Bryn Cader Faner

Nearest town:
Ffestiniog (8km NE)
OS reference:
SH648353
OS sheet:
124
Latitude:
52° 53' 51.78 N
Longitude:
4° 0' 36.55 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by CoralJackz

Photograph dated around 1930-1950. Shows damage to the east side due to army practice.

Image credit: Coflein - CADW
CoralJackz
CoralJackz Oct 13, 2024
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by thesweetcheat

Towards Moel Hebog before the clouds blocked the views north.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 30, 2022
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by thesweetcheat

There can’t be many better birthday presents to give yourself than a visit to Bryn Cader Faner.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 30, 2022
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by costaexpress

Dramatic and mysterious, however, is it real or a figment of someone’s imagination. What form of construction would require the stones to be placed like this, who decided where the stones originally lay? Guess pretty superfluous after 5000 years, just enjoy

costaexpress
costaexpress May 24, 2018
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by costaexpress

Decided to walk in from the North West starting at Penrhyndeudraeth rather than the usual way in from the South. 1300 feet of climb made for fabulous walk as well as visiting the cairn

costaexpress
costaexpress May 24, 2018
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by thesweetcheat

The dark ridges of the Rhinogydd glower down on the monument.

Image credit: A. Brookes (21.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 7, 2016
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by postman

Bryn Cader Faner above and to the right of the Ultra rock, I made that name up but I feel it is very fitting, it looks like it’s covered in bird muck or something similar but it’s all quartz.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 22, 2016
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by postman

Zooming at Bryn Cader Faner from the ultra rock.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 22, 2016
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by GLADMAN

Just about the only wash of sunlight during ..... actually I, er, sort of lost track of time here.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 20, 2016
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by caealun

An image of the damage caused to Bryn Cader Faner by some idiot deciding to erect a stone in the middle!

Image credit: Rhys Mwyn (Submitted by Derfel)
caealun
caealun Jun 1, 2014
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by postman

From the track between Y Gyrn and Bryn Cader Faner

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jan 20, 2013
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by postman

Is that a fallen circle stone in the middle ?

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jan 20, 2013
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by postman

Moel Ysgyfarnogod (2043 feet) snowy mountain watches over the land

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jan 20, 2013
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by GLADMAN

Crown of thorns..........Found this image languishing in the pile of prints (remember them?) sitting within my cupboard. For me this highlights how mood and the sun are inextricably linked.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 8, 2013
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by postman

Bryn Cader Faner in it’s surroundings (just below the snowy mountain) and the amazing view it enjoys.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jan 5, 2011
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by postman

The last of the christmas snows clinging to, erm, some big mountains (Cnicht ?)(Snowdon ! of course)

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jan 5, 2011
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by postman

The northern flanks of Moel Ysfarnogod overlook Bryn Cader Faner.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jan 5, 2011
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by GLADMAN

The crown – or coronet, if you prefer – of the Rhinogydd.... one of Wales’ landscape jewels.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Aug 9, 2010
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by GLADMAN

A spiky monument for a fabulously brutal landscape........ looking towards uncompromising Moel Ysgyfarnogod, northern Rhinogydd.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jul 22, 2010
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by GLADMAN

With the Eifionydd as a backdrop. Moel Hebog (with its cairn cemetry) is prominent. The Nantlle Ridge is to its right. Marvellous.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jul 10, 2010
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by mort

view towards Bryn Cader Faner from below the track again, some snow covering still showing that day, but melting quickly.

Image credit: Mark Mortimer
mort
mort Feb 3, 2010
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by mort

Bryn Cader Faner looking towards the Llyn Eiddew lake’s.

Image credit: Mark Mortimer
mort
mort Jan 31, 2010
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by mort

Bryn Cader Faner from the track heading towards Llyn Eiddew Bach

Image credit: Mark Mortimer
mort
mort Jan 31, 2010
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by mort

Mono convertion, Duotone added in ps4

Image credit: Mark Mortimer
mort
mort Jan 31, 2010
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by Moth

How can something that’s such a mess be so attractive?

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Sep 2, 2003
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by Moth

First view of Bryn Cader Faner in the distance

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Sep 2, 2003
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by Moth

View ‘onwards’ from Bryn Cader Faner itself

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Sep 2, 2003
Image of Bryn Cader Faner (Cairn circle) by Moth

Stunning view over the bay as you climb towards Bryn Cader Faner

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Sep 2, 2003

Articles

The finest ring cairn in Wales..

In this video we explore Bryn Cader Faner and cover the history and archaeology of this iconic site.

