GLADMAN
As it happens, there is an unenclosed group of four (I think?) huts between the cairn and the summit of Gyrn Ddu.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
I truly found this to be an impressive cairn well worthy of a primary visit one day. Should you decide to invest energy to ascend Gyrn Ddu you really must make time for an audience.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Very, very windy conditions.... but happily traded for the sun.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking as ‘west-ish’ as I could manage into the sun... hence the fabulous view of Yr Eifl does not feature.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking approx east towards the summit of Gyrn Ddu
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
A fine upland cairn under a ridiculously blue North Walian sky.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking from the summit crags of Gyrn Ddu itself, the unenclosed settlement is located below, approx centre far-left of image. The western cairn lies a little further west.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The wondrous Tre’r Ceiri viewed from the southern slopes of Gyrn Ddu to approx northeast. The hillfort crowns the left-hand summit of the triumvirate. The massive cairn upon Mynydd Carnguwch is far background left
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
I’d been hanging out for a couple of hours before the blindingly obvious point finally dawned upon me: the cist is aligned upon the summit cairn(s) of Rhinog Fawr. Exquisite.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking towards Rhinog Fawr, actually crowned by at least one Bronze Age cairn of its own....
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Moel Goedog and all sorts of other ‘stoney stuff’ is that-a-way
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
I have to say I was blown away by this exquisite monument. Clip rises beyond... not had the pleasure to date.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The very well-preserved cist...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Cairn circle or kerbed cairn? Take away the cairn and surely this would be a small stone circle?
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Just goes to show one never truly knows what’s lying in obscurity upon the Welsh uplands.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The fabulous carn circle/kerbed cairn lies to the right of the animal feeder thingy, bottom left...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The dodgy light and strong wind played havoc with the photography... the ubiquitous upland grass becoming a milky wash of movement. But there you are.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Foel Offrwm and Foel Faner rise across the cairn..
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Coflein cites a rectangular cist within the cairn... which looks a pretty good shout, to be fair.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The monument is very well-sited... approaching from the south.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
What I took to be pretty obvious remnants of a former kerb.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Arenig Fawr and Moel Llyfnant (lovely little mountain, that) harbour another incoming thunderstorm.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Arenig Fawr is the distant peak, crowned – of course – by its own monument.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
This is pretty obscure, to be fair. So much so, I walked right past, only sussing it from above.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Another pretty fine cairn not marked upon OS mapping... Looking towards Carnedd Iago.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Highlighting what – surely? – must be the former capstone... Foel Offrwm can be seen beyond.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Bit fiddly to find, this one – in the end I approached from Pandy Gader to the east playing close attention to the 1:25k map.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Being hammered by consecutive storm fronts does have its compensations.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone