thesweetcheat

If I never make it to Lewis, perhaps this will be the nearest thing I see to the tall, willowy stones of Callanish.

Framing the weirdly white Holyhead Mountain. Yeah, I’m happy to go with portal to another world.

Looking towards Holyhead Mountain (right skyline).

I was fascinated by the swirling, fluid structure of the stone.

Blossom pointed out the Easter Island-ness of this lovely stone.

The collapsed central chamber.

Quartz-veined capstone.

The latest phase, with “horned” forecourt. Holyhead Mountain on the skyline.

From the east end.

General view from the NW, showing the flattened rock outcrop that the monument is built on.

The quartz vein in the stone.

Looking SE towards Snowdonia.

First they tried to turn it into a rockery, now they’re trying to make it into a shrubbery.

We saw this sub-circular feature in the field near the gorsedd. Not sure if it’s natural, but doesn’t look a million miles off a ring or kerbed cairn.

Large cupmark at the edge of the rocks, near to the group of five.

Single large cupmark on the rocks.

Further group of cupmarks on the top of the gorsedd.

Cupmark group on top of the gorsedd.

View of the chambered tomb and the Snowdonian backdrop from the top of the Gorsedd.

The Glyders provide an awesome backdrop to an already awesome site.

The “tree” stone in the chamber, showing a collection of white pebbles that has been left around the base.

The forecourt and blocked portal.

The gorsedd sparkles in the sun to the left. The cast stone has weathered to a nicely incongruous grey now.

Moel Eilio from the north ridge path near Llechog. The Snowdon Mountain Railway engine puffs its way up towards Clogwyn Station.

Moel Siabod (centre), framed by Glyder Fawr and the shoulder of Crib Goch. The viewpoint is the rocky summit of Llechog on the north ridge of the Snowdon massif.

Carnedd Llewelyn, the highest point in the photo, left of centre skyline, seen across Y Glyderau, with Crib Goch the sharp ridge in the middle-distance. The viewpoint is the summit of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon.

The inevitably crowded summit itself, surmounted by a topograph. Presumably if there was a Bronze Age cairn, it was right here.

Seen across Llyn Llydaw from Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon.

Approaching the summit from the north. The highest point is very elevated on all sides. Any cairn placed here, aside from enjoying the pre-eminent high-spot in England and Wales, also benefits from a perfect natural dais, just to add to the general grandeur. If you can put the crowds, station, restaurant, etc out of mind, this remains a lovely, awe-inspiring mountain top for pilgrimage.

Yr Wyddfa from Bwlch Glas, near the meeting place of the various northern, eastern and western paths to the summit. The imposing cliffs of Clogwyn y Garnedd make for a dramatic view of this fine peak. Imagine a pilgrimage to a cairn on top of this, 3,000 years ago.

The landscape context of Mynydd Mawr, from the Llanberis Path. The jagged cliffs of Clogwyn Du’r Arddu, with Llyn Du’r Arddu below, can be seen on the left. Hillforted Tre’r Ceiri is visible in the distance beyond the top of the cliffs.

Zoom on Mynydd Mawr from the Llanberis Path, below Clogwyn Station. The cairns can be seen as small dots on the summit and on the subsidiary summit (Craig Cwmbychan) to the right.

Y Garn, seen over Bwlch Cwm Brwynog from the Llanberis Path to the northeast.

Further fragmentary walling.

Fragmentary wall remains. Not sure if this is contemporary with the settlement.

What appears to be the remains of an enclosure wall or field system can be seen protruding through the summer bracken in the foreground. Hut circle remains are in the overgrown area beyond. Llanberis and Llyn Padarn can be seen top right.

Well-preserved hut circle remains in the settlement.

Looking NE from the upper terraces of the settlement, towards Elidir Fawr.

Moel Eilio seen from Cader Ellyll prehistoric settlement.

Upright boulder in the wood below the structure (which can be seen through the trees to the right).

The “standing stone” at the NE corner.

From the (approx) north. As well as the main slabs, there are plentiful smaller stones on the mound.

The setting is lovely, whatever the authenticity of the site itself.

Showing the mound that the structure sits in/on. Llyn Padarn can be seen through the trees.

Some newer stone pieces, including the square slate “capstone” have been added to the structure. The roofed “chamber” has been used to light fires.