Images

Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by thesweetcheat

Upright boulder just to the south of the circle, boasting an even better view of the Mawddach estuary and Cader Idris.

Image credit: A. Brookes (19.4.2023)
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by thesweetcheat

Ordnance Survey benchmark incised in one of the stones across the field from the circle.

Image credit: A. Brookes (19.4.2023)
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by thesweetcheat

Towards Diffwys and Y Garn, the southern peaks of Y Rhinogydd.

Image credit: A. Brookes (19.4.2023)
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Looking across the south-eastern stones towards the southern of Y Rhinogydd’s two Diffwys... this example bearing its own Bronze Age monument (albeit an obscure one)

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Note two ‘circle stones in the foreground – and possibly related stones right?

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Bit distracted after an interesting chat with the farmer arriving on site, meaning this is not the exact angle I wanted to show... however, the ‘entrance portal’ to the Cerrig Arthur ring is (in my opinion beyond any reasonable doubt) aligned upon the great Twll yr Ogof cairn (Craig y Llyn) almost 5 miles to the south-east.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Fading light and very, very windy. What, no rain?

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

The trio of stones upon the southeastern arc... for what it’s worth, second time around I took this arrangement to represent an entrance portal to what was clearly a ring. As Mr Lydon once said ‘I could be wrong; I could be right’.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Approaching direct from Mynydd Egryn to the approx northwest – Cadair Idris forms the dramatic backdrop across the Mawddach.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by postman

If the big stones are seen as being on the edge of the circle a circle can be seen, faint, but both me and the day vole could see it.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by postman

Cadair Idris provides the dynamic backdrop

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by ShropshireTraveller

Do you see what I see? Do you see what we saw? Descending from Cerrig Arthur circle, to go to take in the Cerrig y Cledd stones (one a standing stone, the other with a sword imprint in two split halves) to the east, I noticed this apparent row of stones stretching through the fields in a NE direction. My companions thought that this *did* seem convincing at first sight. At least six stones could be seen in this apparent alignment, but had no time to investigate further.

Image credit: Shropshire Traveller
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by Kammer

Taken 15th June 2003: These are the most prominant stones in the circle itself.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by Kammer

Taken 15th June 2003: One of the stones that makes up the circle, viewed from above. This is typical of the size of most of the circle stones. You can just about make out a thistle to the right of it which gives an approximate idea of scale.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by Kammer

Taken 15th June 2003: The central stones viewed directly from the south, looking roughly towards the cairn at Bwlch y Rhiwgwr.

The weird object in the near distance is a livestock feeder.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by Kammer

Taken 15th June 2003: What fantastic hats we have! Me, Will and Alfie at the central stones, viewed from the south west. Behind us is the Cadair Idris range.

Image credit: Louise Marshall
Image of Cerrig Arthur (Stone Circle) by Kammer

Taken 15th June 2003: The circle, or what remains of it, as seen approaching from the south east.

The stones that make up the circle itself are barely visible. The three large stones that stand in the centre of the circle are pretty obvious though, as is the livestock feeder to the right of them (a modern addition).

Image credit: Simon Marshall

Articles

Cerrig Arthur

We north drove all the way up the small road that ends at Sylfaen farm, all was quiet so we discreetly parked the car out of the way, and made a dash for the hillside.

From the farm go through one gate, turn left and follow the path over the brow of the hill and the three big stones come into view, from car to stones was less than ten minutes.

I knew this circle wasnt going to blow me away, but I was unprepared for the majestic mountains decorating the whole southern vista, Cadair Idris is they’re highest point, ascended by me and the day vole in typical Welsh weather some years ago, but today the clouds were above the mountain peaks all over Snowdonia, and the scant remains of last months snow highlighted and picked out details on the mountain side that were at other times invisible. I like mountains.

Kammer, bless his heart thought the two big stones were an odd arrangement in the circles centre, and that was how i thought it was untill we walked up to the top corner of the field in order to look down upon this less than mighty work of old, it was obvious to my mountain buddy Day vole and myself that the two big stones stand on the south west edge of a slight embankment with several very small stones poking through. Reminding me highly of the loupin stones way up north of two borders, the two big stones being portal stones perhaps framing a significant mountain peak or a celestial moment. This is the second whiff of Scotland ive had in North Wales this last couple of years, maybe i’m onto something, but the wifes been saying that for years.

Cerrig Arthur

Visited 15th June 2003: Cerrig Arthur isn’t far from Sylfaen Farm (marked on the Landranger). The tarmac finishes at the farm, but not the road, which becomes a dirt track with a vehicular right of way. This means you can drive on past the farm and park just before the first gateway. From here you need to walk on through the gateway, then approximately north west up the hill to the circle.

The three largest stones at Cerrig Arthur are part of some sort of megalithic construction in the centre of the circle. The remaining stones that make up the circle itself are relatively small. The site is often described as an embanked stone circle because it sits on a little artificial shelf cut out of the hillside. Interestingly Cerrig Arthur is another site where public footpaths converge. Indicating that it’s been a significant landmark for centuries. We were really lucky with the weather. In fact it was extremely hot and sunny (hence the silly hats) and the mountains to the south looked great. It was a beautiful place to find after a long drive.

When we got back to the car we found it only had two functional gears! Luckily these were 3rd and 4th, so I got us into Barmouth for some time on the beach, then limped the poor old car all the way home, thrashing the clutch as I went.

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