Attempted to visit 28.4.2011. I walked up from Talgarth, following my route of last year. I didn't re-visit Wern Frank round barrow, but decided to crack on with the day's main uphill before it got too hot. It's a stiff climb, but more than worth the effort. But not for the barrow.
Reading Mr G's notes, I feel better, as I couldn't find anything up here that looked comfortably like a round barrow. Plenty of heathery, peat-y lumps and bumps, but none that I would say hand on heart is "it". Prehistory radar on the blink then. But who cares? The views, once you've staggered up the northern face of the Black Mountains escarpment, are absolutely terrific.
You get the whole spread of the Brecon Beacons to the west, from Allt Lwyd and Carn Pica, the central peaks of Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du, through the mountains of Fforest Fawr and all the way across to Fan Hir and Fan Brycheiniog in Y Mynydd Du. At least you do on a mist-free day (last time I was here the visibility was rather less impressive).
After wandering around for a fruitless while, I headed northeast towards Rhos Dirion, the day's highest point.
An unobtrusive round barrow - presumably Bronze Age - set high upon Y Das, western promontory of Pen Rhos Dirion, itself rising to 2, 338ft and part of the great northern escarpment of the Black Mountains.
Only formally 'recorded' in 2007, due, no doubt, to the undulating terrain and uncompromising nature of the summit plateau, the monument is easily overlooked if you don't know what you're looking at - as I can well attest, much to my subsequent shame.
Nevertheless what a site to have as your final resting place, with mesmeric views of the Wye valley etc! The glider pilots, who use the thermals generated by the escarpment edge to great effect, probably possess the best view of all, but for the rest of us a reasonably straightforward path/track up Cwm Cwnstab, beginning at 188333, is the most direct route.
Coflein: - 'An earth mound, 5.0m by 4.0m and 0.50m high. The mound was covered by grass and moss when recorded in September 2007'.
In other words it looks just like a bump on the mountain top. Doh! Well, that's my excuse, m'lud.
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Posted by thesweetcheat
Posted by GLADMAN
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