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Dyffryn ArdudwyDolmen / Quoit / Cromlech
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Visited 30.8.13 After spending several hours on the beach in the lovely town of Barmouth (despite the drizzle) we ‘happened’ to be driving past this fine site on our way up to Harlech and its great castle (well worth visiting). Well, I just had to pop in and say hello – didn’t I? The others sat in the car and I headed up the lane and through the kissing gate. Everything was just as I remembered although perhaps a little smaller? I had the place to myself and was delighted to observe that not one piece of litter was to be seen – despite this being a well know site just off the main road. In fact, at all the sites I visited over the 3 days of my mini-break in North Wales I didn’t see one item of litter. Any North Wallians reading this can hold their heads up with pride – you obviously respect your past. Are you listening South Wales? |
Posted by CARL 4th September 2013ce |
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Visited 12th May 2012 There are some places you just don’t appreciate in one visit, and for me Dyffryn Ardudwy was one. The first time I was here I was a bit disappointed by the built up surroundings of the dolmens. Nearby houses and the school seemed to hem in the site and, along with a slightly unsympathetic restoration, one of the chambers was littered with cans and other detritus which indicated it was a favoured party spot for local youths. My next visit was on a grey and rainy day, leaden Welsh skies seeming to bleach the colour from the surroundings as I huddled for shelter next to the tree which canopied the chambers. So today’s visit was one I made just because we were passing. I’m so glad we did. Like Kammer we parked in the small cul-de-sac of Bro Arthur just past the school, and walked up the short path to the twin dolmens. On this lovely sunny day the site is transformed. Dappled sunlight bathes the monument, and bluebells rather than rubbish, dot the site. I clamber onto the nearby wall to get a more elevated shot of the monument and it’s as if I’m seeing it with new eyes. The two dolmens are of a good size, and I take a bit more time to investigate the chambers, noting the strange marks gouged into one of the portal stones of the western chamber, which I hadn’t seen before. The eastern chamber is larger, but in places is shored up by some ugly brickwork. The oak tree growing here is wonderful, and whilst Ellen spends some time sketching the site I climb onto a low sloping branch which is just right to recline on, and contemplate the monument. Although Dyffryn Ardudwy is only the decimated skeleton of the monument it once was the stones around the perimeter allow you to get a sense of the size the monument would have been when covered by a mound or cairn material. Dyffryn Ardudwy is an enigmatic site, despite the relatively urban location, and slightly dodgy restoration, it’s not quite like anywhere else, and retains a special feeling, made extra special on this sublime afternoon. I feel like I finally ‘get’ Dyffryn Ardudwy now! |
Posted by Ravenfeather17th July 2012ce |
| I visited this site last summer whilst staying in Bala for a few days. I parked just off the main road in a (school?) car park. This was just to the left of the path which takes you from the main road to the site. It is only a small walk and has chippings on the floor so you don't get muddy. It was a lot larger than I expected and it it quite tricky walking over the loose stones to get right up close to the chambers. In fact I nearly broke my ankle here as little Dafydd first insisted on sitting on top of the higher capstone and then decided to throw himself off without any warning! This involved me catching him mid-air but then stumbling backwards over the stones. Thankfully, my ankle was sore but not broken. A very good site to visit with easy access. |
Posted by CARL 10th May 2010ce |
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We got up early and drove for three hours to get to this double dolmen, parked by the school as it was early on saturday. For the past hour it has been snowing and it snowed all the time we were there, we indulged in a little snowball fight, Iv'e been lead to believe its compulsory to have one but not to enjoy it. If only the big dolmen was still held aloft on its own instead of the distracting brickwork, a good place to sort your camera out, out of the rain/snow. The smaller older dolmen is as perfect a little structure as you could hope for, Ive probably said that more than once though. Walking in a winter wonderland.... |
Posted by postman19th December 2009ce Edited 23rd December 2009ce |
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Visited 7th December 2003: We parked in the cul-de-sac called Bro Arthur, walked back onto the main road then made our way up the path to the mighty Dyffryn Ardudwy. Luckily for us the weather was spot on, with good crisp winter sunshine. It was a dynamic visit. The cairn material made it tricky for Alfie to walk around, so he was in a bit of a grump at first. Then William managed to get his foot wedged between two of the orthostats in the eastern chamber. I rescued him, and after some tears he was back to normal, pretending he was in a 'ty-house' (or is that 'tea-house'). Before we left I squeezed into the western chamber with both the boys, peaking out at Lou (who wasn't silly enough to follow us). The boys thought this was hysterical (so did I if I'm honest). |
