Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns

Nearest town:
Merthyr Tydfil (5km ESE)
OS reference:
SO02241154
OS sheet:
160
Latitude:
51° 47' 36.43 N
Longitude:
3° 25' 3.65 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The Cilsanws summit cairns and Cefn Cil-sanws ring cairn can just be discerned top right.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 8, 2016
Image of Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Looking across the cemetery of pretty large cairns from the approx north – I think.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 8, 2016
Image of Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Isn’t it lovely when an overcast mountain sky decides to let the traveller have his reward? Quite substantial monuments, too...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 8, 2016
Image of Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Coetgae’r Gwartheg from the Garn ddu cairnfield to the northeast. The bigger barrows are prominent on the skyline.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.9.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 25, 2012
Image of Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Coedcae’r Gwartheg from the northwest, showing the steep scarp face of the hill.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.9.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 25, 2012
Image of Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns (Cairn(s)) by postman

On top of the smallest of the three barrows, a bit of a mess isnt it

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 19, 2011
Image of Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns (Cairn(s)) by postman

On top of one of the two big barrows, couldnt help seeing a slight cist here.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 19, 2011

Articles

Coedcae’r Gwarthog Summit cairns

C
CARL May 20, 2014

Visited 17.5.14

A second successive day where I get a ‘pass’ to go out ‘old stoning’ for the day – yippee!

The cairns on Cilsanws Mountain have been on my ‘hit list’ for a long time.
Every time I drove up the A470 heading towards Brecon I would think of them but I must admit the sight of the scree and rocky cliff faces would always make me think twice. It did look really steep and perhaps a little dangerous? It certainly looked a difficult place to access. However, after re-reading Postie’s fieldnotes I decided today was the day to go for it!

I parked in the lay-by near Llwyn-on village, crossed the road and headed up hill over the gate on the left as recommended by Postie.
It was a hard, 20 minute slog up hill, over a couple of gates. I huffed and puffed my way to the top. As I rapidly approach the ripe old age of 50 one thing is for sure – any plans I may have to visit mountain-top sites will need to be carried out sooner rather than later!

The sun was warm on my back, the breeze helping to keep me cool. Pity I had left my water bottle in the car! As I reached the summit I sat on the grass and viewed the surroundings to get my bearings. By chance I had come out right next to the Coedcae’r Gwarthog cairns – result!

Although my O/S map showed 4 cairns along the summit I could only spot 3 of them for certain. All three are easy to spot – grass mounds with stones poking through the surface – in a line along the ridge.

Although you need to be reasonably fit and mobile to visit this site (it is a steep climb) it was far easier to access than I imagined it would be and was well worth the effort.

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