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Mynydd Maes-teg

Cairn(s)

<b>Mynydd Maes-teg</b>Posted by thesweetcheatImage © A. Brookes (27.7.2013)
Nearest Town:Pontypridd (9km ENE)
OS Ref (GB):   SS97699014 / Sheet: 170
Latitude:51° 36' 0.98" N
Longitude:   3° 28' 38.5" W

Added by CARL


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<b>Mynydd Maes-teg</b>Posted by thesweetcheat

Fieldnotes

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Visited 5.1.13

Directions:
From the A4093 take the B4564 (sign posted Gilfach Goch).
Where the road forks, stay left and drive past the pub (Old Gilfach Goch? – I think it was called) which will be on your right.
A little further up the road (on your left) you will see a small tarmac area which is blocked off with large boulders. This is next to a ruined derelict building.
There is room to park in front of the boulders off the road.
Walk up the tarmac, past the small wooden cross (in memory of Mr and Mrs Adams) which is directly behind a large round boulder, over the metal field gate and head directly up the very steep hillside.
You should then come out pretty much right on top of the cairns – assuming you haven’t died falling off the near vertical section on the way up!


My first (and nearly last!) site visit of 2013.
We had planned to go to Cheddar for the day but for various reasons (which I won’t bore you with) it didn’t happen. This left me ‘stranded’ at home feeling like a caged animal. Karen obviously felt ‘the vibe’ and suggested I go out somewhere on my own – probably to get me out of the house!
It was by now early afternoon so I looked through my notes to try to find somewhere I hadn’t been to which wasn’t too far away. So Gilfach Goch here I come!

After clambering up the very steep (and rather dangerous) hillside it was my good fortune to come out very close to the cairns. Coflein states there are 6 cairns although I was only able to spot 4.

The top of the hill was the usual open moorland with lots of clumps of ‘spiky grass’.
It was very mild for the time of year with only a slight wind. The sky was full of dark brooding clouds although the sun was doing its best to break through. Nearby, several wind turbines were in the process of being erected and over in the distance many more were slowly turning in the breeze. The view down on the village was pretty good although there wasn’t much of view in any other direction otherwise. A cockerel was giving its all in the distance – despite it being mid afternoon. Perhaps he got up late!

As for the cairns themselves – which were all pretty close together:
Cairn 1 – 0.5m high x 5m across – grass covered
Cairn 2 – 0.3m high x 5m across – covered in ‘spiky grass’
Cairn 3 – 0.3m high x 3m across – covered in rough grass
Cairn 4 – 0.3m high x 5m across – grass covered.

The site feels a lot more remote than it actually is
One for the dedicated (mad) only.
Oh, and by the way, it helps if you are fit and not afraid of heights!
Coflein states:
‘Six small cairns, 3-5m in diameter and c0.5m high, set on the E side of Mynydd Maes-teg, in an area where no other evidence of settlement or clearance has been noted’.
Posted by CARL
7th January 2013ce