Tomle is the summit centre skyline. The mound is near to the summit. Bwlch Maen Gwynedd cairn can be seen as prominent bump on the ridge, towards the right of shot. Seen from Bwlch Maen Gwynedd, the col between Cadair Bronwen and Cadair Berwyn.
The Ordnance Survey (1:25000) map shows the mound just to the northeast of the summit of Tomle as a “pile”. The CPAT record suggests it as a “clearance cairn”.
Whatever stonework might be under the turf is hidden. The mound is approximately circular and it would seem a strange place for a clearance cairn. Although its antiquity is unproven, my money would be on this being a round barrow or cairn, especially given the proximity of a definite example (Bwlch Maen Gwynedd Cairn) at the foot of Craig Berwyn to the west.
There are a number of other “mounds” shown on OS map along this ridge, I didn’t see the one to the northwest at SJ0818633759 on my visit.
Five visible stones emerge, after flattening the grasses a bit.
Looking southwest. The outcrop proved to be a good landmark to orientate from when looking for the stones.
The smallest of the five visible stones.
Even the taller stones are lost in the reedy grass.
Temperature inversion fills the Dee valley beyond. The stones struggle to be seen above the reedy grass.
Towards Cadair Bronwen and Moel Pearce. Cerrig Bwlch y Fedw stone circle is roughly in the centre, but not intervisible.
Loking towards Aranau (centre skyline) and Arenig Fawr.Temperature inversion fills the Dee valley on the right.
The kerbed cairn, with Braich Ddu/Craig-cwm-lwyd rising on the right.
The excellent kerbed cairn, more overgrown than when Postie came a dozen years earlier. Into the pouring rain, splodges on the lens.
Northern cairn, looking down on Abermaw and across to the southern ridge of Y Rhinogydd.
Low remains of the northern cairn, looking NE towards the Afon Mawddach and Pared y Cefn Hir (centre skyline).
Cupmarks on the boulder. The sheep have no appreciation for rock art.
The cupmarked boulder, looking SSE towards the road.
Towards Llynnau Cregennen and Pared y Cefn Hir hillfort, the rocky ridge to the left of the stone.
Towards Tyrrau Mawr, engulfed in rain and cloud.
Looking towards Craig-y-Llyn.
Looking towards Tyrrau Mawr, into the splodgy rain. The Carreg y Big stone is just round the other side of the outcroppy hill to the right. The ruins of a long hut are on the left.
Landscape context for the stone; it’s at the foot of the hill, next to a rectangular long hut ruin.
The fort is on the rocky ridge. Seen from Llynau Cregennen.
Looking across Llyn Cregennen towards Craig-y-Llyn and Braich Ddu.
With Pared y Cefn Hir rising behind.
A second stone is partially buried in the turf, foreground.
Looking towards the Shining Tor/Cats Tor ridge.
The gritstone edge a few yards from the barrow. Looking into Cheshire.
Shutingsloe is the conical hill to the right of centre skyline.
Looking northeast across the High Peak.
Showing the proximity of the round mound from the summit trig.
The possible round barrow near the summit. Looking southeast-ish.
Landscape context; Shining Tor from the southeast.
Visited 16 August 2023.
A fine and dry day, so making use of the excellent bus services in the Buxton area, we get the bus to Cat & Fiddle high up on the moors, right on the border between Derbyshire and Cheshire. The bus does most of the uphill, so it’s a very easy stroll along good paths to climb Shining Tor. Like many Peak District hills it’s a victim of popularity, so the paths have been laid with stone flags. It makes for a somewhat sanitised experience, but with increasingly dodgy joints I’m not complaining!
There are great views from the summit, especially of the nicely conical profile of Shutingsloe to the south. The summit itself has a good bit of gritstone edge on its west side, but just to the east of the summit there’s a very obvious circular mound in the angle between paved paths. There’s nothing at all on the HER, but I think this is a good bet for a round barrow. It’s clearly artificial at any rate. Not the best preserved or biggest, but well worth it just for the views and the striding countryside to get here.
From here we carry on north along the ridge to Cats Tor, before heading east to visit the standing stone on Foxlow Edge.
Brighter skies coming. The hillfort is on the hilltop in the centre. From the west.