Southern flank. A compact little hillfort well worth seeking out sooner rather than later.
Images
To south-east.
Northern rampart, looking westward... the crag falls sharply away to the west rendering minimal artificial work necessary (as far as I could tell).
Northern defences, looking east(ish).
Eastern flank, looking north(ish). Fan Gyhirych battles with the inclement South Walian weather, beyond.
To the north – the most powerful defences facing the path of least resistance, as one would naturally expect. Including a rock-cut ditch, it would appear.
To the south/south-west... highlighting the shattered ‘rock pavement’ prevalent in the area.
For such an assumed ‘peripheral site’ the defences are quite substantial. This is to the south-east.
Viewed from the north... this is a tidy, well-sited hillfort set amongst a landscape of numerous Bronze Age cairns.
Articles
Visited 23.10.10
I parked in the large free car park in the village of Ystradfellte and headed up the road/track which runs directly from the car park, uphill towards Tyle farm. You will shortly come to a turning right towards the farm, but keeping walking straight up the hill. The track now becomes rougher and you go through two metal gates. After the second gate you come out onto open moor land. When you get to the brow of the hill look ahead, a bit to the left, and you will see the rocky outcrop where Gelli-Nedd Hillfort stands.
There is no path to follow, just make your way across the boggy ground as best you can. At the foot of the rocky outcrop you have to climb over a fence – it’s not in very good condition so it is fairly easy to get over. Head for the left hand side of the outcrop and you will see the fairly deep rock cut ditch and the remains of the fallen stone ramparts. (If you look at the stonework in the field wall you just climbed over you will see the stones look remarkably similar!) The defences of the Hillfort seem to consist of stone walls and vertical cliffs. There are decent views from the top.
It takes 30 minutes to walk from the car park to the Hillfort although it is reasonably easy going. The rocky outcrops in this part of the Brecon Beacons National Park reminded me of mini versions of the ones you find along the central section of Hadrian’s Wall.
Small univallate fort to the south of Maen Madoc. Desription from Coflein as follows:
“Gelli-nedd univallate fort is located on the summit of a limestone ridge. The plan is oval in form measuring internally 60m northwest to southeast by 45m, an enclosed area of approximately 0.41ha. Most of the west side is formed by a precipitous cliff where no artificial defences were required, whereas the remaining sides comprise a rampart of limestone rubble, partly grass-grown, with an external rock-cut ditch around the north and south. The rampart is strongest on the north where the outer scarp rises to 3m, the inner scarp to 0.9m. The entrance is a simple gap measuring 3m wide on the northeast.”
A circuit – I would say ‘walk’, but rather more of a ‘stumble’ owing to the surface rock outcrops – of this fine, compact hillfort.
Sites within 20km of Gelli-Nedd
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Ysgubor-Wen
photo 7 forum 1 description 1 link 1 -
Carnau Gwynion
photo 5 forum 1 description 1 link 1 -
Plas-y-gors
