CARL

Visited 15.1.11
Taking the A433 north east out of Tetbury you soon come to a cross roads near Broadfield Farm. Take the left turning (signposted Cherrington Lane) and park where you can. The Barrow is in the field on your left. I found it easier to view the Barrow from the A433. The Barrow is approximately 10 metres wide and 2 metres high and has a fence around it. Although covered in long grass there are no trees / bushes growing out of the Barrow.
There was a gate which gives access to the field in which the Barrow stands but Sophie was waking up and crying every time the car stopped so I didn’t think it fair to leave her with Karen and Dafydd while I went ‘exploring’ so I settle for a roadside view.

Visited 15.1.11
Taking a minor road south out of Leighterton (very pretty village and worth a visit in its own right) you pass a very posh entrance to Whitley Stud Park Wood Farm on your right hand side – you can’t miss it. There is space to park at the entrance.
The Barrow can be easily seen as a grass covered low mound in the field on your left
There didn’t appear to be any easy way to get closer to the Barrow so I settled for a view from the Farm entrance – which did the job just fine.
I would say the barrow was about 10 metres in diameter and 1 metre high – largely ploughed out no doubt.

Visited 23.1.11
Just west of Trecastle, along the A40 heading towards Llandovery, you come to the turning for Llywel on your right. Take this turning and follow the sign for Nantgwared Farm. Heading up the narrow and fairly steep lane you will come to a rough track and a bridleway sign on the right. Park here, near the field entrance. DO NOT attempt to drive up the track unless you happen to be in a tractor!
A 10 minute uphill walk will bring you to an old rusty metal field gate on the right. Climb over the gate and head towards another metal gate in the top right hand corner of the field. You will come across the Cairn as you approach the second gate. The Cairn is not visible from the first gate you have just climbed over. The Cairn is oval in shape, approximately 10 metres x 5 metres x 0.3 metres high. The centre of the Cairn has been dug into and it now looks like a giant doughnut! Decent views to be had to the south east.

Visited 23.1.11
Taking the minor road west out of Trecastle (heading towards Y Pigwrn stone circles) you first pass a turning on the left which leads to Penrhiw Farm. Keep on the road towards the stone circles and you shortly come to two metal field gates on your left hand side. Stop at the first gate and climb over the metal fence opposite – no barbed wire for a change! Walk up the small embankment and you will see the cairn, only a short walk away. The Cairn is approximately 10 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres high.
Note – the Cairn is not visible from the road.

Visited 23.1.11
I stumbled upon this Cairn whilst walking between Y Pigwrn Roman camps and the nearby stone circles. It is about 5 metres across and 1 metre high. Quite easy to spot as covered in low green grass amid the yellowing surrounding grass at this time of year. I didn’t know about this Cairn beforehand so it came as a pleasant surprise!
I have since found an entry for it on the Megalithic website.

Visited 29.1.11
As its Dafydd’s birthday next week and there was quite a bit of ‘pre-party’ preparation to be done I was confined to a ‘local visit’ this week. This gave me the chance to re-visit a site less than 10 miles from home. See previous notes for directions.
The last time I visited it was in the summer with vegetation high so it was not so easy to spot the ramparts/ditches etc. No problem with that this time of year although on the negative side it was bitterly cold, with a biting wind and the ground frozen underneath. The lovely Karen wisely decided to stay in the car with the sleeping Dafydd and little Sophie.
Going through the kissing gate I noticed a sign stating that this was an ancient site and that (amongst other things) there was to be no littering or fires. Unfortunately it appears that some of the local inhabitants are unable to read as this has been ignored. Since the turn of the year I have taken a plastic bag out with me to pick up any litter I see at sites but I would have needed a skip to clear this amount of rubbish! Why do people do this? I also saw evidence of at least two fires.
Anyway, onto more positive things. There are at least three banks/ditches, all of whom are well above head height (when standing in the ditch) and these were very easily seen due to the fallen ferns/bracken. The central part of the site appears to be a raised area? There are unexpectedly cracking views to be had up the Sirhowy Valley to the north and Twmbarlwm Hillfort easily seen on the nearby hilltop.
After 20 minutes or so I retreated back to the car to escape the cold wind. All in all, a nice little visit but I wish some people would take more care / pride of their heritage.

Visited 23.1.11
It was with much relief I actually managed to find this site!
I hadn’t done as much preparation as I should have and expected to be able to drive along the track right up to the Roman camps and then a short walk to the stone circles – wrong! Instead I had to park a mile away, where the tarmac ends, and carry Dafydd the rest of the way. He is nearly three and quite a lump to have to carry that far along an ice bound, rutted track! (Apparently he will happily walk for his mother but seems to lose the use of his legs when out with me!)
Anyway, along the track we went and I decided to head straight for the Roman camps and find the stone circles from there. The O/S map show a footpath to the stones but don’t be fooled, there isn’t one – just open, bleak moorland.
It took me about half hour to walk/carry Dafydd to the Roman camp and I was hoping to be able to spot the stone circles from the top of the ramparts, but I couldn’t. We did however see 10 (presumably wild) horses grazing along the ramparts.
Using guess work I headed across the moorland in the general direction where I thought the circles should be and as luck would have it, found them without too much problem. I first spotted a single standing stone (outliner?) and then the smaller circle with the larger stones. I counted 4 standing and 1 fallen.
From here the larger circle (25 smaller stones) is easily seen.
The smaller circle is nice enough but the larger circle is a beauty.
Although the stones are small (no doubt only survived due to the remoteness of the site) they appear to be a complete circle and have great views to the north.
I really liked it here but by now Dafydd was complaining of the cold which was fair enough (after all it is January in the Brecon Beacons!) so we headed back to Karen and Sophie who had wisely decided to stay in the warmth of the car.
It has been a long time since I have visited a stone circle and there really is something special about these types of site, particularly when they are as well preserved as these two circles are. Well worth a visit but be prepared for a long walk and I would recommend wellies in wet weather – the path would be a mud trap.

