thesweetcheat

Not too sure about the stone setting, but we did find this rather groovy spiral that someone had laid nearby. Not made out of any cairns, don’t fret.

The impressive backdrop to the site: the cairn-topped Twr yr Fan Foel (left) and Fan Foel (right).

If it does exist, it’s here (or hereabouts). The track shown on the OS as bisecting the site runs from bottom left. Various very small stones protrude through the turf (see right of picture), but it was very cold and we didn’t linger, to be honest. My friends were unimpressed, too!

Seen from Fan Brycheiniog.

The view east from Twr y Fan Foel, looking down to Llyn y Fan Fawr. The central Beacons and Fforest Fawr peaks lie ahead. Fan Gyhirych with its own cairn is the nearest, sun-dappled on the right.

The base of the mound is suffering badly from erosion.

Looking north towards Mid-Wales.

Approaching from Fan Foel.

Under a lowering winter sky.

Looking across to Picws Du, with Waun Lefrith behind.

The central “mound”, with remains of cist.

The SW arc of the cairn’s kerb.

Looking north. This cairn is ignored by many walkers, who cut straight across between the “tops” of Fan Brycheiniog/Twr y Fan Foel and Picws Du without coming here. So there’s no stupid walkers’ cairn here at the moment.

Looking east, the views are terrific on a clear day. Nearest at hand (on the right) is the cairn-topped Twr y Fan Foel. Directly behind the cairn is Fan Gyhirych, while over to the left are the twin summits of Pen y Fan and Corn Du. Fforest Fawr’s other summits lie between, while (out of shot, further to the left) is the Black Mountains range. A landscape teeming with bronze age monuments.

From the SE, emphasising the size of the mound compared with the walkers’ cairn.

Looking across the sunny Carmarthenshire uplands below Y Mynydd Du.

Looking back towards Waun Lefrith, and beyond to the be-cairned Garreg Lwyd and Garreg Las summits. The serious diameter of the original mound can still be seen – this would have been a whopper.

Approaching the cairn from the west. Behind lies Fan Foel, and to the right Twr y Fan Foel, both with their own (even higher) cairns.

Legendary Llyn y Fan Fach, beneath the cliffs of Y Mynydd Du. Picws Du emerges from mist on the right, while Fan Foel remains coy beyond.

The twin cairns on Garreg Las, seen from Waun Lefrith. I think the cairn-topped hill to the left is Garreg Lwyd.

The prow of Picws Du emerges from patchy cloud. Seen from the north, along Cwm Sawdde.

In biting wind, poor visibility and surrounded by bog, this February visit lacked reward in truth. Come on a sunny day and admire the views instead.

The impressive bulk of the original cairn, still substantial beneath the walkers’ shelter. Of the trig point, there is now no sign.

Approaching the summit from the SE.

The smaller southwestern cairn, looking up the slope to the circle.

The northeastern and larger of the two nearby cairns, with quartz liberally included amongst the remaining stones.

Looking west, as the fog thins briefly.

From the northwest.

Seen with its boulder “outlier” in the foreground.

Sadly without its panoramic views. A local looks on, bemused.

Approaching the circle from the west.

What I assume to be yer actual Iron Age earthworks, on the ENE side of the hill, outside the medieval site.

The medieval castle is surrounded by an enormous rock-cut ditch, which even the earlier Iron Age ditch-builders would have struggled with.

The interior of the fort, with crumbling medieval masonry. Views not guaranteed...

Iron Age rampart at the northwestern corner of the site.

The approach from Llangollen.

Fan Nedd from Bwlch y Duwynt. The northern summit cairn lies at the left hand end of the ridge. Another cairn lies on the eastern slope of the mountain out of sight.

Fan Gyhirych in shadow in the centre, while the mountains of Y Mynydd Du bask is sunshine beyond to the right.

Looking towards the western mountains of Fforest Fawr (Fan Fraith and Fan Gyhirych) and to the sunlit Y Mynydd Du beyond.

Pic to show the wide base of the original cairn.

Perched at the northern end of the summit ridge, topped by the most ludicrous modern cairn you ever saw. But beneath is the real deal (or what’s left of it). What a location. Looking towards the cloud-shrouded central Beacons peaks.

Landscape context from the slopes of Fan Nedd.

With Fan Dringarth behind.

You have to love a stone with its own fur coat.

With Fan Nedd behind.

The cairn seen from Maen Llia.

Showing the natural hillock the barrow sits atop.

Looking west, towards the northern summit of Fan Nedd (with its own cairn) and Maen Llia. The cairn itself is badly ruined but would have been of a substantial size and is placed at a significant spot at the head of the valley, next to the confluence of various tributaries of the Afon Llia.

Looking down the valley between the ridges of Fan Llia and Fan Nedd.