Latest Miscellany

Located within the obscure Mid Walian uplands between Beulah and Abergwesyn, this overgrown Bronze Age round cairn takes a bit of finding... however, the vibe to be enjoyed within its forestry clearing is pretty special. Worth the effort. I arrived during the calm following an intense night of torrential thunderstorms spent within the Irfon Pass.... sunshine illuminating the webs of grass-dwelling spiders adding a somewhat surreal visual aesthetic to the cairn’s locale.

Furthermore, the enigmatic (apparent) ring cairn of Pen Twr is spectacularly sited a little over a mile due east, sweeping views contrasting with the intense myopia of Banc Paderau. Combining a visit to both, based upon Ty’n-y-cwm farm, makes for a satisfying walk of two complementary halves. What’s not to like?

One of the curious things about scanning OS maps for antiquarian stuff is that – like Forrest Gump’s mum’s ‘box of chocolates’ – very often you don’t know what you’re gonna get. Such is the case with Darren Camp, a first-rate prehistoric fortress rising to the south of the hamlet of Pen-bont Rhydybeddau, some distance west of Pumlumon. Appearing somewhat insignificant upon the 1:50k variety, the site never seemed to rise to the top of the ‘list’, so to speak. That is... until a  chance viewing of an aerial image made clear the error of my assumption. Ah, assumptions, don’t you just love ‘em?

Yeah, although univallate, the fort is fabulously sited, with correspondingly top-class views to all points of the compass. Furthermore, although somewhat confused by the presence of a former open cast ‘silver-lead mine’, the western approach is additionally protected by quadruple outworks. Oh, and the summit of the hilltop, within the ramparts, is crowned by at least one Bronze Age cairn.... which the inhabitants clearly saw no need to remove. Or maybe even erected themselves, seeing as a  ‘small cordoned pot sherd’ discovered here during a limited 1996 excavation by the wondrous Mr Toby Driver apparently has ‘Late Bronze Age parallels’? Intriguing,.

Directions to Cairn Pat Hillfort:
Take the A77 heading S out of Stranraer. Turn right for Portpatrick c. 1.5 miles from Stranraer. Stay on the A77 through Lochans for c. 2 miles to reach a concrete road signed as a Path to Cairnpat. You can drive c. 0.3 miles up the road to park at a water tank. The road deteriorates from here, so it is advisable to walk the final 0.5 miles N to Cairn Pat Hillfort.

Set upon the mountain road between Abergwesyn to Tregaron, Esgair Gerwyn is apparently the location of a small Bronze Age cairn cemetery. I say ‘apparently’ since I was unable to categorically pinpoint the remaining archaeology to the same degree as during previous visits... which even then were far from conclusive. Yeah, sadly it would seem that (relatively) recent road improvements have taken their toll upon what must once have been a fabulously located grouping of monuments.

Motorists struggling up the gradient may well be tempted to pause a while within the viewpoint, looking south to follow the serpentine course of the Nant y Gerwyn as it joins the Afon Tywi to flow towards Llyn Brianne. The Dolgoch Youth Hostel can be found in the valley below, although I haven’t had the pleasure... having always wild-camped. One thing’s for certain: can’t argue with the location, right?

As those familiar with the Welsh vernacular will already have guessed, the Tri Chrugiau are a group of three large, earthen round barrows, in this instance gracing the Mid Walian uplands of Mynydd Epynt. Located a little to the northeast of the 1,560ft summit of said mountain, each monument is still in the region of 6 – 8ft high; consequently, a visit would appear a ‘no-brainer’ for any Citizen Cairn. There is, however, a pretty sizeable catch. Please take heed....

