Latest Fieldnotes

I visited this site last summer – for what it was worth. On the plus side it is easy to get to. I parked at Pen-Y-Lan farm and looked out over the field in which the site stands. Unfortunately there was nothing to see – other than a ‘levelled off’ area in an otherwise non descript field. Not worth the effort unless you happen to be in the area and have a bit of spare time.

Last week I visited the Turoe Stone in County Galway. With the pictures of the site in mind, I looked around (the site is located in a pet farm), but only found an OPW info board. After a while I realized a second sign before you enter the lawn, that states, that the stone is currently in a program to protect its surface.

This means a wood shed with 2 small windows, that looks like an arbour, is placed over the stone, no wonder that I didn’t find it :-( . As Michail Gorbatschow said: ‘Life punishes those who delay’.

Although I totally appreciate, that the protection of this treasure is very important or a must, I was very disappointed, as this site was on my wish list for a long time. The whole ‘atmosphere’ is lost and I ask myself, if there were no other (and better) possibilities, to protect the stone, while still making a visit a worthwhile trip.

So if you plan to visit the site, be prepared.

Visited June 2010

Although I live quite near to this site I have only viewed it from afar. It is one of those typical tree covered hilltops. The O/S map shows a right of way which takes you around the base of the hillfort. One to visit for a closer look one day.

When I visited earlier this year I parked at the farm to ask for permission. There was no one in so I took a chance to have a ‘quick look’. The ‘quick look’ I had planned turned out to be a lot longer than expected as the tomb took a lot longer to get to than I thought. When I got to the tomb (out of breath as I had jogged up the hill) I was delighted with the views to be had over the Brecon Beacons – which were topped with snow against a blue sky. The tomb was better preserved than I expected and I managed to return to the car before anyone returned. All in all a good place to visit.

When I visited last year I approached the site from the opposite direction than given by Elderford – mistake! The route I took was very boggy, meant climbing over several fences and scrambling through bushes. In saying that the site is a cracker and was worth the effort. Although a large chunk of the cairn is missing it gives a fairly unique opportunity to see how a cairn is constructed. Good views to be had as well. I stayed here for quite a while watching the birds float by against a deep blue sky. Worth the effort this one.

I visited this stone last summer. Very easy to access as it is on the verge of the road BUT the road is quite busy so parking is a problem. The broken small wooden fencing was still there – just. Not much to look at but easy to find.

I ‘sort of’ visited this site a couple of years ago. I say ‘sort of’ as it was viewed from a narrow country lane a couple of fields away whilst being given the ‘evil eye’ by a farmer who obviously thought that all the minor lanes around his farm belonged to him!! As it was, it was quite late in the day and the light was fading so I probably wouldn’t have had time to get any closer anyway. The stone is fairly easy to spot even at a distance due to the white lichen on its top/side.

This is a brilliant site, and the perfect end to a long walk that’s taken in the Fan Hir and Fan Brycheiniog summits, as well as Waun Leuci standing stone (5.6.2010).

Lots of cars about, parked to the south on the side of the Tawe, but I was here about 30 minutes or so and no-one came anywhere near. It wasn’t until I left and headed south that I realised just how many people were out on the riverbank having barbecues and playing in the water – I didn’t hear any noise at all from the little knoll the circle sits on.

Very good site descriptions have already been posted, so I won’t try to add, preferring instead to lie flat in the middle of the circle and watch the clouds passing overhead. That one looks like Ireland...

Visited 5.6.2010. After a stop-off at Waun Leuci stone setting, this barrow was an unexpected extra (it’s not on the OS) on the way along the Tawe valley towards Cerrig Duon. It looks pretty intact and is in a slightly unusual valley bottom location – although it’s still at 400m above sea level, so hardly “lowland”.

From here the Tawe can be crossed fairly easily on the approach to Maen Mawr.

On a visit to Waun Leuci standing stone (5.6.2010), this is easy enough to fit in with no effort.

To find, if you’ve been to Waun Leuci stone, head back down to the road. Cross over the road (look both ways) and head straight across onto the grassy slope. Before you reach the bank of the Afon Tawe, the setting is visible right in front of you – prepare to be amazed. There are four very small “slabs” in a trapezoid shape, surrounding an equally small “boulder”. Joking aside, if this is what it claims to be, it’s unique outside of Exmoor and is presumably related to the ritual landcape (stop sniggering at the back) that includes the stone to the east, Maen Mawr and Cerrig Duon and various barrows nearby. I’m prepared to believe this is a deliberate placing of stones.

