Foel Feddau, a nice medium sized hill (for Wales, anyway), lies upon the main east/west ridge of the legendary Mynydd Preseli. The summit is probably most easily attained from the B4329 at Bwlch Gwynt (windy pass) to the west... however, finding myself upon Foel Cwm-Cerwyn's grassy northern cairn - as you do, if partial to such things - the decision is simply whether to visit at all. Needless to say some fantastic winter light draws me in and I really have no choice... like a moth to the flame. Sure, the hillside may be all a'glow, but, seeing as I choose to abandon the main path and 'cut the corner' to the north-east, the only heat in evidence is that I generate myself as I stagger and stumble across the rough terrain.
As I draw nearer I'm still none the wiser as to the relative size of the Bronze Age cairn which surmounts Foel Feddau. It is only upon reaching the summit that the annoying walker's cairn is placed in proper perspective as a puny little construction set upon a massive, grassy monument. To be honest the grass mantle does make it somewhat hard to differentiate cairn from hillside at first, but several distinctly 'artificially placed' stones upon the flanks reveal the truth upon closer inspection. But don't take my word for it... Coflein reckons the monument '....still stands up to 3.4m high. (J.Wiles 26.02.02)'. Not sure what the dimensions of Foel Drygarn's (apparently now restored) trio are, but is this possibly Mynydd Preseli's finest cairn?
It is also a great viewpoint, the main treasures of the massif lying beyond Mynydd-bach to the east, the wondrous Mynydd Carningli and the coast to the north-west.... not to mention the landscape of Pentre Ifan, Bedd yr afanc and Craig Rhos y felin - the latter apparently the confirmed source of the bluestones - below to the north. That's just for starters, worthy of much more time than I have at my disposal. Incidentally RiotGibbon's 'wasp nest' was not in evidence... possibly dormant for winter, possibly abandoned? However I've seen a number occupying South Walian cairns, so don't hold me to that. I suggest any visitor respects the little blighters if he/she knows what's good for them!
All in all I reckon Foel Feddau's well worth the diversion, you might say... particularly if combined with a visit to Foel Cwm-Cerwyn.
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Posted by GLADMAN
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