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Showing 1-20 of 21 fieldnotes. Most recent first | Next 20

Trefignath (Chambered Cairn)

Just visited the site again this Christmas, the old road has now been side stepped by a new one, there is a parking space on the new road, then you cut across grass to the old road and original entrance. No directional signs to the site are present at the time of writing. This is such a shame, as the new road seems to go to nothing, with it's lovely roundabout, very nice and new- leading to nothing, don't know what's going on here. Shame as the new road layout now seems pointless, going to an imaginary industrial estate.
I didn't see the standing stone that used to be in the field opposite.

Sarn Meyllteyrn (Standing Stone / Menhir)

There is some dispute over the authenticity of this standing stone. But It takes your breath away when you see it standing in the grave yard. The stone is over 8 feet high. It seems to be aligned with Carn Fadryn - your eye goes straight to the hill over the valley.
The hole near the top was apparently when the stone was used to hold a lantern, which leads you to believe it is an true relic, as a christian object wouldn't be used in such a flippant way.
Oh be careful parking outside the church, as I was nearly hit by a white van speeding along!

Dinas Emrys (Hillfort)

Recently Country Walking magazine had a featured walk to this site, I thought it was only accessible through permission of the Craflwyn NT warden, I contacted him and he assured me it is still only really allowed through their consent. So slapped wrists Country Walking!

Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort)

Dinas Dinlle now has an official footpath to it and
an information sign, probably in the hope that it stops erosion. It seems to have brought more visitors to this fragile site.

Caer Bach (Hillfort)

A solution to the long walk is too drive up the little lane up to the church ( there's a small parking area for the church so park thoughtfully) then walk along up the farm track beneath the hill it rises though. keep on it till the fort appears on the right about a half a mile away. There is a house platform to the left, but little can be seen.

Porth Dafarch (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork)

I've visited Porth Dafarch since I was a child, and have only just noticed this settlement. Thanks for bringing it too my attention, when noticed, they are clear to see, just off the country road junction. They are not noted on the Ordnance Survey maps of the area, and seem to be overlooked.

Lligwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech)

Great place to visit, well maintained, the capstone is an incredible size and tonnage - new info boards here guessing how they did it. Just down the lane from llugwy is the ancient iron age village (4th century settlement), follow the road up and it's on the left, follow the field across past the ruin of a 13c church.

Trefignath (Chambered Cairn)

I tried to get there in December 2007 but the road is now shut (access only). I spoke to Cadw about the work in the area immediately around the site, and they inform me in is totally within the law but does worry them. Me too. Shame.

Tre'r Ceiri (Hillfort)

Alternative route to Tre'r Ceiri, carry on the road to Llithfaen, in the village take a right as if going to the welsh language school, after a few old cottages on your right you can park on the left, in a nice car park with picnic tables. Facing out of the car park you here take off across to Tre'r Ceiri, it's a good approach to this fantastic example, keeping left form the bridle way, then cross a stile over a fence and then another over a wall near a farmers trailer and head up to it across the heather.
There's stunning views from this location. With over 150 huts, and in places 15 foot high walls it's well worth the walk up. We stayed for two hours and had it to ourselves. You can then come back on yourself and go up Yr Eifl with its ancient cairn, this pre-dates Tre'r Ceiri ( although there is a bronze age cairn on Ceiri-pre-dating the hill fort) the top of the cairn takes up most of the summit but has been disrupted, it's worth the climb if you have the energy left.

Monument 280 (Standing Stones)

There are smaller cairns all over this area. Beyond the hill near the stones, on rough ground can be found the sight of a WW2 plane crash (the Bachelor Baby).

The collection of stones can be found just a short step away form the main circle, if you're setting off to walk across the moor on a small track in the direction on Tal y fan, in just a minute you will go through these stones.

Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort)

December 07. Very windy, stormy day, as I went up the side of the Dinas I was nearly blown over! I thought the top would be an anticlimax to all the effort, but it wasn't. It's an excellent example. The unfortunate thing is the front of the hill fort has eroded into the sea, about a third is missing. The defensive bank is still very visible and the original entrance is clear. There are great views across the mountains too.
NOTE: the front of the hill is badly eroded and still falling into the sea, so be careful.