CoralJackz
CoralJackz Oct 13, 2024
Bryn Cader Faner

Bryn Cader Faner – Vandalised?

caealun
caealun Jun 1, 2014

Copy of tweet submitted by Rhys Mwyn @therealrhysmwyn on the 30/05/14:

No words can express my anger at the idiots that have damaged Bryn Cader Faner by erecting a stone in the middle.

Bryn Cader Faner

ironstone
ironstone Mar 11, 2017

I thought I’d seen them all, all of the sites with that unmistakable ‘wow’ factor; Brodgar, Callanish, Machrie Moor, Pobhuill Finn, Swinside, we all know them, but then I came here and was blown away all over again, and not by the wind since I had the enviable good fortune to arrive on the warmest and sunniest day of the year so far. Those old weather Gods were smiling on me again; the forecast four days beforehand was so unpropitious (the symbol with a dark cloud and two drops of rain for the whole day) that I foresaw myself having to give it a miss but gradually it improved until I knew that I was going to be blessed with fine weather to make what I anticipated was going to be a bit of a hike. Previous fieldnotes seem to presume a knowledge of the site or an easy competence in map/landscape reading, skills with which I’m totally unfamiliar so although it’s pretty obvious from the OS map where it is and how to get there I was still anxious about finding it without more precise guidance. How windy and narrow is the road? Is it easy to park at the end? Is there room to turn round? These are the sorts of questions I want answers to before I set off. Ok, so here’s my take; you follow the B4573 through the centre of Harlech until just before it veers left to rejoin the A496; there’s a right turn which should be signposted ‘Eisingrug’ but isn’t. Follow that until you reach said hamlet where there’s a sign pointing left to Maes-y-neuadd. Take that turning and then almost immediately turn right on to a very narrow single-track road marked as a dead-end. This winds slowly upwards with no real passing-places but eventually arrives at a grassy space just before an open gate with room to park half a dozen or so cars. It would be tempting to take the track just ahead of you but that simply leads to the farm; the correct one is to the right (ie behind you if you’ve parked on the right) and that eventually goes round in a rough semi-circle until you arrive at a gate with a footpath sign. Although the map shows a path going to the left as the one that leads to the circle, on the ground it’s not that apparent with the terrain very churned-up so I followed what I assumed must be the path only to find myself arriving at the little lake Llyn Eiddew-bach. Possibly others have made the same mistake as I was able to make out a reasonably-trodden path that then veered to the left across the bogs and brought me on to the correct path leading directly to the circle. You see it from a fair way away so it’s a genuinely thrilling approach. When I got there I was puzzled; in my ‘Circles Of Stone’ book from 1999 Burl describes it as having been vandalised by ‘licentious soldiery’ in WW2 with only 15 stones standing on one arc but I counted 26 or so making a virtually complete circle. Has it been restored in the intervening period? Maybe I’m just misunderstanding his description but, whatever, it’s stupendously well-sited and unique.
The walk’s about half an hour each way; as others have observed, it’s tremendously squelchy but so well worth the effort. I went on to see Harlech Circle, Argoth and Diffryn Ardudwy, all wonderful in their own ways but it was the buzz of visiting this memorable monument that stayed with me all day.

Bryn Cader Faner

U
Ubik Aug 20, 2013

Visited today. Some one has decided to ‘improve’ the site by placing an upright stone in the centre. Considering the time and effort needed to reach it, its incredibly depressing to find it vandalized.

Bryn Cader Faner

postman
postman Jan 5, 2011

Has it really been nearly four years since my last wander around this no-mans land, yes, yes it has. I was hoping for more snow but in it’s place i’ll take a rain free day. I say no-mans land because all the times Iv’e been here iv’e never seen another soul. Nice
My new super goretex boots and waterproofs might have come in handy if it was wet but everything was frozen solid and the new parts of the path made it all too easy. No compass, no GPS, I didnt even look at the map, so sure I was of the route, no problems at all.
The stones seemed smaller than I remembered, perhaps it’s the bigness of the whole place that tainted my memories.
Amongst the stones we found two letters written by children adressed to the fairies, one was asking how they liked the snow, and whether they were Welsh fairies, the other saying how much they liked their trip into the hills, proof of fairies existence if ever I saw it.

But the reason for this trip was to ascend the big mountain Moel Ysfarnogod, not all the way up mind, just enough to look down on the stone circle/cairn. It was a real treat for the eyes, we started off on the far northern flank and skipped and stumbled across the mountain side as far as Llyn Eiddew Bach, continuously stopping for a breather and to take zooming pictures of the stones with the mountains in the background. Amazingly fantastic. (we also tried to fake a UFO photo using thrown ice chunks, not so fantastic)

I dare say i’ll find an excuse to go back up there but hopefully not waiting for four years, in fact I already have, Y Gyrn cairns look and sound quite impressive and less than a klick from B C F.
Nice one Vic

Bryn Cader Faner

U
Ubik Jul 9, 2010

Visited June 2010.