During those dark, dark days of 1940 – with murderous psycho-loon Adolf Hitler poised across The Channel after overrunning Europe with his automaton Fascist goons – the locale of Mynydd Epynt was occupied by the MOD for Army training purposes, with all inhabitants forcibly evicted, albeit supposedly only for the duration. Desperate times call for desperate measures etc, so no argument there. Trouble is, the Army never gave the land back and is thus still utilising the mountain as an artillery/small arms range, thus limiting access to the archaeological punter big time. It is what it is.

OK, I’m not about to engage in the trendy ‘army bashing’ so prevalent among the chattering classes nowadays. No, what with the likes of Putin’s Communists doing what states governed by extremist ideologues have always done by murdering civilians – this time in Ukraine – clearly, the need for our Armed Forces is as great as ever... and the UK’s soldiers need to be trained somewhere, right? Furthermore, the general public can be as stupid as stupid can be, endangering themselves and others in the process... so one can sympathise with the military viewpoint. However, a little better organisation on behalf of SENTA wouldn’t go amiss....

As it happens The Citizen Cairn, for once, did his homework and checked out the SENTA firing times upon their web-page (see link) to make sure I wasn’t going to be a part of the problem. Job done, or so I thought. So you can imagine my confusion when, upon approaching from the west along a bridleway from Cynala, I’m greeted by a red warning flag where no red flag should be. The confusion is heightened upon calling the stated number (0187 4635599) to ascertain that the red flag here is apparently “always flying”... (not those damn, murderous Commies again?) You what? Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: so what is the point of the OS depicting a public right of way upon their maps and, furthermore, SENTA publishing firing times if the Army can’t be bothered to adhere to its own procedures? The jolly, bewildered chap on the other end of the line – bless him – had no idea, to be frank... of the topography of the range, of where the Tri Chrugiau are located... why anyone would want to visit ... or much else for that matter, simply repeating Major someone or other would not be pleased if I ventured forth without ‘permission’. So you’re saying I need ‘permission’ to venture upon a public bridleway to Tri Chrugiau having received confirmation that no firing is scheduled? Nonsense. Absurd, obviously, so I assumed I was fine to proceed and extra map reading lessons should be within the local Army curriculum?

The monuments themselves were well worth the hassle, to be fair, so I would encourage everyone to visit. Just please MAKE SURE YOU CHECK FIRING TIMES BEFORE MAKING THE TRIP AND DOUBLE-CHECK WITH THE HELPLINE SHOULD THE RED FLAG STILL BE FLYING. The Army have a difficult job and clearly need upstanding Citizens Cairn to make allowances for any military muppetry and not add to their problems. Who knows, it might even prompt a little more reciprocation?

Details of the two of the cairns on Tick Law from the SMR:

The two round cairns, 655m and 882m SSW of Blawearie are reasonably well-preserved and are highly representative of their period. The presence of upstanding remains indicates that the monument will contain archaeological deposits relating to its construction and use. The presence of a covered cist indicates that these will include below ground funerary deposits and comparison with other similar sites suggest that they may also include evidence of earlier funerary structures such as stake-holes or the remains of prior treatment of the ground surface such as ard marks.

...

The monument includes the remains of two round cairns of Bronze Age date, situated on a north west-south east ridge-top stretching northwards from Tick Law. The southerly cairn (NU0810 2158), which measures approximately 7.6m in diameter and 0.4m in height, has evidence of kerbstones and a depression in its centre that has revealed a stone cist cover stone. To the north west is a second cairn (NU0825 2176) measuring approximately 7.6m in diameter with a height of up to 1.1m. The presence of kerbstones, a cist cover and the similarity between the two suggests them both to be funerary structures.

The grid reference for the second cairn doesn’t appear correct. The “southerly cairn” at NU08102158 is shown on the OS map lying to the NW of another cairn at NU08352132. The grid ref given for the NW cairn in the record would actually lie to the NNE not the NW of the “southerly cairn”. I found cairns at the two locations on the OS map, but I didn’t look for anything at the NNE reference above, which is in an area of deep heather.