photo 5 link 1 -
Blaen-Nedd Isaf
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Cwm Nant
description 1 -
Maen Madoc
photo 14 description 7 -
Carn-Yr-Arian
photo 7 description 6 -
Maen Gweddiau
description 1 -
Fan Llia
photo 34 description 3 -
Blaen-Hepste hengiform earthwork
photo 1 -
Fan Nedd (north east)
photo 11 description 2 -
Fan Nedd (Northern summit)
photo 34 description 2 -
Llech Lia
photo 12 description 1 -
Rhyd Uchaf
photo 13 description 3 -
Maen Llia
photo 99 forum 7 description 22 link 1 -
Pwll Byfre
photo 11 -
Cefn Esgair Carnau
photo 21 description 2 -
Craig-y-Ddinas (Pontneddfechan)
photo 5 description 4 -
Cadair Fawr
photo 12 description 3 link 1 -
Nant Maden
photo 6 description 2 -
Fan Gyhirych
photo 33 description 2 -
Cadair Fawr (South)
photo 8 description 1 -
Nant Mawr, Fforest Fawr
photo 32 description 1 -
Twyn-y-glog
photo 3 -
Cefn-yr-Henriw recumbent stone
photo 7 description 2 -
Twyn Bryn Glas
photo 7 description 2 -
Twyn Garreg-Wen
photo 11 description 1 -
Cefn Sychbant
photo 28 description 3 -
Craig y Rhiwarth
photo 1 -
Cefn Sychbant
photo 50 description 4 -
Mynydd-y-glog
photo 29 description 2 -
Bone Cave
link 1 -
Nant Melyn
photo 2 -
Saith Maen
photo 26 forum 1 description 5 -
Pen y Waun Dwr Stone
photo 5 description 1 -
Cribarth
photo 33 description 3 -
Waun Leuci summit
photo 18 description 2 -
Cefn Crew and Cwm Crew
photo 9 description 1 -
Pen y Waun Dwr
photo 4 -
Pant Sychbant
photo 7 -
Pwll-yr-Wydden Fach
photo 10 description 1 -
Nant-y-Llyn, Y Mynydd Du
photo 20 description 1 -
Cerrig Duon and The Maen Mawr
photo 61 description 11 -
Craig Cerrig-gleisiad
photo 9 description 1 -
Waun Leuci cairn
photo 2 description 3 -
Waun Leuci
photo 29 description 6 -
Afon Tawe
photo 3 description 1 -
Blaen Glyn
photo 23 description 1 -
Waun Leuci stone setting
photo 12 description 4 -
Tawe valley Triangle
photo 12 -
Fedw
photo 7 description 1 -
Fan Frynych
photo 31 description 2 -
Waunewydd
description 1 -
Garn Goch
photo 1 description 3 -
Finger Post
description 1 -
Llyn Fawr
photo 11 description 3 link 3 -
Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns
photo 17 description 2 -
Hirwaun Common
photo 17 description 2 -
Craig y Llyn (Neath)
photo 15 description 2 -
Garn Ddu
photo 18 description 1 -
Moel Feity
photo 12 -
Cefn Cil-Sanws
photo 16 description 2 -
Cilsanws Mountain
photo 16 description 2 -
Mynydd Cefngyngon
photo 9 -
Corn Du
photo 34 description 5 -
Carn-Ddu
photo 16 description 2 link 1 -
Lower Neuadd
photo 8 description 4 -
Rhondda Fach
photo 6 -
Cwm Moel
photo 13 description 1 -
Tyle Bychan
photo 4 description 2 -
Cefn y Llethr Hir
photo 9 -
Pen y Fan
photo 52 description 9 link 1 -
Garreg Lwyd
photo 12 description 2 -
Upper Neuadd cairns
photo 21 description 1 -
Twr y Fan Foel
photo 46 description 3 -
Y Gaer (Defynnog)
photo 1 description 1 -
Daudreath Illtyd
photo 4 description 4 -
Carn Cornel
photo 10 description 1 -
Fan Foel
photo 40 description 5 -
Cribyn
photo 15 description 1 -
Cwm Fforch-wen
photo 8 description 1 -
Llwyncelyn-Fawr
photo 1 description 1 -
Llorfa menhir
photo 6 link 1 -
Picws Du, Y Mynydd Du
photo 29 forum 1 description 3 -
Llorfa
photo 18 description 1 link 1 -
Rhyd-wen Fach stone setting
photo 3 description 2 -
Morlais Castle Hillfort
photo 4 description 2 -
Llorfa
photo 18 description 1 -