Worth noting that the owner of the land where you park asks for a £2 donation to the Air Ambulance to be left in the postbox on the gate to the metalled track to the lakes.

Some drainage and surfacing work has been done on the direct path, which should make it easier going. However, as we visited in very dry weather, I can’t comment on how bad it would be in the wet. This is a very isolated spot in potentially dangerous terrain, so proper equipment and clothing is a must.

You can follow the metalled track to the lakes then keep going along the higher ground to opposite the site, which reduces both height lost in crossing the valley and the amount of distance taken through bogs. However, the ground is rocky and there are some springs.

Bryn Cader Faner

mort
mort Dec 2, 2009

I go here often as its relatively near to my home, last time I visited was on the 3rd of September 2009.
It was one of those stormy, rainy days, been home most of the day, week in fact as it was unbeleivably wet for this time of year. Going stir crazy, I decided to head off to the hills, camera gear in tow and the dog to keep me company.

On the way up I met two guys who’d been up, walked past it for some time before realising. Halfway up, a storm started, but soon cleared and skies started clearing by the time I reached the Stones.

The light was good, and found some good points to photograph from. The gods where with me that day, but I forgot my usual offering to leave behind at the stones, so when I reached back home that evening I found i’d “lost” a few things, a lens cap and a camera release cable. Serves me right for visiting empty handed, so let that be a lesson to you all, take an offering or bad luck will befall you!

Bryn Cader Faner

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 21, 2009

First visited this wonderful site in February 2001.... perhaps not the best time, so I immediately put it on the ‘list to visit again one day’. As you do.

The opportunity arose in 2005, only for Moel Ysgyfarnogod to call me the louder during a supposed window in the weather – I actually had my lip cut by hailstones that day, but that’s another story. Anyway, finally made it back last week, actually managing to find the obscure left fork from the main track (see the link directions) and – to be honest – more than happy I’d taken this walk seriously and worn my Gortex boots, since this direct path possesses some SERIOUS bogs indeed. So much so that there is, in my opinion, a good case for heading straight to Llyn Eiddew Bach and cutting onto the direct track that way, particularly since this wonderful cairn-circle is clearly visible on the skyline at lakeside. This would mean missing out on the little Llyn Eiddew Bach ‘circle, however.... so perhaps doing the outward leg via the llyn – so easing any navigational problems – and squelching back via the direct path is the best compromise.

By whatever route you get to Bryn Cader Faner I guarantee a true stonehead will not be dissapointed. On a reasonably clear day the mountains of central Snowdonia rear up behind, while the northern Rhinogydd – arguably Wales’ roughest terrain – tower above in a manner that can only be described as brutal in the extreme.

Time flies here, my anticipated 2-3 hour visit turning into an extended 5 hour hang since I simply could not leave. Just the one mountain biker passed by in all that time.... needless to say he didn’t stop.

Incidentally when nearing the car on the return leg you have the most superb view of the Dwyryd Estuary laid out before you. An opportunity to divert a little to the left and ponder a while......

Bryn Cader Faner

postman
postman Feb 4, 2007

The first time I came here I was armed only with an OS map and in the fog I got hopelessly lost .
Second time with map compass and GPS I found it just fine .
This time map and memory sufficed .I parked where fourwinds did, and always have, I took my bike this time .
It’s not easy to find, the hills and mountains are a bit samey and the paths aren’t marked ,I pushed my bike most of the way, and when the path got boggy I tried a new way of my own, big mistake, at one time I was wading knee deep struggling with my bike , always stick to the path no matter what and keep your head up so you can see the path or you’ll wander and believe me you don’t want that.In the end I was on a small hill and saw the cairn in the distance, sucsess. (of a sort)
Last time I was here it was a bit foggy but this time it was beautiful wonderful views all around .The stones seemed to glisten in the sunlight I sat down and enjoyed this place whilst I dried off , I can’t beleive how badly this place has been treated, the army used it as target practice, Ignorant b******s.
Its a lonely place up here in bad weather it could be a bit scary , I wondered whether to rename it’s builders from the Ancients to the Crazies .
It was time to go and I heeded my own advice and stuck to the path it took no time at all to get back I even managed to spot Llyn Eiddaw-Bach on the way . I may come back here many times ,though maybe in the summer heat next time (though snow would be cool)

Topics

So much to see! 16
goffik
goffik
Jun 2004

Sites within 20km of Bryn Cader Faner

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