Bodowyr (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech)

Small lane, very quiet, very small painted green metal railing around it, a tad to close to it though. It does have a great shape to it, almost childlike, toadstool like. In a beautiful area with views across
to the Carneddau.

Ty Newydd (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech)

Visited it in 2005, went across the muddy field too find it hunched in the corner, a strange sorry spectacle, with its huge concrete/brick crutch helping it to basically stay up. Be amazed at its resilience to time and man's indignity to it. Be astounded at the fact this structure has survived all this. It is for this reason it is always worth a visit.

Barclodiad-y-Gawres (Chambered Cairn)

Seems to be getting a lot of attention from the general P now. Every time I go I follow groups of families on "outings" I think a lot are disappointed as the chamber is locked, but the key can obtained from the wayside stores.
Nice new informative signs there now.
I suppose it's good to see people showing an interest.

Dinas Gynfor (Hillfort)

This is a cliff top Celtic hill fort near LLanbadrig on the most Northerly tip of Anglesey. It is reached by a cliff walk from the 12th century church of Llanbadrig or along old lanes. Part of the fort's wall is still clearly visible as a white band of rock, with rock piles and hollows. There's a ruined summer house on the most Northern part of the hill fort, looking out to ynys middle mouse. Beneath in the cove are the ruins of an old china clay factory, the cove was used as a small port to ship the produce out, also in the area was a medieval Nunnery, the whole area has a wild and remote feel to it, steeped in history.

Arrow Stone II Near Ffridd Newydd (Carving)

I couldn't find anything either, I was walking around in the pouring rain trying to find the stone for at least half an hour before heading home.
Sanity prevailed in the end. I'll try another day, when it's sunny.

Bryn Euryn (Hillfort)

Great place to visit and great views of north Wales. It's the perfect natural vantage point for a hill fort.

Originally the area below would had been marsh land, with streams and the original course of the river conwy, now the afon ganol (see pic from across the valley and imagine it full of water and marsh below).

Little is visible of the hill fort now, the top has a limestone outcrop running around it which can be mistaken for a wall or steps. A good view point to look at the hill fort is actually from the Colwyn Bay mountain zoo, you can clearly see the hill fort defensive walls from there.
The road beneath the hill is called Dinerth Road, this is a word that derives from the hill fort chieftan's (celtci tribe Deceangli) name 'the bear' and is also the name of the fort itself.
The Nant Semtpyr valley below (now the A55 runs along it- see second picture) is where (it is said and sometimes disputed) the romans were ambushed on their way to Angelsey, their leader Sepronious was said to be attacked there (Sepronious has connections with Hannibal).

In the Medieval times the hill was used as a rabbit warren. In WW2 it was used as an early warning signal outpost, a radio mast was fitted on top, signs of this are still visible. Behind the hill, from a small car park near a quarry, is the ruins of Llys Euryn with it's connections too Ednyfed who was the chief advisor to Prince Llewelyn ap Iorwerth and an ancestor to the Tudor King Henry 8th.

Trefignath (Chambered Cairn)

Just returned to see this site and couldn't believe it, they're building right next to it, I'm presuming they are building some kind of industrial site and widening the old lane to link it too Holyhead.
The fields are already bulldozed, the road must be to connect Trearddur to the Holyhead expressway. It's disgusting that such an important site is treated this way.
So the site will now have a more traffic in front of it and the expressway to Holyhead behind it, with a lovely view of the Aluminium works in the distance. Such a great shame as the actual site is still very interesting, and well worth a visit, but it's doesn't look good for the immediate area around it.

Bryn Celli Ddu (Chambered Cairn)

I remember going here when I was a child, on a rainy holiday, crossing muddy fields to the chamber. Now a path has been place beside the stream that borders the field, and a wooden bridge crosses it. Inside the center of the chamber there is a standing stone, it is a beautiful thing, and you can imagine the chamber being placed around it. The passage way into the chamber is really atmospheric, with markings on the entrance. When I last went there someone had left five pence pieces and flowers inside the chamber.
Outside there is a ditch around the chamber. The original incribed stone has been replaced by a copy, the original lies in a museum now, what a shame.
In the field to the side of the chamber a standing stone is on a small knoll, looking over the chamber. It's a great place to visit, even though the grassy mound has been restored.
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