thesweetcheat

The eastern entrance.

The eastern rampart, man with the dogs provides scale for the impressive earthworks.

The north-east corner of the ramparts. Views out over Oxfordshire are extensive, to say the least.

Overcast autumn morning, approaching from Woolston Hill.

The remodelled eastern cairn, with Llanerch Fedw behind.

Showing the sheepfold walls built from cairn material of the eastern cairn. It appears that the sheepfold has been built out, northwards from the original circular footprint.

The southern aspect of the eastern cairn, presenting a circular arc of stones that probably follows the shape of the original monument.

Approaching the eastern cairn.

Close-up of the damaged cairn. Note one much larger block towards the base.

Patches of (naturally placed) scree and boulders make the cairn builder’s job that bit easier.

Looking NW, out to sea and Ynys Mon.

Looking south, where mountains upon mountains march away into the blue.

Looking NW across the hollowed cairn. Llwytmor’s slopes on the left, the Yr Orsedd ridge to the right and Ynys Mon hangs almost invisible beyond.

Showing the wide base of the original cairn, much bigger than the diameter of the shelter. Large blocks may represent the remains of kerbing. Quartz is liberally scattered on the mountain.

Carnedd Penyborth-goch silhouetted, approaching from Carnedd y Ddelw.

Approaching Carnedd y Ddelw. Drum on the right.

The approach to Carnedd y Ddlew (left) with Carnedd Penyborth-goch visible on top of Drum in the centre. The shoulder of Foel-fras disappears out of the right of the picture. Note intrepid stonehound leading the way.

Tal y Fan, early autumn. The viewpoint is Blaen y Ddalfa to the southwest.

Another of the small uprights near the eastern stone.

Miniscule upright near the eastern stone.

Two small stones near the eastern stone.

Showing two of the small stones near the eastern stone.

Showing the area near the eastern stone where a multitude of small upright stones protrude through the grass.

Eastern stone (foreground) and western stone (shining whitely left of centre), pylons aplenty.

Autumn comes to the valley of the Tafalog. The cairn seen from the Roman Road.

Another smallish cairn.

Another small trashed (clearance?) cairn.

Another view of the possible ring cairn.

One of the better-preserved cairns, possibly a small ring cairn.

The second slab and orthostat, hidden away in the grass.

Another of the cairns. This one has a couple of small slabs (one in foreground) and a single upright orthostat (in the reedy grass) presumably part of the remains of a kerb.

The first cairn I came across in the group, a small clearance effort by the look of it.

Seen from the direction of the ring cairn, a hundred yards and a thousand years apart.

Looking along the long thin slab alongside the central block. Tempting to view this as a possible side slab, but that would suggest that the enormous central block would have been elevated. Surely not.

The propped capstone.

Looking into the narrow space at the SW – possible second chamber? Taken by pushing the camera under the slab, I’m not that thin!

The tomb from the SW. The main chamber is under the propped slab at the other end. Underneath the partially turf-covered slab in the foreground is a narrow space, could this have been a further chamber?

Covered mound at the SW end of the tomb.

Two chunky quartz blocks on the floor of the chamber.

The spiders have been working overtime all over this area. Restricted views from the chamber.

Inside the chamber, the driest spot for some distance on this hillside.

Looking SW into the rain.

Looking NW, towards where Mynydd Carnllechart’s highest point may or may not be.

Passage of feet/hooves has eroded the turf outside the circle, revealing the cairn material underneath. If this was originally exposed, it suggests an even more Bryn Cader Faner-ish look to the cairn.

Part of the ring.

The stone-filled pit inside the kerb.

Looking north-ish as the fog rolls in.