Al Hamra is southwest.