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The bright side of the moon
| I opened the front door and saw the inspiration for todays trip, a clear starry sky and a full fat moon. As I drove along the N.Walean coast road checking off antiquities like The Gop, the Clwydian range with it's hillforts and later the magical Tal-y-Fan and the Druids circle above Penmaenmawr the full moon was in front of me all the way,almost showing me the way . When I'd passed Caernarfon and was heading South I stopped for a while to watch the moonlight shining on the sea and checked the map, to my surprise I noticed a standing stone not far from my destination Ystumcegid, I decided to get to know it better . I parked on the B4411 next to Gell farm and opposite a caravan site,got my bike out and cycled west and N.west up a little lane ,turned left at Ynys-ddu farm passed it and on to Ystemcegid isaf. If your not into walking you could probably park here, but i just rode past them through an open gate and down through a gap in the hedge from here the burial chamber is on the hill in a wall I left my bike and walked up. "Hello again stones how you been doin" I said, daft I know but I was on me own who else am I going to talk to ? Ystumcegid — Images28.07.07ce
I love this dolmen, the way it hides in the wall like an elephant behind a lampost, the way the capstone seems to float, barely touching the uprights. I love the drive here the views almost all around there's nowt wrong with this place at all .I scampered around taking photos untill the batteries went .I quickly rode to the car got new ones and was back again in ten minutes,still the sun hadn't risen, the full moon looked great sinking from a pink sky into the Llyn peninsula then turn around and the sun was coming up into a cloudless blue sky, a few more photos later (in truth a lot more )and I was walkng back to my bike, it sure was fun going down the hills not so much going back up, time to find that mystery stone I loaded the bike in the car and drove up the lane back up to the A487, turned left and then less than a mile later turned left again, parked by a barn where a path goes South west. Down the path turn right and up the hill finds this five to six foot stone, circular near the bottom but more angular as it rises and terminates at a point, the best thing about it (except the age and the mystery) is the view, on top of the hill just yards away we can see for miles specifically we can see mountains Craig-y-garn sticks out most ,a legs a bowling run down hill and I'm back in the car, hmm where to next. Bryniau'r Tyddyn — Images04.02.07ce
I decided if I had the time if I could get there quick enough I'd go see Bryn Cader Faner, thanks to a toll road I missed last time I was here and my trusty bike I made it with enough time. If you want to avoid a whopping walk uphill park where I always do next to a bridge over the river by a gate with a donation box on it if you do walk up best to do it backwards so you can see Tremadog bay Portmadoc and Harlech castle. First time I came here it was armed only with a map and in the thick fog we got hopelessly lost and failed to find the stone circle/cairn.Second time I brought map,compass and GPS and found it easily (GPS did it) This time a map and memory would have to suffice. The old velo came back out and I set off up the track, pushing it mostly only on level ground and down hill would I ride.The first point of reference on the path is a left branch then a gate, take right path branch through another gate then left path branch, beware there's no sign just follow the wall,at this time I deviated slightly to avoid boggy ground ,big mistake all I found was more boggy ground, ankle deep I strode through still pushing the sodding bike (by now I questioned my good idea) untill suddenly I sank passed my knees sharp intake of breath, god its cold, I pulled us out and wondered whether to continue, thanks to clear skies I could tell I wasn't far from the circle.I weeeeeed as I rode downhill and cursed on the way up hill .Phew I was there . Bryn Cader Faner — Images04.02.07ce
I squelched around photographing furiously I wasn't going to linger long,but because of the views and the timelessness of the place I stayed longer than I intended. It's really nice here but in bad weather a bit scary. This place has been badly treated in the past the army used it for target practice ignorant b******s but enough remains to awe the pilgrim doesn't say much for their aim. Time to go, one last tip keep your head up or you'll be off the path and in the bog even the path itself gets marshy, now the bike was being a good idea and I was enjoying having mud and water spraying in my face, I even noticed Llyn Eiddaw-Bach on the way. Llyn Eiddew-Bach — Images03.02.07ce
One last time stay on the path follow the wall . Thanks for reading me I took all evening Postman |
Posted by postman4th February 2007ce Edited 28th July 2007ce
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