GLADMAN

Toward the black mass of Gallt-yr-Ogof...

Sunburst upon the mound. The Creigiau Gleision glower beyond.

Pen Llithrig y Wrach (right) and Pen Yr Helgi Du (centre) do battle with the cloud, beyond.

The hillfort [centre of image] as seen ascending Bryn Mawr from Bwlch-y-Groes, northern slopes of Moel Eilio. Llanberis is to the right.

I’ve attempted to indicate the approximate position of this wondrous little cairn circle located beneath the towering presence of Y Garn – viewpoint is Disgwylfa Fawr (with some optical assistance, naturally)

The well preserved southern cairn seen across the central. Y Garn rises top right.

Looking toward Nant-y-Moch from the massive, but unfortunately much-disturbed central summit cairn.

Approaching from the approx south.

Looking toward Y Garn from the southern-most of the summit cairns

Approaching Y Garn from Pen Pumlumon-Fawr.

The large summit cairn can be discerned in this image taken from Moel Eilio (albeit into the sun). There is another, smaller example surmounting the sheer cliff face of Craig Cwm-bychan nearer the camera, plus a number of other monuments residing upon the summits of The Nantlle Ridge rising above. The Lleyn Peninsular stretches away right background featuring hill forts, cairns and – oh – lots more.

Looking toward Mynydd Mawr and the Nantlle Ridge.... cairns, cairns, everywhere.

The summit monument has a very large footprint indeed. Yr Eifl, with Tre’r Ceiri perched upon its inner peak, can be seen centre skyline.

Moel Eilio possesses one of the most substantial muppet shelters I’ve seen in these Isles. But then it stands to reason, I guess. Lot of muppets to cater for.

Quite some footprint, even allowing for any slippage over millennia. Looking approx. north toward Anglesey.

Looking towards distant Tre’r Ceiri.....

Looking approx north toward the Mam Cymru.... Anglesey. Note the very extensive cairn footprint which I did not believe was substantially due to slippage. The orientation toward the coast is obvious and similar to the great cairn which still crowns Drosgl upon the northern Carneddau.

Snowdon rises beyond the cairns.....

Towards Tre’r Ceiri, top left, from the western cairn... the lake is Llyn Nantlle Uchaf.

The Snowdon Massif rises beyond the eastern cairn.

The pair of great cairns upon Y Garn – or, perhaps more correctly, Carn Drws-y-Coed – appear sited specifically in relation to the ridge upon which they sit.... as if you had to be up here to be ‘in the know’.... otherwise excluded.

The viewpoint is Trum-y-Ddysgl, the soaring arete that of Mynydd Drws-y-Coed. Yr Wyddfa pokes her head from cloud for a while to crown the skyline.

The western monument.... Craig Cwm-Silyn – also topped by a couple of cairns – rises (top left). Yr Eifl and Tre’r Ceiri loom top right.

Looking from Mynydd Drws-y-Coed the precise positioning of the pair of cairns below the summit of Y Garn can be appreciated. Moel Eilio, bearing another monument with massive surface spread, rises above to the left.

The approx relative positions of the Gelli Ffrydiau hill fort and roundhouse toward the base of Trum y Ddysgl’s northern ridge are indicated here. View point is Clogwyn Marchnad, Mynydd Dwrs-y-Coed.

Peering through the swirling mist from Moel Meirch (to the approx east), Dinas Emrys can be seen more-or-less centre of image, with the flat-topped prosaic Dinas rising above. Above again is Moel-yr-Ogof (with Moel Lefn to its right), the referenced cave said by ‘some’ to be the resting place of none other than Owain Glyndwr, would you believe? The wondrous Nantlle Ridge crowns the upper right-hand skyline.

Hostile conditions, but then it was February.

Looking (very roughly) north-west...

Poor conditions – but nothing remotely negative to say about the defences here... as the Mam C emphasises.

Looking across The Vale of Ewyas to the excellent promontory fort upon Hatterrall Hill... looming through the mist.

Looking toward Cribarth from the circle....

Simply a wonderfully evocative Welsh upland circle. Not much to speak of archaeologically, but there is so much more to consider than that.

Y Gamriw is on the skyline.... with lots more cairns. There’s a stone circle out there, too.

Middle and eastern cairn.........

Three cairns... in a rather wonky line.

Looking towards the similarly cairn-endowed Drum Ddu

The massive summit cairn from the northern pair.....

Toward the massive summit cairn from the OS Trig...