Three cairns on the southeastern end of the ridge. GGAT descriptions, north to south:

Northern cairn at SO1315203399

A circular mound, with a slightly dished centre and well defined edges. The barrow is covered by grass and bilberry, but the composition is clearly of stone; a large upturned stone slab (probably the remains of a cist) is exposed in the centre, and six other large stone fragments are also evident. Many smaller stones are visible on the surface or can be detected by probing.
Dimensions: diameter 8.5m; height 0.5m.

Central cairn at SO1317903242

A circular mound, with a dished centre and moderately well defined edges. The barrow is covered by grass and bilberry, but abundant stone can be detected beneath the turf.
Dimensions: diameter 6.2m; height 0.6m.

Southern cairn at SO1297503097

An approximately circular mound on roughly level ground to the S of Cefn-y-Brithdir. The edges are poorly defined and difficult to discern, and the S half of the monument is badly damaged. The barrow is covered by grass and ferns but stone can be detected beneath the turf. At the centre, a leaning slab 1.1m long, 0.7m wide and 0.15m thick probably represents the remains of a cist; a few metres to the S a partly buried stone may be the dislodged capstone.
Dimensions: diameter c9m; height c0.7m

Directions for Seven Lords’ Lands Cairn:

Take the Bovey Tracey / M’hampstead A382 turn off the A38. Turn left for Bovey Tracey. After c. 1.3 miles take the 2nd exit of the roundabout for Town Centre / Haytor. Take the 1st exit for Haytor / Widecombe B3387 at the next roundabout c. 0.8 miles later. After c. 0.4 miles on the B3387 bear left to stay on the B3387. Continue on the B3387 for c. 5 miles to reach Hemsworthy Gate Car Park (SX 74145 76095) at the B3387 / Ashburton Junction. Seven Lords’ Lands Cairn is located c. 140 yards N from here adjacent to a stone wall.

Located upon the high ground between the Afon Pysgotwr Fawr and Doethie Fawr, this obscure round barrow/cairn(?) is not shown upon current OS mapping and is not to be confused with the much larger Carn Penrhiwllwydog just under half a mile uphill to the east. Combining a visit to both sites, along with a sojourn at the stone circle upon nearby Bryn y Gorlan, would make for an intriguingly satisfying day in unfamiliar surroundings.

Yeah, obscure is the appropriate adjective for this one, The Citizen Cairn walking right past before sussing what was what. As with many a Bronze Age funerary site, just who got to be buried here... what ‘position in society’ so to speak... and who was reserved for the larger, higher monument is something we can assume, I guess. But will never have a definitive answer.

As it was, I had a few hours to make use of before striking camp ready for an early start to search out that elusive Bryn y Gorlan ‘circle the next day... so what better place to hang out than here, with far-reaching views southwards towards the summits of Y Mynydd Du?

Dyfed Archaeological Trust reckon:

“When visited as part of the PFRS project in 2004 the site was found to be a circular mound, 12m in diameter and 0.75m high, located on a break of slope just below the top of a hill.” [Cook, N. , 2006 , Prehistoric Funerary & Ritual Sites Project Ceredigion 2004-2006]

Set amongst the glorious scenery of eastern Mynydd Epynt... away from all the (unfortunately, what with Communist lunatics murdering civilians for fun in Ukraine, all too necessary) squaddie training business... south of Builth Wells, this mutilated round cairn might well draw no attention at all from those passing by upon the very minor road... even from the antiquarian-minded lacking a 1:25k OS map. Combine a visit here with the even more obscure Banc y Celyn stone circle to the north, however, and you’re laughing.

Yeah, the scenery is superb, the backdrop of The Black Mountains, viewed in profile while approaching across the hilltop to the northwest, being arguably the finest The Citizen Cairn is aware of. That of The Brecon Beacons, enjoyed by diverting the gaze a tad to the south, is worth writing home about, too. If only one still did those things.

