GLADMAN

From the approx north-east...

Looking to the north-west(ish). A good place to be for a couple of hours or so.

A further arc of impressive circular footprint. Note the ‘Teifi Pools’, top right... starting point of my ascent.

Looking approx east into the wilderness of Cwmdeuddwr. The Claerwen Reservoir can just be seen.

Looking approx NW across the inexorable ‘shelter’ and marker cairn. Much of this cairn is ‘green’... appropriately enough for Cwmdeuddwr.

Bryn Dafydd from Carn-y-Rhyrddod. Pen-y-Garn (The Cwmdeuddwr Hill’s third 2,000 ft’er) and Pumlumon rise beyond Cwm Ystwyth.

The cairn can be seen (top right) looking westward from Carn-y-Rhyrddod...

Pen-y-Garn (to the left of the wind farm) rises beyond Bryn Dafydd (according to Coflein, bearing the remains of another Bronze Age cairn) with the wonders of Pumlumon crowning the horizon. The sheer scope of the upland archaeology of Mid Wales (if not Wales per se) is breathtaking, in my opinion. Most of it hidden ‘up here’.

Hint of a kerb? Llan Ddu Fawr rises beyond.

Looking toward the similarly massive cairn upon Llan Ddu Fawr. Punters are advised to keep solely to the ridge-lines here... take it from me: the bogs are industrial strength, impassable in places.

Toward Llyn Fyrddon Fawr... even with a sunburst... in my opinion, this is some of the harshest terrain in all Wales.

The eye is drawn towards the Hafod estate... and, ultimately, Pumlumon.

Not as obviously upstanding as its near neighbour crowning Llan Ddu Fawr, but look closer and it is nonetheless another very substantial upland cairn in an incredibly vibey location.

It was a drag to finally leave, but Carn-y-Rhyrddod beckoned. A bog making Dartmoor look like a child’s playpen barred progress...

Pumlumon looms left background...

Looking approx north across the excellent footprint to Carn-y-Rhyrddod.

The massive footprint was far more substantial than anticipated... note the bothy erected around the OS trig... and Carn-y-Rhyrddod visible beyond, left background.

Approaching across the trackless wilderness of Waun Claerddu... Llan Ddu Fawr (centre) betrays not a hint of the massive monument crowning its summit... trust in your compass.

Approach from the east... the ‘fort occupies the left-hand extremity of the ridge.

The magnificent Castle Bank hillfort can be seen top right of image.

Approx west into the sun... the great cairn surmounting Carneddau Hill can be seen looming top left.

Facing off to the superb Castle Bank across the cwm...

Looking down upon Cwm Berwyn... no need for defences here.

The great cross banks...

The inner defences... do me a favour?

Looking approx east...

Powerful defences for such an obscure enclosure.

Approaching from the great cairn upon Carneddau Hill. Note the massive, inner cross-bank.

Y Carneddau.... the Cwm Berwyn promontory fort is approx centre, with two further (unvisited) cairns to its left.

Looking southward toward the distant Great Escarpment of South Wales...

Looking towards the powerful promontory fort overlooking Cwm Berwyn (centre left). The extensive Castle Bank ‘cliff fort’ lies beyond again, to its right.

To be honest I wasn’t prepared for the sheer size of this cairn... filling the entire breadth of the viewfinder.

And another clear monument...

And if that’s not the displaced capstone, well....

Coflein lists a number of other cairns here... some obvious, some perhaps tenuous? Dunno. This, however, to the east(ish) of the main cairn, bears the remains of another cist.

Frankly... for those of you who endure aching bodies to experience something out of the ordinary... something to remember... would recommend a walk here. Extraordinary vibe.