After leaving Fan Foel via the Beacons Way “stair”, passing Llyn y Fan Fawr and heading east, Waun Leuci standing stone comes into view on the opposite hillside fairly soon in decent visibility. On a dry day, this means you can plan a trackless route across the grassy slopes directly towards the stone.

On the way (depending on the way) you might pass a very distrinctive natural rock with a very “witchy” profile.

Keep heading towards the stone, dropping down the slope until you reach the the nascent Afon Tawe – easy enough to cross this far up in dry weather, but I imagine a bit of nightmare in the wet. After reaching the road, a stile gives access eastwards onto the slopes of Waun Leuci. The stone becomes invisible for a while, so just follow the east-west fenceline as climbs the hill – the top of the stone will soon come into view. Approached from this direction it looks like a big square block of Maen Mawr proportions. It’s only when you reach the stone itself that it becomes obvious that it is in fact a “playing card” slab, very thin on the north and south faces and, according to Burl, aligned on Maen Mawr (which is definitely not visible).

Facing westwards, the eastern ridge of Y Mynydd Du (Fan Hir and Fan Brycheiniog) fills the horizon – as Postie has already mentioned, the shape of the top of the slab mirrors the skyline. The stone is covered with a yellowy lichen, which can be seen again on Maen Mawr.

A lovely stone in a great location – although lots of cars were parked nearby, it doesn’t look as though this is much-visited.

Heading back to the road, I crossed over to look for Waun Leuci stone setting.

Leaving the ramblers behind at Twr y Fan Foel (5.6.2010), I headed the short distance north to this cairn. Fan Foel is not a recognised “summit” and as such is often bypassed by walkers on their way on to Picws Du. Which is great, because it makes for a quiet and peaceful spot, with amazing views wherever you care to look, especially if you drop down a little off the top to the north-west, where you will be rewarded with a nice view of the folklore-heavy Llyn y Fan Fach.

The cairn itself has been excavated in recent times, meaning there’s no modern walkers’ cairn (thankfully) and you get a great cross-section view. The cairn has a full kerb, and there are the remains of a cist in the centre. Although the mound itself has gone, this is actually a very evocative place, as the kerb makes for a sort-of-stone-circle feel. Definitely a recommended visit, one of the more interesting summit cairns in this part of Wales in my opinion.

But time and buses wait for no man, so after a quick return to Twr y Fan Foel, it’s down the steep “stair” to Llyn y Fan Fawr and then eastwards to Waun Leuci. Top stuff.

Visited 5.6.2010, on a hot but hazy day. Taking Cerrig’s hint, I got the bus to Dan yr Ogof, home of the National Showcaves and an assortment of megalithic “fakes” – stone circles, rows, chambered tombs.

The Beaons Way heads off the A4067 opposite the Tafarn-y-Garreg (the “Tavern of the Stone”), which has a big white painted stone block outside (just wondering....). Leaving the Way once I crossed the Avon Tawe, for the first of several times today, a rough path heads up the steep side of Allt Fach. The views start to open out, Cefn Cul/Waun Leuci to the right, the distinctive scarp-faced Fan Gyhirych round to the east, and the limestone-spiked Carreg Goch to the south-west. It was blazing hot and the sun was beating down very fiercely on my neck, spurring me to get onto the ridge and a bit of breeze. Taking a few rough paths in a north-easterly direction, you come to the lower slopes of the long Fan Hir ridge. From here it’s a bit of a slog uphill, not steep but climbing continually. Once you get onto the eastern edge of Fan Hir, there is a magnificent view across to the central Beacons (albeit almost invisible in a blue haze today) as well the sheer drop closer at hand (not a path for vertigo sufferers this one). Eventually, after what seemed like a long time and quite a few false crests, I reached the top of Fan Hir. An unremarkable summit apart from the shattered “pavement” along the cliff edge, it does boast some terrific views, notably to Fan Brycheiniog, the day’s first objective.

The path continues north and drops down towards Bwlch Giedd, now enjoying great views of Llyn y Fan Fawr (“Big lake of the peak”?), which itself stands at 600m above sea level. The Beacons Way comes in from the right, where it has made a much steeper ascent than the route I took to get here. And then it’s another climb, the last major one of the day, up the southern summit of Fan Brycheiniog. This mountain, the highest point in Y Mynydd Du at 802m, has two summits of equal height. The first is topped with a trig point and a (quite neat I must admit) drystone walkers’ shelter. From here it’s a quick stroll to the northern summit, where the bronze age cairn is. It’s quiet up here, I saw no more than a dozen people on this visit, compared with the hordes on Pen y Fan.