As for the monument... OK, it is very ‘messed about with’. Nevertheless, several orthostats strongly suggest a ‘chambered cairn’ of some description to me. Coflein notes:

“A much disturbed round barrow with stone structural elements.... approximately 10m in diameter and up to 0.5m high..... Three edge-set stones are visible and appear to be part of a structure within the cairn... To the south of the barrow there is a large edge-set slab 1.05 x 0.15 x 0.6m high, aligned northeast-southwest...” [J.J. Hall, Trysor, 16/2/2009]

As it was, I happened to be in the locale for ‘logistical reasons’, but was more than happy to reprise my original 2016 visit and take advantage of the fabulous summer evening light to hang out for a while.

Fantastic site, this.... in a fantastic location, too. Just too far ‘down the slope’ to visit following an audience with the Hafen stones/Drum Ddu cairns a couple of years back, I congratulate myself upon my untypical restraint back then. Yeah, you’ll want to devote a fair bit of time to this one, such is the form and vibe.

I approached in a rather, er, roundabout way, starting from road’s end below Gors-wen, at the head of the beautiful Cwm Chwefri, subsequently arcing to the right around the trees north of Little Pudding Cottage, prior to heading uphill above the eastern bank of the Nant Hafen. Pretty rough going through high fern... but there you are. It’s well worth a detour in order to make the final approach from above and to the northeast to enjoy as splendid a view of a cairn as I’ve had the pleasure in a long time.

The first thing to strike the blissed-out traveller is “wow, this is a big one” .... some 60ft in diameter, in fact. OK, some fool might’ve taken a chunk out of it at some point, but nevertheless (in my experience) relatively intact... Needless to say, the Coflein description doesn’t begin to do the site justice. Or convey much at all really:

“A cairn, 18.3m in diameter and 0.9m high, much disturbed.” [J.Wiles 23.04.02]

The cairn is seemingly positioned by those who took such great trouble to fashion such a massive stone pile here millennia ago so Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du just grace the southern horizon... incidentally in a manner very similar to the not-so-distant Saith Maen stone row. As I hang out in the sun, Gorllwyn, with its cairn cemetery and massive prostrate monolith, graces the western aspect... and the thought occurs: isn’t it about time I re-visited that brutally wild summit? Oh dear, here we go again. You know those moments when you can curse your grey matter for coming up with such hair-brained schemes? Tell me about it.

Briefly stopping off for a shufty following a full day spent checking out Craig Twrch’s numerous cairns, I have to admit to being somewhat baffled here. The archaeologists at RCAHMW reckon the site represents the remains of a Roman signal station, sitting as it does beside Sarn Helen..... a Roman Road. However, for balance, this view has to be contrasted with CADW’s official scheduling (CD156) which states the following:

“The monument comprises the remains of a circular earthwork, which probably dates to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 – 800 BC). It stands on a prominent saddle in the hills with a wide panorama to the south and north-west, alongside Sarn Helen, the preserved line of the Roman road. It consists of an inner mound of c.14m diameter, standing up to 1.4m high, the central area of which is dished, lying c. 0.3m below its rim, except in the centre where an area has been dug away and later fires built, and on the southern side where a massive boulder c.3.6m long resting on its long side lies in a deep hollow. The inner mound is surrounded by a ditch c.1m wide and c.0.5m deep with traces of a slight counterscarp bank outside it. Opposite the boulder the ditch is discontinuous for a distance of c.3.5m, giving the impression of a causeway which has five smaller boulders on its western side. The origin of the site seems to be as prehistoric funerary monument consisting of features of a round barrow and recumbent stone circle. The large boulder may have originally been upright. It has also been suggested that the site was re-used as a Roman signal station.”

Now, while I’ve no wish (no, really) to be thought of as biased against the bloody Romans (and, let’s face it... of all the things they did for us, building signal stations probably wasn’t the most inspiring), perhaps the ‘recycling angle’ might fit best here, bearing in mind the wealth of ‘metaphysical’ lore associated with Carreg y Bwci... aka ‘The Goblin’s Stone’? The name presumably a reference to the large recumbent ‘boulder’ which sits upon/within the mound, it’s hard to imagine the perfunctory actions of legionnaires who probably died of boredom – or hypothermia – two millennia or so ago putting the wind up a passing traveller to the same degree as lingering folk memories of burial rights/rituals made manifest in the apparent antics of a mythical Welsh supernatural creature? Or is it just me?

This heavily overgrown hillfort is located within Coed y Neuadd, its rocky site towering over the course of the Afon Rheidol as it winds a serpentine course towards Aberystwyth from its cradle in the bosom of Pen Pumlumon Fawr.

Indeed, the site is so overgrown I initially assumed the ‘knoll’ to the immediate east was where I wanted to be.... However, once the radar’s attuned, the fact that ‘things really are not making sense’ usually saves the day. Usually. And Tan-y-Ffordd is well worth the effort of finding, proving to be a powerful hillfort, making full use of the dramatic natural slopes to the south. Now any medieval-heads out there may well find themselves aghast at the fact that the site is completely overlooked by high ground to the north... and would’ve been a doddle to take in any siege situation... but, of course, that wasn’t a consideration back then. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t have wanted to try and storm it with your war party.... unless you were some lunatic nutter like Putin.

The most powerful artificial defences naturally face the ‘path of least resistance’ and loom above the track upon which one still approaches, this presumably a pretty established short-cut over the millennia accessing the valley bottom from the direction of Cwmbrwyno? The main entrance appeared to be to the west, with an impressive rocky ditch to the east

I approached along said track starting at the farm of Pen-rhiwlan, the walk also affording the opportunity to visit a nice round barrow at SN705800, not to mention boasting some pretty cool views of Cwm Rheidol.

As with its neighbour surmounting Bryn Mawr, the cairn crowning the summit crags of Craig Twrch has been substantially messed about with by fools with no regard for who they are... where they are from... and, presumably, where they are going. However, unlike Bryn Mawr’s poor monument, the great circular footprint can still be readily discerned here.

Furthermore, the enclosure and particularly large marker cairn created from the stone pile (arguably) do possess a kinda dodgy charm. The positioning is excellent, the monument perched upon – and encroaching upon the edge of – impressive rocky crags, this reminding the impressed visit somewhat of, say, a Dartmoor ‘tor cairn’?

The monument overlooks a number of other, smaller cairns, like Mother Hen watching over her brood. One, however, located just off the main path beyond the fence line to the south, is quite unexpectedly probably the finest – after Carn Fawr, obviously – upon the whole ridge, bearing the well preserved remains of a cist.

A more or less trashed summit cairn stands in stark contrast to the magnificent Carn Fawr just a third of a mile to the Northeast, a large rectangular drystone enclosure having obviously consumed much of the former structure. Nevertheless, Bryn Mawr is a great viewpoint, has clear prehistoric pedigree and, as part of a far-ranging funerary landscape encompassing some two miles, well worth a visit.

Coflein reckons:

“A much disturbed Bronze Age cairn. It has undoubtedly been robbed for stone to build the nearby sheep fold .... It is impossible to determine how large the cairn was originally, and now only a strip of cairn material survives, 8 metres long by 2 metres wide and up to 0.60 metres high.” [R.P. Sambrook, Trysor, 28/3/2013]

Two Bronze Age cairns still reside upon Esgair Fraith, the south-western terminus of what (for convenience sake) I’ll term Craig Twrch, in deepest Mid Wales. Having missed out on an audience last year due to a cloud base seemingly down to my ankles – or at least it appeared that way – I duly return this year... and was not disappointed.

The southern of the two appears the larger nowadays, owing to a modern ‘marker’ cairn surmounting the prehistoric base; however, I reckoned its neighbour, although lower in profile, possessed more detail: the remains of a kerb, perhaps? Hey, or even that of a cist?

