The very powerful northern defences, looking approx west.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
Sunset above Drosgol.... crowned by but two of the many large cairns to grace Pumlumon.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Such is the luminescence of the shining quartzite that this setting – whether of natural origin or not – can indeed be seen from the summit ridge of Pumlumon..........
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Despite its size this is a shy cairn nowadays... thanks to the encircling reedy grass.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Some – such as I – might well say humankind’s monuments are largely irrelevant when viewed in context of the ‘bigger picture’.... the two large cairns upon the summit plateau of Rhiw Afon viewed returning from Banc Cynnydd are utterly dwarfed by the cloudscape. Carn Nant-y-Ffald is extreme bottom left.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
There’s a surprise in that cairn.... a well preserved cist, no less.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Following the ridge (horizon, left) past Gwar y Ty... I happened to chance upon another monument upon Banc Cynnydd not marked by the OS people. There is apparently at least one more which I did not blunder upon. Sadly.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking approx SE..... Carn Wen can just be discerned beneath the distinctively angular Lan Fawr
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Tripping out on the sheer beauty of this top mountain-top site. Mynydd Llangorse (left) and the elephantine bulk of Mynydd Troed (both not short of ancient sites) fill the skyline looking from the summit cairn.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The prominent buttress of Twr-y-Fan Foel is, well, prominent (far right) in this view of Y Mynydd Du from the east, near Bwlch y Duwynt.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The classic profile of Fan Gyhirych from Bwlch-y-Duwynt. The substantial cairn sits upon the top right hand point of the mountain. Fan Hir leads to two more examples of South Wales’s Bronze Age cemetery top right
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The significant footprint of the cairn at SO1963729254. Whether that is another upon the centre right skyline I’m not sure. Nothing on the map or Coflein.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The cairn at SO1984629126 – note the extensive grassy footprint
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Another of the ‘mounds’ at SO2036529304.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Another of the small summit ‘mounds’.... looking towards – Mynydd Llysiau (foreground) excepted – a nicely cairned skyline.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Coflein cites several enigmatic unclassified ‘mounds’ upon the summit plateau of Pen Trumau. In my estimation these are not marker cairns (there are several obvious examples of those upon the main track) and appear to serve no purpose other than forming a diminutive prehistoric cairnfield. This example is at SO2036529304.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The higher of the pair of massive cairns located upon the western slopes of Pen Trumau at SO1984629126
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The cairn at SO1984629126 – Mynydd Troed lies beyond.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The cairn at at SO1963729254 possesses a most excellent view of Castell Dinas
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The haunting location of the cairn at SO1963729254.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The massive lower cairn at SO1963729254
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Sunburst upon the cairn at SO1963729254.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The massive lower cairn at SO1963729254
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Due to the luxuriant vegetation, the ramparts were not as defined as I perhaps expected... but there you are. There are enough of them. Melrose is the town beyond.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
More defences.... looking approx north-west toward Dingleton (I think).
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Middle and southern summits from the hill fort crowned northern, the settlement encircled by (apparently) some 5km of defences and occupied during the Bronze Age.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The eastern arc of defences accords a pretty impressive view...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Middle peak from the northern.... incidentally note that both paths to the summit are very steep and feature scree.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The Eildon Hills as seen from ‘Scott’s View’... [Walter Scott, that is, who was apparently pretty taken by this panorama – the viewpoint is at NT593342 on the B6356]. The fort occupies the near summit, the cairn a spur of the central.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The summit cairn has unfortunately been badly disturbed by the erecting of an OS trig station.... hence Coflein is unforthcoming about possible origin. However my own opinion, that of GAT, together with a likeness to the not-so-distant monument crowning Foel-y-Geifr.... not to mention the OS themselves... strongly suggest prehistoric. Arenig Fawr can be seen top right, needless to say with its own monument.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The northern cairn at SH99713172... Coflein reckons this is probably of Bronze Age ancestry, as the pronounced footprint makes very clear. Unfortunately a large ‘shooting butt’ has been built – and apparently rebuilt – on top from cairn material, top left.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking across the summit cairn to the high Bronze Age linear cemetery of the main Berwyn ridge.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Footprint of summit cairn toward the Arenigs.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Northern cairn (SH99713172). The main ridge of Y Berwyn rises beyond.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Foel Cwm-Sian-Lwyd’s northern cairn (SH99713172) possesses an excellent side-on view of the main ridge of Y Berwyn crowned by at least a quartet of large round cairns. Bwrdd Arthur Cadair Bronwen can be seen approx centre-left skyline with Cadair Berwyn and Moel Sych ridin’ the rainbow to left and right respectively. Lighting by M. Nature.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone