Foel Faner

Also known as:
Moel Faner
Nearest town:
Dolgellau (2km S)
OS reference:
SH7327520435
OS sheet:
124
Latitude:
52° 45' 58.37 N
Longitude:
3° 52' 42.42 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Sub-circular stone construction next to the north-eastern entrance.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.11.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 29, 2023
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The impressive southern rampart, looking west along the Mawddach valley.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.11.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 29, 2023
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Looking southeast across the valley of Afon Wnion towards the southern peaks of the Aran range and the Dyfi Hills.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.11.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 29, 2023
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Looking eastwards over the rampart across Llyn Cynwych to the neighbouring forts on Foel Offrwm. The mountain far left is Rhobell Fawr, the southern Arannau on the right.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.11.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 29, 2023
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Well-preserved stone rampart on the north-western side, looking towards Y Garn (Rhinogydd).

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.11.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 29, 2023
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Foel Faner is the shadowed hill on the right, the fort occupies the right hand summit. Looking towards distant Rhobell Fawr. The viewpoint is next to Llyn Tan-y-graig, above Llanelltyd.

Image credit: A. Brookes (7.11.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 9, 2022
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The site (green knoll, just right of centre) as seen descending Y Garn, Y Rhinogydd. The little satellite site of Coed Dol Fawr is below to the right.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 3, 2018
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Cadair Idris looms upon the skyline looking into the sun – yeah, I was surprised, too – from Foel Cynwch... note the current gap in the field wall, centre right.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Dec 14, 2015
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Looking north toward central Snowdonia...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Dec 14, 2015
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Although not an overly large enclosure, the single rampart is pretty impressive.... looking toward Bwlch yr Oerddrws separating The Arans from the Dyfi Hills.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Dec 13, 2015
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Southern arc of the defences, looking across to Cadair Idris rising above Dolgellau...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Dec 13, 2015
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Leaving it late ... Foel Faner rises centre skyline across Llyn Cynwch.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 28, 2013
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The hill fort as seen on the approach along Foel Cynwch.... Cadair Idris forms the evocative mountain backdrop.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 28, 2013
Image of Foel Faner (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The western approaches to the site are pretty much impregnable.... the path shown known as the ‘Precipice Walk’. Seems an apt description to me, looking approx north to Coed-y-Brenin, the Afon Mawddach snaking its way to the coast beneath.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 17, 2011

Articles

Foel Faner

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 1, 2014

Although (arguably) not as dramatically sited as the enclosures (count ‘em) upon Foel Offrwm to the east, the hill fort located upon Foel Faner nevertheless occupies a position to die for.... literally, perhaps, if you happened to be unfortunate enough to have tried to storm it back in its heyday. Cadair Idris is the dominating factor here, the legendary mountain massif emphatically claiming the southern/south-western skyline, the sublime Mawddach Estuary duly ensuring the lower regions are equally pleasing to the eye.

Unlike the aforementioned Foel Offrwm, access to Foel Faner is relatively straightforward, prospective visitors presented with the luxury of a way-marked route known as ‘The Precipice Walk’ serviced by its own car park. Should you decide to follow the ‘high level option’ along Foel Cynwch – as I would recommend – the reason for the moniker will become all too obvious, the hillside falling more or less vertically to the Afon Mawddach and A470 below to the west (unfortunately the latter is currently in a bit of a mess, courtesy of very ongoing road improvements). The walk is worth the effort in its own right, to be honest, particularly if you aren’t that confident in your upland navigational abilities... or simply getting on a bit! Tell me about it. However if this doesn’t appeal there is a ‘lakeside walk’ beside Llyn Cynwych which will get you there just the same. As it happens I take that on the way back to the car.

I’ve only a couple of hours to spare before the hills are once again subsumed into that total darkness rarely, if ever, experienced in suburbia.... so I’m obliged to get a move on so as to make best use of the golden light which has rendered this morning’s dull, monochromatic grey but a distant memory. The hill fort crowning Foel Faner lies to the immediate (approx) south-west of Foel Cynwch and is well seen from the latter, with Cadair Idris towering above and beyond. It is an impressive sight. A short, somewhat rough descent and re-ascent later (serves me right for taking a short cut) I am within the Iron Age enclosure, gazing across Llyn Cynwch to Foel Offrwm and today’s earlier haunts. The univallate dry stone defences are pretty substantial, although not overly so, the entrance to the north-east apparently protected by an outwork. That is more or less that in terms of archaeological detail. But it is enough since the views are simply sensational toward Abermawddach, whilst Y Rhinogydd lie resplendent in gold to the west. Sure, there’s gold in them thar hills. No, really, there is.... although I assume not a lot of it is left underground nowadays. Yeah, a little way north within Coed-y-Brenin (King’s Wood) a minor, dead end road heads north-east from the A470 near the confluence of the Afon Eden and Mawddach. Park at the terminus and follow the track to see the waterfalls of Pistyll Cain and Rhaeadr Mawddach.... and if you’re very, very lucky you might just come across a nugget. Right on!

As for myself, spending the dying embers of this wondrous day upon the rampart of Foel Faner is more than ample reward for my efforts, despite said ‘embers’ being fanned by a very sprightly wind indeed. Hey, in the absence of any golden nuggets let’s just say this is another jewel in the proverbial crown of Merioneth. And there are quite a few, are there not? So many, perhaps, that only the likes of Idris himself would’ve had the neck muscles to wear it.

Miscellaneous

Foel Faner
Hillfort
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 15, 2011

Occupying the summit of Moel Faner and encircled by the southern section of the popular ‘Precipice Walk’, north of Dolgellau – and hence commanding some pretty fine views – this is but one of numerous small hillforts in the shadow of Cadair Idris. According to Coflein it is:

‘A roughly oval, somewhat polygonal, enclosure, about 70m north-east to slouth-west by 42m. It is defined by a ruinous stone wall, about 2.7-3.0m across. The only entrance faces north-east and is flanked by an additional ditched mound on the north side.....

Source: Bowen & Gresham ‘History of Merioneth I (1967), 152-3. John Wiles 04.07.07‘

Sites within 20km of Foel Faner

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