Northern flank showing the best-preserved section of defences
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
A well-preserved section of wall to the north...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Traces of the original defences upon the southern flank
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
It was always going to take a very poor weather day to finally entice me here... owing to the abundance of ‘industrial heritage’ that has desecrated the immediate environs of Llanberis... however, to be fair, it was worth the effort, particularly looking south-east towards the Snowdon massif itself.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The spectacular east face of Diffwys towering above Cwm Mynach highlights how futile are humankind’s attempts to claim the high places. The summit OS trig pillar can just be seen top right.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
According to GAT the funerary cairn – or what remains of it – is the ‘hump’ beneath the wall to the left of the OS trig pillar. Y Llethr, 2,480ft sentinel of Y Rhinogydd, lies beyond. The monument would of course be obvious were it not for the surmounting wall.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The summit of Diffwys as it was upon 27/10/2017...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The 2,460ft summit of Diffwys, the cairn straddled by the trademark Rhinog drystone wall to the right of the OS trig point.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The fabulous setting of the monument from the north-west. The Black Mountains fill the skyline.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Northern cairn, looking towards Garn Wen.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The larger, yet more grassily dishevelled cairn some distance to the north. Garn Wen can be seen far left.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The cairn possesses a sweeping view across Dyffryn Dyfi... not as fine as that from Foel Goch, perhaps, but.....
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
No idiot shelter here... this isn’t exactly ‘walking country’, such is the ‘hard going’ nature of the terrain. No complaints from The Citizen Cairn there. Y Tarenau rise beyond Dyffryn Dyfi.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
To be fair, I can understand in this instance why the well-built marker cairn – fashioned from the lower grassy footprint – detracts attention from the prehistoric pedigree of the monument. Nonetheless, I am in no doubt.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The cairn visible upon Pen Carreg Gopa was a siren call... but a very difficult ask owing to the terrain.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking towards the similarly cairn-topped Cerrig Blaencletwr-Fawr and Foel Goch..
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
A pretty fabulous location for a little Bronze Age cairn cemetery... Esgair Elan lies beyond
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Northern defences from within the enclosure....
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Pretty large banks remain for such an obscure site....
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
What I took to be defences downhill to the south....
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The powerful defences to the north... at first, I assumed this was a promontory fort.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
An intriguing site well worth combining with Banc Paderau to the west. Mynydd Epynt rises beyond.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
