Visited on Friday 27th October. I was surprised when I looked at the photos on the website because they didn't look like the one I'd taken! I quickly realised that a lot of the stones and wall in which the Cromlech was embedded have now been removed. It now looks more impressive.
Visited 7th December 2003: This was the last site of the day, and it certainly had the biggest impact on us. Driving up towards the chamber we over-shot the obvious parking spot and ended up plonking the car down near the farm with the huge concrete silage silos (not recommended). The sun was setting, and I was panicking a bit, thinking it might be dark by the time we reached the chamber. After walking in circles for a bit we remembered the GPS, and got back on track.
The chamber is really enchanting (and I don't use words like that very often). Tucked behind a ruined farmstead, and embedded in a tall dry stone wall, the chamber hides itself. At first it's unassuming, but then the size of the thing hits you. Camouflaged by the wall, and in the fading light, this process took a few seconds. The sky was rose red and orange by the time we arrived, just missing the chance to photograph the sun set. Behind us the moon rose, and it got decidedly chilly. Magical though.
On the way back to the car I realised we should have parked further to the south, where there's a footpath sign next to the road (green metal arrows pointing in two directions, but with the little image of the walking man peeled off). The entrance to the field where Gwern Einion and the farmstead stand is marked by a small rusty iron pedestrian gate. Once you get through this just head for the farmstead (on the horizon with the skeleton roof) and you'll find the tomb behind it. GPS totally unnecessary, so long as you don't get into a flap like I did.
'Gwern' means marsh, and Einion is a man's name. This site is a rectangular burial chamber, which has been built into a drystone wall. Five stones hold up a steeply sloping capstone 2.7m long.
A photo of a shield made of bronze found in the boggy land of Gwern Einion, some time in the mid-19th century. "It was probably a religious gift to the gods, rather than a casual loss or the site of a battle." I suppose, proof of the ongoing significance of the area.
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