Garn Las (Troed y Rhiw) Round Cairn View all content for Garn Las (Troed y Rhiw)

Directions: See directions for Mynydd Aberdare. Once you have parked follow the edge of the trees south, down the hill, along a rough track and under the electricity pylons. Continue along the track up the opposite hill and through the forestry plantation. The Cairn is easily seen at the junction where several paths meet. It is a 25 minute walk from where you park your car. As I approached the forestry there were lots of notices pinned to trees informing walkers that as of October 2012 public access through the plantation is no longer allowed. Apparently Merthyr Council have withdrawn the permissive walkways and bridleways. One particular colourful sign reiterated that the public were not allowed entry. I of course chose to ignore the signs and carry on as planned. It was quite a pleasant walk through the trees (except for the customary bits of litter lying around) although the track was very wet in places. The Cairn was very easy to spot on the right where the paths meet. Next to the cairn was a large, rusty steel drum. The Cairn consisted of a large pile of grey stones approximately 0.5m high x 10m in diameter. A small ‘walkers’ shelter’ had been built into it. Why a shelter would be needed in the middle of a forestry plantation is anyone’s guess? The hole where the cist once was had a pretty little bush growing out of it and a large flat stone discarded on the side of the Cairn could easily have once formed part of the cist? This was a nice place to visit. There is always something nice about a site surrounded by trees. The trees obviously blocked any views except for a small area to the east where a large track had been cut through the trees. This site does take a bit of effort to walk to but if you are in the area visiting the other nearby sites then this one is well worth the trouble. Coflein states: ‘An extensively strewn cairn, 15.9m in diameter and 1.2m high with remains of a possible cist, set on a boundary’. (source Os495card; SO00SW5) j.Wiles 22.07.02

Posted by CARL 22nd August 2013ce

Comments (2)
It looks as though the access to this area has been contested over the last few years, but a whole new network of rights of way has been opened through the woods. My Rhondda 1:25000 map from 2008 doesn't show anything except the Coed Morgannwg Way, but looking at the Forestry Commission website there's dozens of new paths, one of which goes right past this cairn.	Posted by thesweetcheat 10th July 2015ce
Further positive update - the rusty drum has gone.	Posted by thesweetcheat 22nd November 2015ce
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