The Migneint, an extensive area of peat blanket bog overlooked by the Arenig mountains of Gwynedd, is not the place for those seeking easy walking... or trendy 'outdoor experiences'... to venture. 'Hostile' or 'bleak' might be appropriate adjectives, particularly when the cloud base is down and the rain just won't relent.
However, don the boots when the weather is a touch more salubrious and the curious traveller may experience a touch of that special wilderness vibe without too much effort. Perfect for the short day, or when the body just won't respond. It happens, right? Furthermore, there are a number of hidden highlights to discover here, far from the maddening crowds, so to speak: Llyn Conwy, source of the river high above Cwm Penmachno; the massive prehistoric ring cairn crowning Y Garnedd, keeping watch over Llyn Morwynion; equally massive cairns surmounting the sentinel peaks of Arenig Fach and Arenig Fawr; and arguably the most obscure of all - in my opinion - a lovely little Bronze Age cairn located above the Nant yr Olchfa, upon the flanks of Carnedd Iago at SH7919140367.
Although not that far from the B4391 - and within sight of the usual moronic petrol head bikers and wannabee rally clowns racing up and down during Easter Bank Holiday - the location is one to savour for such limited expenditure of effort. Hey, the monument even displays a hint of a former internal cist. Should you lack a GPS (hopefully you do and still engage in traditional fieldcraft rather than have some bloody satellite tell you where you are - or not as the case may be) the cairn is not easy to find. Indeed, I came away bemused the first time of asking. However, persevere since an audience is worth the effort.
Coflein has this to say:
"A small funerary cairn found emerging from the peat. The exposed circular stone structure measures 4.5m in diameter....There is no obvious external kerb and the exposed area is up to 0.4m high. There is one possible recumbent side slab for a cist surviving in the northern half of the cairn. The cairn is located on a flat spur of land raised above the confluence of two streams". [P.J.Schofield, OANorth, 29th July 2008]
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Posted by GLADMAN
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