The western edges of Werfa/Mynydd Llangeinwyr from Bwlchgarw. The source of the Afon Garw is just below the viewpoint. The Ordnance Survey map shows a further round barrow on this saddle between Mynydd Caerau and Werfa, but I didn’t find anything in the tussocky grass. Fabulous viewpoint though.
At first I thought this was exposed stonework on the top of the barrow, but on closer inspection the blocks turned out to be a concrete conglomerate. The partially wooded hill on the left is Mynydd Caerau, which is crowned by an extensive barrow cemetery.
Looking south over the barrow over the Hafren towards Somerset and Exmoor.
Looking north over the top of the low barrow to the masts at the summit. Crug-yr-Afan cairn is immediately to the right of the forestry, right of image.
Arriving from Carn-yr-Hyrddod to the SE.
Looking south across the Hafren to Somerset.
Stones around the rim of the monument (bottom of image) may suggest a kerb of some sort.
Looking northwest. The partially wooded hill to the left is Mynydd Caerau (extensive barrow cemetery), the summit on the right is Werfa, which is the highest point in Bridgend and has a solitary round barrow.
Looking east across Cwm Ogwr towards Mynydd Ton and Mynydd William Meyrick.
Landscape context from the trig pillar to the south. The Werfa round barrow is on the skyline far left, in front of the wind turbines. Carn-yr-Hyrddod is prominent over on the skyline to the right of the image.
Landscape context from Carn-yr-Hyrddod to the south. The cairn is on the top of the hill, centre, to the right of the forestry. Corn Du and Pen y Fan are the unmistakable mountains on the skyline over to the right.
Landscape context from across Cwm Ogwr/Ogmore Valley, near the excellent Carn-yr-Hyrddod. Mynydd Ton cairns are in the forestry at the left hand end of the ridge, Garn Fawr in front of the forestry in the centre, and Garn Fach far right, behind the windfarm.
Looking east across the northern cairn. The steeply scarped hillside opposite is Mynydd William Meyrick, which has two trashed cairns (Garn Fawr and Garn Fach) that would probably be intervisible with this monument. Garn Fach is amongst the windfarm now.
The larger slab in the northern cairn, with boot for scale.
A couple of large slabs are exposed in the northern cairn.
The northern cairn, looking west. The edge of the cairn has been cut by the track. The Hafren with Exmoor beyond over on the left.
Looking WNW across the southern cairn towards Garw Forest. Exposed stonework can be seen around the rim.
Looking southeast across the southern cairn towards Ogmore Forest.
The low southern cairn, looking northeast.
After much futile wandering on the hillside I gave up on Garn Lwyd, which is annoying as aerial photos suggest that I’d somehow missed a very large cairn. This low green mound was in the general vicinity, but I’m pretty sure it’s not “it”. Great views across Cwm Cyfog towards Mynydd William Meyrick, which boasts a couple of very wrecked but nicely situated cairns.
The rather better view southwards across the small SW cairn. The Hafren glints in the early Spring sunshine, and Exmoor stretches across the horizon.
Okay, so the SW cairn isn’t the most impressive monument (it’s the lighter green patch in the centre) but it’s in a nice spot. Looking west towards a distant but prominent Foel Fynyddau (centre skyline), with Garw Forest nearer at hand.
Two cairns on Mynydd Llangeinwyr, Coflein/GGAT descriptions:
Southern cairn (SS9197090610)
An oval stony mound, 7.6m E-W by 6.1m and 0.3m high.
Entirely grass-covered and roughly flat-topped mound, slightly dished in from the edges; stone can be detected in the interior so it is unlikely to be a ring cairn, unless the centre was later filled. Sheep track runs across monument N-S, and appears to have dug into it slightly.
Northern cairn (SS9198291967)
This low circular cairn measures 6 metres in diameter, and is up to 0.5 metres high. It is covered with bilberry and grass.
The northern cairn is not marked on the OS map.
Two (possible) cairns on the upper slopes of Pant Blaenhirwr, Coflein descriptions:
Garn Lwyd (SS9198090140)
A suggested ring cairn, 14m SW-NE to 12.5m overall diameter, in an uncharacteristic on a steep NE-facing slope.
Pant Blaenhirwr SW (SS9170189893)
A low mound, 3.5 metres in diameter and 0.3 metres high with a high stone content. The vegetation cover was grass in December 2011.
The double rampart on the southern side of the fort.
The western side of the fort, above steep slopes.
No need for artificial defences on the western side. Looking from the top of the steep hill towards Craven Arms.
The inner edge of the rampart and the ploughed interior of the fort.
As thelonious says, the ramparts are massive.
The impressive northern ramparts.
Looking along the ditch between the inner and outer ramparts on the north side of the fort.
North-eastern corner of the fort.
Seen from the hillside above Halford Wood to the north. The fort occupies the highest part of the hill.
A fresh perspective on old friends; Brown Clee to the left and Titterstone Clee to the right, seen from Callow Hill a little less than 10 miles away to the west.
Some landscape context showing how prominent the hillfort is, even amongst the steep hills around it. Seen from Callow Hill, about 7 miles to the south.
The hillfort from the Herefordshire Trail to the south. There appears to be very impressive rampart around the perimeter of the hilltop.
The fort is in the trees. Seen from the east.
The fort is on the ridge, centre. Seen from across the shallow valley to the south. The fort appears to have no defences at all on this side.
Approaching evening in failing winter light.
I loved the striations on the side of the hill below the southern round barrow.
A closer look at the ongoing damage to the long barrow.
The sorry sight of the long barrow, further damaged by the plough since tjj’s photos from a decade earlier.
This may be the northern round barrow, although it’s not quite in the position shown on the OS 1:25000 map.
