The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

   

Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros

Cairn(s)

<b>Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros</b>Posted by GLADMANImage © Robert Gladstone
Nearest Town:Bala (2km ENE)
OS Ref (GB):   SH89633551 / Sheets: 124, 125
Latitude:52° 54' 19.15" N
Longitude:   3° 38' 28.45" W

Added by GLADMAN


Discussion Topics0 discussions
Start a topic



Show  |  Hide
Web searches for Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros
Show map   (inline Google Map)

Images (click to view fullsize)

Add an image Add an image
<b>Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Moel y Garnedd, Gwastadros</b>Posted by GLADMAN

Folklore

Add folklore Add folklore
Bala Lake

Long, long ago, there was a fertile valley where now roll the waters of Bala Lake.

"At last he reached the top of a hill, some considerable distance 'from the palace".... Although the story isn't specific - mythical legends, eh? - I guess it's not utterly unreasonable to suppose Moel y Garnedd, overlooking Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake), may have been the inferred destination of the harper... being an old man and presumably not up to a trek up any mountain proper:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/wfb/wfb23.htm
GLADMAN Posted by GLADMAN
10th December 2017ce
Edited 10th December 2017ce

Miscellaneous

Add miscellaneous Add miscellaneous
With such a prosaic name... it doesn't take a visionary Citizen Cairn'd (luckily for me) to suss that here, crowning this (relatively) low hill top overlooking the northern aspect of Llyn Tegid (incidentally Wales' most copious natural lake), we have the remnants of a prehistoric cairn.

Coflein is curiously non-committal... but not so The Ordnance Survey, depicting the monument immediately to the east of their triangulation pillar upon the 1:25K version of their unsurpassed mapping. The Gwynedd Archaeological Trust complicate matters somewhat by additionally citing a monument a little to the north-east at SH89633551:

"(PRN 6239) Low flat-topped cairn... to North East of cairn on summit. Site completely turfed over apart from eroded area around a large boulder on South East. Cairn pock-marked with several holes (now completely grass grown). Erosion on South East side reveals small stones and earth. Stones max. 0.2m (apart from 2m long boulder)... Material excavated from largest hole appears to be very strong (Smith 2001)."

So... perhaps we have more than just the one monument, then? Whatever the truth, for me the 360 degree unrestricted panorama of mountains and hills is instructive - in short, the positioning is classic, nigh on perfect. Yeah, on a clear day the views would be breathtaking, taking in The Arans, Arenigs and associated wonders; my visit, dictated by a lowering cloudbase obscuring the encircling summits, was hostile, to say the least. But nevertheless well worth the effort.
GLADMAN Posted by GLADMAN
7th November 2016ce
Edited 20th March 2017ce