Image of Yr Wyddfa (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Spectacularly sited? You bet. Seen from Y Lliwedd (almost 900m up), the summit of Yr Wyddfa still seems to be up in the sky.

Image credit: A. Brookes (9.4.2011)

thesweetcheat Apr 17, 2011

GLADMAN Apr 17, 2011 19:15

Good stuff, SC. I think it's great that people like you and Postman are climbing these mountains and viewing them not as something to be 'conquered' - subjected to our will through brute force - but in a much more philosophical (dare I say intelligent?) manner. Why did Bronze Age people feel that these summits were suitable places for their dead? I may be wrong, but I think you may be forming an opinion on that from your fieldwork to date.

thesweetcheat Apr 17, 2011 19:41

Conquered? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! The muppets who think they're doing the conquering are rather missing something, don't you think? They - and I - will be long dead and gone and this will all still be here, unconquered. I'll leave "intelligent" for others to consider :-)

Having said that, I do wonder if the Bronze Age undertakers thought they were doing a bit of conquering of their own (compared with their Neolithic predecessors anyway). The question is, who were they trying to impress? Each other? The gods? Guess we'll never know.

postman Apr 18, 2011 16:19

These must have gone through the front page a bit quick I nearly missed them, what perfect weather you had (immediately jealous) and what awsome pictures. Lovin 'it

When I'm up in Snowdonia the only thing conquered is definitely me, and I cant wait til my next jaunt upwards, slowly upwards, getting more and more conquered with every footfall.

I can't see these summit cairns being just one thing, theyre there for all the reasons we can come up with and then a couple more.

thesweetcheat Apr 20, 2011 18:35

Cheers Postie, glad you like. Have spent all week in work on sunny days wishing I was back there to be honest. Oh well.

With you on the "conquered" thing. :-)

drewbhoy Apr 20, 2011 21:39

I think its great Gladdie, Mr SC and Postie all do these things. Its even better they share them with their foties and fieldnotes, same goes for Irish contingent as well. Strathie, Tiompan, Theolonius and Mr HB up here, Tjj, Rhiannon for all their stuff etc etc etc. As for conquering, we've only become a wee story in the history of these ancient places, trying to share a story or if we've spoken to a local, adding a story, its all magic. If a fotie serves as a memory of these places then its job done.

note to myself...............must go back to Wales!

thesweetcheat Apr 21, 2011 19:15

Not doing too badly yerself Drew! And yes, you should get back to Wales.