thesweetcheat

Landscape context for the prominent site (centre) from Waen Gyrach to the northwest. The Conwy valley beyond.

Overview of the site from the east, looking towards Foel Lus. The ring cairn is in front, stretching across the shot; one of the kerb stones can be seen far right. The western kerb cairn is in the centre. The SW kerb cairn with cist is in the gorse clump over on the left.

Looking NW across the western kerb cairn towards Craig Hafodwen and Foel Lus.

Western kerb cairn,

The fine western kerb cairn, with possible cist in the centre.

Northeastern arc of the large ring cairn’s bank.

Kerb stones around the eastern edge of the large ring cairn that adjoins the western kerb cairn.

SW kerb cairn, with western kerb cairn above to the left.

The excellent SW kerb cairn.

The rounded capping slab displaced from the cist in the SW kerb cairn. The upright stones of the western kerb cairn can be seen beyond.

Looking over the SW kerb cairn with cist towards Ffridd Wanc and Craig Hafodwen; the complex of sites around Y Meini Hirion lie over there.

Allt Wen rises steeply above Dwygyfylchi. Seen from the hillside to the south, across Afon Gyrach.

With Llwytmor the mountain looming top left.

The eastern arc of the cairn appears to have an intact kerb. Last light over Moel Wnion.

Looking towards Bwlch y Ddeufaen (left of centre) and Carnedd y Ddelw (right of centre).

Looking north. Ynys Seiriol (Puffin Island) floats on the horizon.

To help anyone looking for this, the stone is in the centre, in front of the pylon.

The November sun sinks behind Moel Wnion.

The markings on the stone. Unlike the clearly artificial markings incised on Arrow Stone II, the ones on this stone look much more like natural weathering effects.

Looking east towards Bwlch y Ddeufaen.

Looking northeast towards Dinas hilltop settlement and the Craig Lwyd axe factory above Penmaenmawr.

In failing November light.

Markings on the top.

Markings along the edge.

The cupmark is in the centre of the image.

The standing stone, showing how close it is to the track (Roman road).

The standing stone, with Yr Orsedd rising behind.

The standing stone.

The bouldery stone near the meeting of the tracks. Yr Orsedd rises behind.

Looking south towards Carnedd Pen y Borth Goch prominent on top of Drum in the centre. Foel Fras rises on the right.

Upright slab in the scooped-out centre of the cairn.

There’s a serious amount of stone involved in the construction.

A decent cairn in a superb location.

Looking northwest towards Ynys Mon.

Seen from the south (centre skyline) on the ridge leading to Carnedd Pen y Borth Goch (Drum).

Looking across the horror of the scooped out interior. Tal-y-Fan, encircled by dozens of monuments, is the mountain on the left. The Conwy valley crosses the centre of the shot.

From the west all looks deceptively intact.

The southeastern arc of the original cairn’s footprint. Looking towards Foel Fras. It was so windy I couldn’t stand up here, this was taken clinging on to walking poles and trying to stay vaguely upright.

The original monument’s footprint is much larger than the stone shelter formed from it suggests. The stones in the foreground mark the approximate edge of the perimeter and may have come from a kerb.

The cairn’s prominent location (centre skyline) is clear from Foel Lwyd, half a mile to the southeast. The intervening ground, although a welcome respite from the slog up the steeper slopes below, is wet and boggy.

Every now and again in areas where there a high concentrations of prehistoric monuments, you come across natural stones which look like they have been placed by human agency. This monolith is on the slopes of Foel Lwyd below Carnedd Pen y Borth Goch, it appears to be natural but surely it can’t have gone unnoticed by people who erected megaliths.