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Adam and Eve

Natural Rock Feature

<b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postmanImage © Chris Bickerton
Also known as:
  • Tryfan Summit Stones
  • Adda ac Efa
  • Sion a Sian

Nearest Town:Bethesda (8km NW)
OS Ref (GB):   SH664594 / Sheet: 115
Latitude:53° 6' 52.73" N
Longitude:   3° 59' 46.85" W

Added by postman

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Photographs:<b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman <b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by postman Artistic / Interpretive:<b>Adam and Eve</b>Posted by GLADMAN

Fieldnotes

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I agonised over whether to post this site or not, but then I saw the Kirkstone in Cumbria and decided to after all. 915 metres up in the air, Tryfan is a tall sharp mountain. It really scared me twice, but I got up in the end. Adam and Eve are two natural standing stones on the 25ft sq summit platform. If your man(crazy) enough to jump from one to the other, then the freedom of the mountain is yours. There was no chance of chickening out because there's just no way I'm going up there.. right on the edge with a very very big drop! In short, it's a long but exciting climb, with added bonus of the initial stimulus for standing stones... honest! postman Posted by postman
30th July 2006ce
Edited 1st August 2006ce

Folklore

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It might be related to the stones, it might not. It doesn't seem unreasonable to think it would be, as many similar places have grave-related folklore. This is a line from 'Stanzas of the Grave', a 10th-century Welsh poem:

"the grave of Bedwyr is on Tryfan hill."

Bedwyr is one of King Arthur's mates and one of several Arthurian characters mentioned in the early poem. You can read the rest of the poem at this page at the University of British Columbia:
http://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/sechard/344art.htm

* * *

Tryfan is a conical hill on the south side of Ogwen Lake. Its sides are precipitous and covered with huge stones resting one upon the other. The summit can be reached in one direction. On the top are two erect stones which from the road appear like two men. There is a small patch of level ground on the top. The triplet runs thus:

Bedd mab Osvran yn Camlan,
Wedi llawer cyflafan,
Bedd Bedwyr yn allt Tryfan.

Which may be thus translated:

In Camlan lies brave Osvran's son,
Who many bloody conflicts won.
In Tryfan's steep and craggy womb,
Uprais'd with stones is Bedwyr's tomb.

Or literally, "The grave of the son of Osvran, after many conflicts, is in Camlan. The grave of Bedwyr, in the ascent of Tryfan." I quote from Williams' Observations on the Snowdon Mountains. If Bedwyr is buried in the steep of Tryfan, it is difficult to ascertain the spot, for the whole hill-side is one mass of large stones. Perhaps, though, this Tryfan is not the one honoured with Bedwyr's grave.
in Archaeologia Cambrensis vol 5, series 4 (1874).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
16th August 2006ce
Edited 24th April 2013ce