What was not in any doubt was the fabulous views to be enjoyed... looking out across the enigmatic Carreg y Bwci (now what is THAT all about?) or, upon swinging around, to the north-east to gaze along Craig Twrch itself. Plenty more cairns a mile or so that-a-way, should one be curious enough and fancy going walkabout. As it happened, I did.

Coflein reckons:

Southern: “A large summit cairn, measuring 12 metres in diameter and still up to 0.40 metres high, although a modern marker cairn has been built with cairn stones on top of the monument. There is some evidence of a kerb... A possible cist, measuring 0.70 metres square, lies just to the south of its centre.”

Northern: “A stone cairn, measuring 10 metres in diameter by up to 0.40 metres high. There is some evidence of a kerb and also a possible central cist appears to be exposed” [both R.P. Sambrook, Trysor, 26/3/2013]

The last of a quartet of cairns featuring upon my ‘visit wish list’ to this obscure upland wilderness between Teifi Pools and Cwm Ystwyth (the others having been Carn-y-Rhyrddod; Llan Ddu Fawr and Bryn Dafydd) this is another deceptively substantial monument, its obvious prehistoric foundation apparently dismissed by most – although to be fair the latest 1:25k mapping does depict the cairn in antiquarian typeface – owing to a large parasitical shelter augmenting an otherwise very low profile. It has to be noted that to not look at where one is treading is such an elementary error – and not a very good idea at all when walking rough terrain such as this – the significant circular footprint about as blatant a clue as a Citizen Cairn could wish for.

I approach via the minor road accessing the aforementioned Teifi Pools from Ffair-Rhos, a VERY rough (just about driveable) track/road branching northward near Tynfron farm to terminate within forestry beneath Llethr Brith (the latter possessing another cairn well worth seeking out). On foot now, the track meanders in a northeastern direction to eventually access Blaen-Marchnant. I circled across very boggy ground to the right in order to ascend the hillside beyond... in retrospect there are probably better routes.

The cairn is a great vantage point, Pumlumon naturally a prime focus. However, as with its companion monuments upon neighbouring tops, it is the sheer vibe here that impresses above all else. It would seem there are the remains of other monuments upon this hill top? To these eyes nothing was clear... however, I believe I possibly located one such overgrown monument downhill to the south(ish)....

Although located a little under a mile to the approx NNW of Pen y Corn’s twin cairns to the south-east of Llanddewi Brefi, extensive intervening forestry ensures a visit to the prosaically-named Garn upon Banciau Duon is no simple extension, instead requiring an expedition in its own right.

The 1:25k map suggested a reasonably straightforward – if tedious – stomp across Bryn-y-rhyd to the southwest to bring one within striking distance. To be fair, this is how things turned out.... it was just the final ‘getting to the summit’ bit that proved to be a problem. A major, major problem at that, owing to perhaps the most dense forestry I’ve seen in many a year offering not a hint of a way through. The Citizen Cairn, therefore, attempted to circle around from the northeast via the Banciau Duon themselves... which, in retrospect is probably the best option. Needless to say, I retreated and ended up somehow wriggling a way through from the south.

The summit clearing – a long time a’ coming – was worth the effort however.... the cairn, although disturbed through the imposition of a ‘shelter’/enclosure sometime during the past (presumably not by walkers?), still significant, some 41ft in diameter, in fact. I even reckon the cairn displayed possible traces of a kerb-like structure? Furthermore, isolated within it’s own Lost World, the vibe was truly incredible to behold, the ground covered by some of the thickest moss I’ve ever encountered. Anywhere. So copious, in fact, I would have sworn the laws of gravity had been suspended if I didn’t know better, such was the ‘spring’ in the blissed-out traveller’s step. But there you are. Not so much ‘Walking on the Moon’..... rather bouncing around on, well, a bouncy castle, I guess? Hey, ‘Walking like a Goon’?

