Mynydd Caerau

Nearest town:
Maesteg (5km SW)
OS reference:
SS89039418
OS sheet:
170
Latitude:
51° 38' 5.81 N
Longitude:
3° 36' 13.1 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The south-eastern barrow, with the central barrow over to the right. Swansea Bay and The Mumbles can be seen far left.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.3.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Feb 24, 2023
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The central barrow, looking uphill towards the Llyndwr Fawr barrow group. The most prominent of those, with trig pillar on top, can just be seen to the right of the righthand wind turbine.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.3.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Feb 24, 2023
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The top of the central barrow. There’s plenty of stone, but no sign of anything obviously structural.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.3.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Feb 24, 2023
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The central barrow, with the south-eastern behind on the right.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.3.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Feb 24, 2023
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The northwestern barrow, rather ploughed down but great views across to Exmoor.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.3.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Feb 24, 2023
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The central cairn... not a bad monument, to be honest. And at least it’s not a walkers’ cairn on top. The only people I met were locals........

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 4, 2011
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The north-western of the trio... poor thing.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 4, 2011
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The central cairn, with the verily trashed north-western rising beyond.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 4, 2011
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The central cairn, amended to form a sheep shelter. The south-eastern lies beyond.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 4, 2011
Image of Mynydd Caerau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Three cairns lie south of the summit of the mountain, the latter occupied by a further seven (possibly eight) in a linear alignment.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 4, 2011

Articles

Mynydd Caerau

GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 7, 2011

Sited a little below and to the approx south of the Llyndwr Fawr alignment, this trio of cairns – what, just the three? – form an arguably much more substantial grouping of monuments than their summit neighbours..... much more pleasing on the eye, too.

Arranged in a north-west/south-east alignment, the central cairn of the three is the most upstanding, despite having been internally altered to form a sheep shelter. Such is life in Wales, I suppose... and at least it’s not been fashioned into the more usual walkers’ shelter, but something of far more practical use. Its companion, to the south-east, is also pretty substantial, albeit grassed over and bearing a central hollow, no doubt made by treasure seekers or what-not in antiquity. To be sure, I’ve seen worse, such as the final cairn of the triumvirate to the north-west. Unfortunately this example has received by far the shortest straw in the preservation stakes, now much denuded.

Although the view of Nant Garw, to the east of the alignment, is somewhat restricted by forestry, that to the north by the bulk of the rising mountain, there’s something about this grouping of cairns that just feels ‘right’, you know? Landscape and monuments simply complement each other. Don’t think I can really articulate my thoughts any clearer than that. The cairns just ‘tick all the boxes’ required for a fine afternoon’s hang. A local family, the husband a typical rollicking ‘outdoor type’, pass by with a greeting, the only people I encounter upon this otherwise deserted, special mountain all day. In fact time runs out before I know it – a sure sign you’re having fun, apparently – and I’m not able to inspect the Bwlchgarw monuments following another look at the Llyndwr Fawr alignment. Another time, perhaps?

Reality bites as I descend back to the ‘goldfish bowl’ that is Abergwynfi... and the car... people staring as I approach, suggesting they perhaps don’t see many people walking these hills for the sheer fun of it. Whatever for?

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