thesweetcheat

What appeared to me to be a section of ring bank, in the middle of the cairnfield. Looking west towards Bryn Mawr across the Clydach valley. The Carn Llechart monuments are further right along the skyline ridge.

Small cairn towards the northwestern (uphill) edge of the cairnfield.

Looking north over the cairn or barrow on the eastern slopes of Mynydd Uchaf. The eastern summit, with Brynmelyn Quarry cairn, is centre. Y Mynydd Ddu’s mountains are over to the left.

Looking east over the cairn or barrow on the eastern slopes of Mynydd Uchaf.

Cairn or barrow on the eastern slopes of Mynydd Uchaf, looking south towards Mynydd y Garth. Coflein suggests the monuments on Mynydd Uchaf may be later boundary markers rather than prehistoric.

Looking east. The distant hill on the skyline to the right is Craig y Llyn, the highest hill in South Wales outside the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.

Looking north towards Y Mynydd Ddu.

I think the hill on the far right skyline is Tair Carn Isaf, which has some very impressive cairns.

The low remains of the cairn from the east. The toppled trig pillar can be seen behind on the right.

Looking west across the cairn, with the raised rim or bank in the foreground. The hill to the right of centre on the skyline is Mynydd Uchaf.

Difficult to see, but there is a raised rim or bank in the foreground. Looking northwest across the cairn.

The western rim of the cairn is in the foreground, where it has been cut across by an old track. Looking east towards the Heads of the Valleys.

Looking east from the location of the eastern cairn.

Plenty of stone scatter in the location of the eastern cairn. Looking north towards the mountains of Y Mynydd Ddu.

A couple of large stones in the grass where the western cairns are.

Looking south to Cefn Gwryhd itself from the western cairns.

Other than a greener grassy patch, there’s little to see of the western cairns on the ground. Looking west. The hill on the left is Mynydd Uchaf, the highest point on these two ridges either side of Afon Egel.

The location of the cairns indicated, from Cefn Gwrhyd itself to the south.

Looking south across the site. Not a lot to see.

All I could find that might be the cairn, a short section of stone bank. Looking eastwards to Mynydd Allt-y-Grug.

Looking southwest.

Looking south across the top of the cairn.

Whatever complex arrangements might be going on in this cairn, it’s all completely covered by the vegetation now.

The grassed-over cairn from the southeast.

Further landscape context to show how prominent the hill is above its surroundings. The cairn is somewhat to the right of the high point. Seen from Llangiwg to the southwest.

The apparent mound from the north. The slabs in the other pictures are in the reedy grass. Looking towards Moel Sych.

The smaller slab, which does appear to be set on edge, with a chunk of quartz next to it.

Detail of the central slab, more flat than upright.

With the slab in the centre.

Looking southwest towards Cefn Penagored, with Foel Cwm Sian Lwyd rising behind.

From the path to the west, with the two small stones I first noticed in the foreground. The main Berwynau ridge rises behind.

Looking northwest, with the largest stone I saw in the centre.

The southern cairn, looking southeast towards Moel Sych.

The southern cairn, looking towards Arenig Fawr and Yr Wyddfa.

The southern cairn, a bit more overgrown than on my previous visit. Looking towards Yr Aran ridge (centre), with Foel Cwm Sian Lwyd beyond to the right.

Southeastern arc of the outer bank of the ring cairn. The footpath fingerpost is new, it may provide a helpful landmark to finding the cairn (assuming it’s still there).

Looking across the ring cairn towards a distant Yr Wyddfa.

The excellent ring cairn, looking northwest.

Looking north towards Cefn Penagored (the green ridge, right of centre) where there are further cairns.

The central cist.

The view down Cwm Pennant. Arenig Fawr is the mountain far left, with the conical summit of Cnicht just visible to the right of it, Carnedd Moel Siabod to the right of that, then distant Yr Wyddfa centre-left.

Kerbstones on the edge of the cairn in the foreground. Looking NE towards Carnedd y Ci.

Looking east towards the summit of Cadair Berwyn (slightly right of centre skyline). The summit cairn is visible from this monument.

With the cist capstone in the centre. Looking west towards Yr Aran ridge, where there are over a dozen cairns.

I came across this a little to the SW of the cairns, on my way to Nant Esgeiriau. I think it’s one of the hut circles mentioned on Coflein.

The stripped-out interior, looking towards Moel Sych.

The smaller cairn, looking NE towards Carnedd y Ci.

According to Coflein, the structure on the foreground which intrigued postman and me on our previous visit is another cairn, “circular, with single large stone to South East (1.5m x 1.8m x 0.6m), 0.5m high, diameter 3m, stone size 0.1m – 0.6m.”

Approaching from the east. Foel Cwm Sian Lwyd, Arenig Fawr and distant Yr Wyddfa on the skyline.

Some landscape context for the monuments on the western flanks of Cadair Berwyn and Moel Sych. Somewhat approximate labels, including at least two spelling mistakes. From Foel Fawr on the descent from the tops.