Unsure of the situation in Dublin, Jarl Óttar opted for caution. Rather than sailing boldly into the harbour, he chose a smaller mooring place where a small fishing village at the northern end of a beach characterised by grey stones provided shelter. He was pleased with his choice because he could see as far as Áth Cliath from the heights above the shore. The depressions in the turf suggested to him that the brow might have served as a fortress in the distant past. From this vantage point, he studied the comings and goings of ships before deciding that a trader might be welcome.
Since he judged the distance to Blackrock Bay to be no more than six leagues, he decided to march there with a group of selected men, as he supposed the reception would be less hostile than towards his flotilla of
