Moel Wnion

Nearest town:
Bethesda (3km SW)
OS reference:
SH64966971
OS sheet:
115
Latitude:
53° 12' 24.88 N
Longitude:
4° 1' 19.92 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Moel Wnion (left), Lefn and Moel Faban, seen from Llandegai to the north. The snowy higher slopes of the Carneddau are hiding in the clouds.

Image credit: A. Brookes (31.3.2018)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 18, 2018
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Note the moth-eaten (tough moths in North Wales... mothus monstrousus) OS triangulation pillar, centre.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 13, 2016
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The massive footprint... a random snapshot of public perception of such monuments was accorded me by a passing, middle aged woman.. ‘are you photographing birds?’ says she. ‘No, I’m here for the archaeology, the Bronze Age cairn’, says I. ‘What cairn?’ says she, clearly bemused. Incidentally Carnedd y Filiast – site of the exquisite ‘Atlantic Slab’ – can be seen approx centre skyline beyond Nant Ffrancon.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 13, 2016
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Llwytmor is the peak with its head in the clouds... Bera Mawr the serrated summit to the right.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 13, 2016
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The prominent slab suggested the displaced remnant of a cist or chamber... however in this instance there was no corroborating evidence.. wishful thinking? Note, however, the truly massive footprint. I could not locate the ‘cup marked stone’ incidentally.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 13, 2016
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Llwytmor, Bera Mawr, Bera Bach and Drosgl (left to right) form the backdrop beyond the cairn...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 13, 2016
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Clearly this was a massive cairn in terms of overall footprint... however guess the nature of the original profile will be forever more open to conjecture.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 13, 2016
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

A ‘tsunami’ of cloud pours over Carnedd Dafydd beyond... Yr Elen is centre left, with the splendidly be-cairned Drosgl far left.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 13, 2016
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

As is often the case with upland cairns, the surmounting muppet shelter gives a totally false impression of the original size of this monument.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 13, 2016
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Moel Wnion from Gyrn Wigau..... Ynys Mon lies beyond The Menai Straits...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Apr 25, 2015
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Moel Wnion, illuminated, with becairned Cras to the right and Ynys Mon beyond. Seen from the rocky summit of Bera Mawr.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.4.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 23, 2013
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Moel Wnion (with conical Gyrn to the left) seen from Gyrn Wigau to the south.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.4.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 21, 2013
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by postman

Looking over the cairn on Moel Wnion to the Menai Straits and Angelsey.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Apr 21, 2013
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by postman

I hope you can just see the cairn on Moel Wnion

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Apr 21, 2013
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by blossom

Walking south from the cairn with Y Gryn to the right and Gryn Wigau to the left with the Carneddaus in the back ground.

Image credit: Bloss
blossom
blossom Oct 16, 2011
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by blossom

Semi circular orthostat wall with bank at the base of Moel wnion.

Image credit: Bloss
blossom
blossom Oct 16, 2011
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by blossom

The reservoir at the base of Moel Wnion with Twll pant Hiriol on the left and the cairns on top of Moel faban on the left

Image credit: Bloss
blossom
blossom Oct 16, 2011
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by blossom

Looking west from the cairn with Y Gyrn on the left and Moel Lefn middle right.

Image credit: Bloss
blossom
blossom Oct 16, 2011
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by blossom

Looking North. Puffin Island can be seen in the sea on this October afternoon.

Image credit: Bloss
blossom
blossom Oct 16, 2011
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by blossom

The Natural hollow on the left of the pic is Twll pant Hiriol with it’s hut circle inside, on Moel Lefn. The hill in the middle of the pic is Moel Faban. The little group of houses on the far right of the pic is where I live.

Image credit: Bloss
blossom
blossom Oct 15, 2011
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by blossom

cup marked stone in cairn. I think the lines are modern.

Image credit: Bloss
blossom
blossom Oct 15, 2011
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Looking from the shattered rock formations of Gyrn Wigau.....

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 4, 2010
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by postman

The destruction wrought by walkers and the Ordnance survey alike are both really saddening. One can only hope the OS are now more conciencious.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jul 19, 2010
Image of Moel Wnion (Cairn(s)) by postman

Due to low clouds and no compass I know not which direction this is looking.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jul 19, 2010

Articles

Moel Wnion

blossom
blossom Oct 16, 2011

What a beautiful October afternoon. Standing in my back garden I could see Moel Wnion sitting there tempting me. So, determined to find this supposed Cup marked stone with in the cairn, off I trot. To make it a little easier for my self I drive to the Bryn Hafod quarry which is beautiful filled with water but treacherous.
I walk up past Bryn Hall, the old youth Hostel, then up the track. There is a clear right hand turn with the track in a deep ditch leading up around the side of the hill. It’s quite a steady climb and I was grateful for the stunning views down the valley. When I reached the flat, the ground was quite boggy and the dogs were quite happy to find proper boggy puddles to lie in and roll around in, because they were so hot.
Following the track East (left) you soon begin to ascend as the track turns north. Follow this up hill until you are rewarded with fine views from the flat top of the hill.
The track turns right Eastish again and leads straight to the cairn which is much ruined, but would have been huge.
The only cup marked stone I could find with in the cairn also has 3 lines on it. GAT says the stone has only one cup mark. There are lots of stones up there that are pitted but thanks to Tiompan I now know these are natural. I am not sure about this one, but it was the only possibility.
It was such a beautiful day that there were butterflies fluttering around. The sun made taking some pics difficult because it was late afternoon and the sun was low in the west.
On the walk down the hill I decided to take some pics of a stone “structure” maybe a wall. The outside of a compound perhaps? It is clearly man made and in an area peppered with hut circles.

Moel Wnion

postman
postman Jul 19, 2010

We walked up from the two ill named cairns to the north, and as we ascended the clouds closed in and our compassless selves guessed the way up, as the cairn occupies the highest point on Moel Wnion you cant really go that wrong.
The views should have been tremendous but visibility was down to twenty yards or so, despite the clouds we found the cairn with ease.
This cairn’s slow destruction was a product of walkers hiding from the elements (why would anyone do that) and belligerent ordnance surveyors who plonked there part time trig point right in the middle of it, who ruined first I don’t know but ruined it is, at least there’s fantastic views all round Anglesey and the mountains mmmmmm ? oh right there’s just clouds.

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