Tor Glas
photo 5 description 1 -
Llwyn Bedw Settlement, Pen Milan
photo 1 description 1 -
Gelli-benuchel
photo 8 description 1 -
Pont Lluest-wen
photo 6 -
Mynydd Aberdare
photo 13 description 3 -
Fan y Big
photo 11 description 2 link 1 -
Bedd Gwyl Illtyd
photo 6 description 3 -
Pontsticill ring cairn
photo 9 description 1 -
Mynydd Illtyd
photo 3 description 4 -
Bryn Llydan
description 1 -
Mynydd Tynewydd
photo 8 description 1 -
Defynnog Church
description 1 -
Garn Las (Llywel)
photo 12 description 3 -
Blaenau Uchaf
photo 9 description 3 -
Dorwen
photo 6 description 2 -
Twyn Blaenant
photo 6 description 2 -
Gwersyll
photo 7 description 1 -
Abercriban
photo 12 description 2 -
Foel Darw, Y Mynydd Du
photo 6 description 1 -
Carn-y-Wiwer (Glyncorrwg)
photo 5 -
Garn Las (Troed y Rhiw)
photo 8 description 1 -
Rhos Gwawr
photo 13 -
Bannau Sir Gaer
photo 29 forum 1 description 3 -
Carn Fadog and Nant-y-Llyn
photo 1 description 1 -
Penybegwyn
photo 4 description 1 -
Nant Tarw
photo 67 forum 4 description 5 -
Carnau’r Garreg Las
photo 36 description 3 -
Graig y Gilfach
photo 1 description 1 -
Plas-y-Gaer, Allt Ddu
photo 2 description 1 -
Twyn-y-Gaer (Mynydd Illtyd)
photo 10 description 2 -
Carn-y-Gigfran
photo 12 description 2 -
Twynau Gwynion
photo 12 link 1 -
Carn Castellymeibion
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Carn Caca defended settlement
description 1 -
Tyle Mawr
photo 9 description 2 -
Mynydd Blaengwynfi
photo 8 description 1 -
Carn Pica
photo 13 forum 2 description 2 -
Carn Caca
photo 12 description 1 -
Gwern Wyddog
photo 9 forum 1 description 2 -
Waen Glyn-nyd
photo 1 -
Pebyll
photo 6 description 1 -
Cefn yr Ystrad
photo 24 description 5 -
Varlen Cairn, Traianmawr
description 1 -
Garn Felen
photo 4 description 2 -
Odyn-fach
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Cylchau
photo 10 description 1 -
Pant-y-Turnor
photo 11 description 2 -
Twyn-y-Gaer (Trallong)
description 2 -
Pant Madog
photo 8 description 3 -
Cwm Henwen
photo 10 description 3 -
Cwm Henwen Cairn
photo 10 description 2 -
Ffos-y-frân
photo 1 description 1 -
Mynydd Allt-y-grug
photo 1 -
Tarren Maerdy
photo 14 description 2 -
Garreg Lwyd
photo 28 description 2 link 1 -
Twyn Ceiliog
photo 10 description 2 link 1 -
Nant Tarthwynni
photo 12 description 2 -
Coed Fenni-fach
photo 1 description 2 -
Pant Meddygon
photo 15 description 3 -
Crug yr Afan
photo 23 description 2 -
Blaen Clydach Fach
description 1 -
Merthyr Common
photo 10 description 2 -
Battle
photo 6 description 2 -
Mynydd yr Eglwys
photo 3 description 1 -
Maindy Camp
photo 19 description 3 -
Maindy Cairn
photo 3 description 3 -
Y Pigwn
photo 35 description 6 link 1 -
Carn-y-Pigwn
photo 5 description 1 -
Y Pigwn Cairns
photo 11 description 3 -
Pen Craig Abercwmboi
photo 10 description 1 -
Tomen-y-Rhos
photo 10 description 2 -
Cefn-y-Rhondda
photo 11 description 1 -
Pen Caenewydd, Mynydd Myddfai
photo 16 description 1 -
Mynydd Cilfach-yr-Encil
photo 10 description 1 -
Fennifach
description 3 -
Cwm Ian
photo 11 description 3 -
Cwm Garw
photo 1 description 1 -
Penrhiw Fer
photo 4 -
Carn Pen Rhiw-ddu
photo 17 description 2 -
Pen y Crug
photo 26 description 4 -
The Werfa
photo 10 description 2 -
Llyndwr Fawr
photo 13 description 1 -
Slwch Tump
photo 12 description 3 -
Mynydd Caerau
photo 14 description 1