All good things must end, however, and, loathe to endure more twig-induced punishment, I head north-eastward, thankfully managing to locate a somewhat easier route down. Well, sort of. Not that it was at all evident from ground level.

Incidentally, the professionals at Coflein have the following to say:

“A circular cairn, 12.5m in diameter & 0.6m high, having a drystone shelter, 3.0m in diameter, set NW of its centre, with a collapsed drystone-walled fold, 7.0m by 5.0m, set along its NE side.” [J.Wiles 21.07.04]

Saith Maen translates as ‘Seven Stones’ in English... which may or may not be true since the very disturbed nature of the terrain underfoot – possibly a combination of bovine action and dodgy ‘excavation’ (for some reason the trenches were not back-filled) – ensuring my arithmetic is even less precise than usual. The disintegrating, not to mention mostly collapsed, ‘protective’ wooden enclosure surrounding the site also does it no favours.

Nevertheless, ‘a number’ of stones can still be found here still in position among quite a few others, suggesting the possibility of former multiple rows? Whatever, the location is excellent, overlooked by the bleak mass of Gorllwyn some two miles to WSW, Y Gamriw to NW and the enigmatic Hafen stone setting to east. In short, there is a surfeit of prehistory in the locale. Just check the map.

As I sit and take it all in two things become apparent: 1) I really must re-visit Gorllwyn some day before it becomes physically beyond me; 2) is it me, or is the rather idiosyncratic location of this stone row governed by the fact that Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du feature perfectly up the skyline. Coincidence? Well, no doubt some muppet or other will insist Google Earth (or whatever) shows no such thing. My view is: “Come and see for yourself” since, funnily enough, prehistoric people didn’t have access to satellite imagery. As far as I’m aware.

Cwm Ystwyth is not exactly ‘Piccadilly Circus’, to be fair.... those outlanders who are out and about seemingly just a’ passing through. As tourists do. One reason for this, perhaps, is that, despite being home to the nascent Afon Ystwyth, the scenery is not all Mid-Walian sublimity, the scars devastating Bryn Copa upon the valley’s northern flank evidence of successive copper mining enterprises stretching right back to Bronze Age times. Yeah, this is a ‘working valley’, always has been. It was here that the magnificent Banc Tynddol ‘sun-disc’, now within the Museum of Wales, was discovered in 2002. Perhaps upon a day like today?

To the south of the small hamlet of Cwmystwyth, rising to as near as dammit 2,000ft, are a group of green hills forming a secret wilderness rarely trodden nowadays – to gauge by The Citizen Cairn’s experiences – with even the local farmers relying upon the ubiquitous quad bike to get around. Lethal in mist, the rewards for the antiquarian-minded are not obvious from OS mapping, with only the prehistoric cairn of Canryrhyrddod (ironically arguably the least upstanding) cited upon the latest 1:50k version. Bryn Dafydd’s summit cairn (1,873 ft) is assumed to be modern... suffice to say, in my opinion, it is most certainly NOT.

I approached from the north, limited verge parking available (for the considerate) upon the very minor road accessing Cwm Ffald. Follow said road as it crosses the wondrous Afon Ystwyth to pick up a public footpath accessing the open hillside above. When it is eventually attained, following quite an uphill slog, Bryn Dafydd’s summit possesses everything I look for nowadays: fantastic upland vibe, great views, ancient cairn with substantial underlying circular Bronze Age footprint – as usual, ignore the parasitical modern marker – plus that indefinable ‘something else’....

Coflein reckon:

“A large Bronze Age cairn, which is now a very low stone spread, about 12 metres in diameter. A large marker cairn, NPRN 522211, has been built on the site, using material from the funerary cairn.” [R.P. Sambrook, Trysor, 22/3/2012]

I gaze across to Trawsallt – about a mile distant and clocked a couple of years back – and make a mental note.

