
Alltwen seen across the Sychnant Pass from the southeast.
Alltwen seen across the Sychnant Pass from the southeast.
Gazing towards Conwy Bay from Tal-y-Fan. There’s a lot going on down there, enough to interest any period-head, I’d have thought? For the Antiquarian, the hillforts Dinas Allt-wen and Castell Caer Seion can be seen centre and right, The Great Orme bringing up the rear, so to speak. Foel Lus is to the left.
Allt Wen rises steeply above Dwygyfylchi. Seen from the hillside to the south, across Afon Gyrach.
Looking down upon Bwlch Sychnant
Towards the neighbouring ‘fort upon Mynydd y Dref...
Southern flank...
Northern defences, towards Penmaen-bach and The Great Orme.
Penmaen Mawr can be seen beyond the northern defences
Not been here since the 90’s...... worth coming back.
The eastern rampart.
At the northeast corner the rampart incorporates natural outcrops. There’s a Bronze Age burnt mound partly covered by the little lake.
Northern rampart – it’s a long way down...
The northern rampart. The tip of the Great Orme can be seen, top left.
The stone rampart. Tal y Fan rises on the right skyline.
Looking west towards Foel Lus and Penmaenmawr. The village below is Dwygyfylchi.
Looking east from the rampart towards the Conwy valley. The prominent hill on the left is crowned by the larger Castell Caer Seion hillfort.
The southern flank drops away to the Sychnant Pass.
The hillfort from the southeast.
Image Credit: Natural Resources Wales
Your Iron Age Estate Agent wouldn’t have been hard pressed to sell Alltwen, would he/she? Nice, defensible enclosure... stunning sea views toward famous axe factory revered by the old gods. Easy access to the Druidical heartland at low tide. Hey, it would have sold itself. [Scan of archive print looking from the site across Dwygyfylchi (sadly the golf course is still there) toward Graig Lwyd and Penmaen Mawr.]
The Sychnant Pass provides unassailable protection to the south.... looking approx south-west across Foel Lus to distant Penmaenmawr from the track to the summit of Alltwen (top right).
Viewed from Bwlch Sychnant.
Alltwen is the rocky hill centre far right.... looking from Mynydd y Dref.
The prodigal son returns...