The summit cairn has been quite badly damaged – and still is being. Aside from the inevitable silly modern walkers’ construct on top of it, the sides of the barrow have been badly eroded by the thousands of feet that have walked up here (mine included now). However, it boasts terrific views and is in a wonderful spot. My next objective, Fan Foel is clearly visible a little way to the north, and I didn’t linger as a group of ramblers appeared, all coming to stand on top of the cairn (doh!).

Visited 5.6.10.
This is a cracking stone, easy to spot amongst the trees right next to the main road into Crickhowell (lovely place to look around). There is a large parking area opposite if you want to get closer. Be careful crossing this road as it’s a busy one.

I have visited this site a couple of times and it has always been sunny! Lovely views over to the mountains, easy to park right next to the site and Dafydd can play in the park whilst I look at the ‘old stones’ – a ‘win win’ situation!

I made the (near) big mistake of visiting tis site in the summer which made it even more difficult to find. An O/S map is a must although it is easy to park once you get to the edge of the forest. This has to be one of the most remote sites I have been to. The best tip I can give is that the burial chamber IS just about visible on your left. It is VERY low to the ground so you need to concentrate. It’s only a short walk off the track but it took me a long time to find. Not much to see really but I guess it is satisfying when you do eventually find it!

In my quest to visit all 120 CADW sites this was one of the first I visited back in 2007. Difficult to find and an O/S map is vital. Despite being a CADW site there are no sign posts to help. Park as best you can at the entrance to the farm (not much room and the tractors were fast and frequent when I visited). Take the ‘path’ through the trees oposite the farm entrance and make your way along the right hand side field until you come to a gate. Climb over the gate, through more trees and you come to the hillfort. When I visited in the summer the grass was high and it wasn’t easy to spot the defences although they could be made out. Perhaps best visited during the winter months when vegetation is low? – and less tractors about!

Trelleck is a fantastic place to visit. Not only does it have Harold’s Stones but it also has a motte, Holy Well and a broken medieval cross in the church yard – all within a short walk of the car park next to the village hall? There is a decent information board opposite said car park. The stones are easy to access but be careful crossing the raod as it was surprisingly busy when I visited. The stones are cracking. This is obviously a very special place. I wonder what it all means? Must visit again when I get a chance. Make the effort to visit this place – you won’t be disappointed.

Another site I have visited many times. (when visiting here you should also visit St Lythans just up the road) Parking is easy and a 10 minutes walk across the field takes you there. The cap stone is huge and the chamber quite well preserved. I have never actually crawled into the chamber as every time I have visited it has always been very muddy. Unfortunately I usually find lots of rubbish / beer cans etc throw into the chamber by the less well educated in society.

I have visited this site several times over the years as it it not far from where I live and is so easy to access. Oddly enough, although Tinkinswood gets all the ‘glory’ I actually prefer this site. On a windy day the stones for a sort of ‘wind tunnel’ when stood inside.

Easy to find – just head for the sports centre! In front of the centre, right next to the road, is this rather ‘unloved’ standing stone. A small information board is next to the stone (equally unloved). I am sure that most people who pass this stone have no idea what it is. If in the area stop and give it a pat. Let it know there are some people out there who do care!

The common is easy to find although if you do have a problem just ask a local! Plenty of places to park and I was surprised how pleasant the common was for a walk. Lots of ‘modern’ standing stones about – circles / avenues etc. Somehow it seemed a strange place to find these recreations. All in all a nice place to visit. Don’t forget to look for the cist (Coed-Pen-Maen) when visiting – not easy but worth the search.

I drove down the bumpy track off the main road towards the house at the end. When I parked up the door opened and two blokes came out. ‘Here we go’ I thought but to my pleasant surprise they were very welcoming and seemed very interested about the stone next to their house, asking me lots of questions – as if I knew what I was talking about?!! They were amazed when I told them how old it was and I was welcme to stay as long as I liked. This gave Dafydd plenty of practice in trying to catch the chickens!

When I visited I parked near the farm and took the path past the farmhouse and barns, through the gate into the fields leading to the stone. It was a lovely sunny day and no one was about. This was one of Dafydd’s first sites and he loved looking at the animals. The stone is large and is quite easily seen despite being in the hedgerow.

Agree with Jane on this one – completely knackering walk – particularly on a windy day! In saying that the views from the top looking down along the coast line does make it worth it – just about! At least you can get a cuppa in the cafe when you arrive back at the car park. The path is clearly signposted from the car park and obvious up Rhossili Down.