Subsumed within bloody forestry a couple of miles south-east of Abergwesyn, the mass of stonework surmounting Pen y Garn-goch was once thought (by W. F. Grimes) to have been a Severn-Cotswolds variant chambered cairn... but now generally accepted as three co-joined summit cairns. This is splitting hairs, perhaps, since whatever the original configuration may have been, the impression nowadays is of a pretty impressive long cairn set within a ‘lost world’ clearing that might have even freaked out Conan Doyle.

Now I had planned to approach from the north, via the public track from Bwlchmawr – however, the occupant of said farm advised me to instead follow the road towards Pistyllgwyn and ascend via the obvious forestry track. In retrospect, I wish I’d stuck to Plan A, so to speak, the seemingly interminable plod not what the doctor ordered in the baking heat of June. Nevertheless, the ‘three-into-one’ stone pile is well worth whatever effort must be expended to reach it, the exquisite vibe reminiscent of a Scottish site and helping to dissipate the ‘what ifs’ that inevitably arise when sight lines are curtailed by trees.

Of the three cairns, the central would appear the best preserved, both its neighbours having been defaced by the usual muppet shelter, the whole clad by that weird gray(ish) moss one sometimes finds covering stone within woodland clearings.

So yes... great vibe (check), great archaeology (check), no midges (check), no rain (check). And almost the place to myself. Having said that, my only visitors during four or so hours hanging out in the pitiless, concentrated glare of the sun (yeah I know... in Mid Wales?) were two local trail bikers who – quite unexpectedly – were actually friendly, decent blokes for once and, furthermore, more than happy to learn the prehistoric foundation of their local hill. Imagine Vin Diesel swopping his Dodge (or whatever) for bike and discussing Bronze Age burial rituals? Surreal, but everyone’s a winner.

Moel y Ci – “Dog Hill” – is a north-western outlier of Y Glyderau, rising to 1,345ft and boasting panoramic vistas across The Menai Straight to Anglesey... as well as – looking the other way – the mountainous heartland of Central Snowdonia. All in all, well worth the short, sharp ascent undertaken from Rhiwlas, set below to the west. Hey, there’s even an apparent Romano-British hut circle to be seen on the way.

However if one is of the ‘Antiquarian persuasion’..... the presence of a massive Bronze Age round cairn (Carnedd Moel y Ci) complete with cist/possible kerbing still in situ, makes a visit a real ‘no-brainer’. Not that the traveller won’t have to use his/her brain rather a lot to take in the excellent upland vibe to be enjoyed here... but you know what I mean.

Cwm Moch can be found at more-or-less the northern tip of the northern Rhinogydd, arguably among the most brutal, testing walking country in the whole of Wales.

The cairn depicted upon the map – although by no means a large, nor impressive monument – occupies a fine spot within the landscape. Indeed, the placement is just what the doctor ordered, frowning crags beckoning the more adventurous ever upward, Llyn Trawsfynyyd resplendent to the east. Structurally-speaking I was in two minds about this one. Marker cairn... or later material upon an original base?

It would appear there are apparently more cairns in the immediate vicinity not shown upon OS mapping? However, having been one of those drawn further up into the hills, I was happy with ‘just’ this one.

It’s amazing what you might find roadside in Snowdonia. No really, it is.

Take the ethereal remains of the prehistoric settlement near Cefn Clawdd, not far from Llyn Trawsfyndd. Sure, no doubt the structure has been adapted over the course of millennia to serve the changing requirements of successive farmers? But nevertheless....

Indeed, while wandering around the site in the soft early evening light, I pondered that the odds might be pretty short that the erectors of the fine Bronze Age cairn some way to the northwest (SH68383416) may well have lived here back in the day? That the head of the village ended up within the cist within the cairn?

Just a little way from the road and obvious parking spot for the cairn (unseen from here), bonus site!