thesweetcheat

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.

Retrospective view of Moel Sych, top right, on the re-ascent of Cadair Berwyn. Llyn Lluncaws mirrors the sky.

Although not very upstanding, there’s a good circular mound of partially turfed, consolidated stone beneath the marker cairn. I can’t help but think that this was always quite a low monument compared to the more prominent mounds on Cadair Berwyn and Cadair Bronwen.

Apparent remains of a kerb. With Cadair Bronwen and Cadair Berwyn (North) visible on the left.

Looking southeast into the blue forever of Mid-Wales.

The small outcroppy stone in the foreground is on the edge of the cairn’s diameter.

Approaching the cairn from the direction of Cadair Berwyn. It doesn’t have a huge profile above the ground surface, other than the modern marker pile on top of it. The backdrop stretches from Pumlumon to Y Moelwynion, taking in Cadair Idris, Aranau, Y Rhinogydd and Arenig in between.

Looking down on Llyn Lluncaws.

The cairn from the summit, with the northern cairn in shadow beyond.

Towards a distant Yr Wyddfa, centre skyline. Below the gentler western slopes of Cadair Berwyn are the Pennant cairns.

Looking eastish.

A sizeable footprint survives beneath the shelter. The cairn on the northern summit can be seen behind on the left.

The badly mutilated cairn, with the craggy summit of the mountain on the left.

The cairn from the north. Moel Sych behind on the right.

From the southern summit.

Westwards towards mountains upon mountains; Aranau, Y Rhinogydd, Arenig, Moelwynion, Yr Wyddfa (obscured by clouds), Glyderau and Carneddau (mostly out of shot far right) are all laid out from here.

With becairned Cadair Bronwen (Bwrdd Arthur) far left, the distant Clwydian Hills beyond on the skyline. It’s difficult to know how much the insertion of the trig damaged the top of the cairn, but presumably the visible stonework is original even if displaced.

Looking east along Cwm Maen Gwynedd.

With the slightly higher southern summit rising in shadow behind.

The fine cairn. Moel Sych with further cairn is far left. The distant skyline ranges are Aranau, Y Rhinogydd and Arenig.

The twin summits of Cadair Berwyn from the north.

Nice autumn light on Tomle, left of centre. Seen from Craig Berwyn. The ridge continues onwards to Foel Wen (with a “mound”) and Mynydd Tarw (with a cairn).

The cairn (centre) from the ridge path ascending Cadair Berwyn.

Looking ENE towards the distant Clwydian Hills.

Retrospective view back towards Tomle.

Looking across the excavation hole in the centre of the cairn towards the crags of Cadair Berwyn’s eastern face.

The impressive cairn. Some small pieces of stone around the base hint at the stone composition of the mound.

Approaching the cairn from the ridge linking Cadair Berwyn with Tomle. The cairn is half way up the ridge on the left of the image. Cadair Berwyn glowers in the centre.

Cadair Berwyn in shadow to the left of centre. The Bwlch Maen Gwynedd cairn is on the ridge ascending over on the right. Seen from the ridge linking the highest Berywn peaks to Tomle.

The Clywdian Hills and Llantysilio Mountain crown the distant skyline.

Looking southwest towards Cadair Berwyn, the highest peak in the range, currently lost in cloud.

Sunshine on Tomle. Looking towards Cadair Bronwen. The large Bwrdd Arthur cairn can be seen on top of that summit.

Looking northeast across the mound.

The mound near the summit of Tomle. Looking east-ish. The summit of Foel Wen is far right; it also has a “mound” according to the OS map.