Posted by Kammer7th June 2004ce Edited 7th June 2004ce |
| Visited en-route from London to Holyhead. This site has been on my list of sites I yearned to visit for a long time now, and arriving here I wan't at all dissapointed. The landscape surrounding is peaceful - not exactly awe inspiring, but calm and reflective. We waited here till it got dark then continued on to Anglesey. |
Posted by IronMan18th April 2002ce |
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One of the first 'real' monuments I met firsthand. Around 1985, Summer on the Lleyn. Found it by virtue of a tourist map, which also indicated that the local shop held leaflets about the monument - I just received frowns and dirty looks when i enquired! I wasn't expecting such a vast site - again, this was a first for me and the sense of scale and feeling of 'place' was immense. Disregarding the 'sympathetic' restoration by Wimpey during a lunch-break, the monument bleeds antiquity. I had loaded a high definition film with the intention of getting some shots before approaching the site, and the sun was well over her midpoint by the time i reached the place. The massive oak rustled in the rising breeze, throwing a shifting shadowplay over the backs of the crouched stones. It was interesting to think that the tree, already several times thicker than my waist, had seen many summers than I could imagine, and yet compared to Ardudwy, its lifetime was a brief crowded hour of furious growth. Taking the shots between the two dolmens, and looking 'in' to the cramped space, feeling the stones grind and complain beneath my clumsy feet, i had the distinct impression of the genius loci and almost felt myself observed in turn. w |
Posted by Wotan18th February 2002ce |
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Could the smallest of the 2 dolmens be a mistake? From the pictures I've seen it impressed me of the size, if all the stones that covered it have been removed, it must once have been quite impressive an object to look at and be near. I wonder if the children at the nearby primary school have any clue what exactly lies to the rear, and if so do they apreciate its importance as the people who built it did and do they play there? |
Posted by mort7th January 2001ce Edited 26th June 2003ce |
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According to C. Grooms (The Giants of Wales. Cewri Cymru Welsh Studies Vol. 10 (Lampeter, 1993)) this stone was one of three quoits thrown by Arthur from the top of Moelfre, and is said to have his fingermarks upon it. see http://www.arthuriana.co.uk/concepts/folkgazt.htm |
Posted by Rhiannon8th November 2005ce Edited 8th November 2005ce |
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I own a piece of land adjacent to the chambers, a survey has been carried out and a number of anomalies were found, the most mysterious being a 25 metre stone elipse, a 5 metre stone circle within it and and what appears to be an entrance facing the chambers. There are many other anomalies on the land and the whole area exudes peace and tranquility, you can stand there and watch the sun go down and leave all your worries behind. Our horses love to graze on the land, they seem so at ease with the stones and undulations even if they do trip up from time to time. We also have five of the largest oak trees in the area growing out of a 'platform' of stones. I'd love to know more about this era but according to archaeologists there is so little information available that the purpose of the remains may forever remain a mystery. The sad part is the shameful building of the school and the council houses on the land to the west of the chambers, it is also unfortunate that planning consent was given on the land to the north. There was one large enclosure many years ago and this was chopped into smaller parcels when the local authority exercised a compulsory purchase order on the area that now contains the school and the 'affordable housing' we now see ruining the landscape. I've been thinking about a little information centre so that people can see more of the treasures of the uplands around Dyffryn Ardudwy, would it be of interest to the visitors? |
Posted by karmacymru 17th August 2003ce Edited 25th March 2004ce |
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Megalithics: Dyffryn ArdudwyA photo and description of the site, plus links to seven high resolution photos and numerous panoramas (either Real VR which you'll need a plug-in for or Java). Someone's been climbing on capstones (tsk tsk). |
Posted by Kammer 4th June 2004ce Edited 4th June 2004ce |
Megalithic Walks: Dyffryn ArdudwySix photographs of the site and a description, including directions. It looks like Graham and/or Angela also squeezed into the tiny western chamber. |
Posted by Kammer 4th June 2004ce |
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