Visited 23.1.11
Easy to spot next to the gate with the ‘unsuitable for motor vehicles’ sign.
Also easy to park at this point.
The Barrow is approximately 10 metres round and 1 metre high. It is on the other side of a barbed wire fence so I settled for a view from the roadside.

I viewed this cairn from the side road when going to visit Mitchells Fold stone circle back last year. Coming off the A488 and heading west towards the parking area for the stone circle, the cairn is easy to spot in the field on your left. I had Dafydd with me at the time so it would have been awkward to have taken a closer look.
There is a public footpath which runs right past the cairn.

Visited 15.1.11
Visible from Starveall Long Barrow, in the field on the opposite side of the lane.
There was no public right of access so I settled for a view from the lane. The Barrow appeared to be a bit smaller than Starveall although it had the advantage of not having any trees growing out of it – just plenty of long grass!
Nothing much else to add.

Visited 15.1.11
This Long Barrow is huge and easily spotted from the minor road off the A46 leading to the very pretty village of Leighterton – a place I plan a return visit to at some point in the future.
There is no public right of way to the Long Barrow and I felt it would have been be a bit too obvious crossing the open fields and climbing over the 3 walls it would have required to get up close – all within sight of the village houses!
The Barrow looked to be about 50 metres long and there were two birds of prey silently hovering overhead.
Well worth a view when in the area.

Visited 15.1.11
Really easy to visit this one – right next to the busy A46. Luckily there is a minor road directly opposite the Barrow where you can pull over near a field gate (signposted Hillesley) where I also saw a cute Shetland pony.
Access is no problem as there is a very worn public footpath sign next to the barrow. (Wouldn’t be a problem anyway as the fencing around the place has collapsed!)
The Barrow itself is covered in trees, brambles and long grass. I climbed to the top of the barrow which was covered it ivy. I nice place for a quick stop when in the area.

Visited 15.1.11
Very easy site to visit, being only 50 metres from the minor road off the A46.
The field in which the Barrow stands is now fenced although there is a handy gate giving access. Oval in shape the Barrow is approximately 10 metres x 5 metres x 2 metres high. The Barrow is situated on a low rise and there are lots of small stones sticking out of the earth around the Barrow. Nice.

Visited 15.1.11
This was my last site of the day and my favourite.
I parked outside the pretty St Mary the Virgin church in Hawkesbury (plenty of space although church was locked so I was unable to have a look around), donned wellies and headed along the signposted bridleway opposite. Lucky I put my wellies on as the path soon became a small pond with water 8 inches deep!
As the path rises look to your right and you will see a very distinctive conical looking hilltop – this is in fact the barrow. Cut up the short but steep hill (over one fence – easy as fence has collapsed in places) and you are there. The hill appears to have been terraced at some point?
On the approach it is impossible to tell where the hill ends and the Long Barrow starts. It all blends into one – either by design or due to erosion I don’t know?
However, once at the top the Barrow is much more obvious. It is quite large, approximately 10 metres x 5 metres x 2 metres high. The western end looks like it has been dug into, was this the original entrance? Although not very high, the hilltop gives surprisingly good views, particularly to the south.
It is only a 10 minute walk from the church to the Long Barrow and is worth the effort when in the area.
P.S. Outside the church is a small grassed area which has a strange ‘well’ in the middle of it – water was running when I visited. Looked clean although I didn’t take the chance on having a taste!

Visited 8.1.11
Travelling south from Yatton to Congresbury along to B3133 you will see a brown tourist sign to the left stating ‘Cadbury’. Follow the sign and you will come to a fairly large free car park on your right. Park here and take the mud ‘path’ across the grass and up towards the trees. (There is an information board in the car park telling you all about Cadbury wildlife reserve – although the only wildlife I saw was several dogs being walked!) As the ‘path’ climbs you go through a wood kissing gate which has a small information board giving brief details of the Hillfort. Then up a short but steep section and you arrive in the centre of the Hillfort.
I walked the perimeter of the entire Hillfort which only took 15 minutes. There are decent views to be had when peering through the trees – especially to the north. It makes you realise that you don’t need to that high to see for miles in this largely flat countryside. There wasn’t a great deal to be seen of the ramparts/ditches – much eroded. There was however a lot of stonework sticking out of the ground so perhaps these were part of the original defences?
In the centre of the site was a large raised ‘platform’ of stones which must have belonged to some building or other in the past? (The site was also used during the ‘Dark Ages’) Also in the centre of the Hillfort was an unofficial ‘BBQ type’ area with a fair bit of rubbish left around – bottles / cans etc. I now carry a bag with me for such occasions so I spent a few minutes bagging up the rubbish to take back down with me to deposit in the bins in the car park.
It takes about 10 minutes to walk from the car park to the Hillfort.
Not a lot to see really but a fairly easy site to access when in the area.

Visited 8.1.11
Really easy to visit this one!
Just off junction 19 of the M5 is the village of Portbury with the pretty church of St Mary the Virgin (this is the church you see when travelling up/down the motorway) As you enter the village look for Church Lane on your right. The stone is easily spotted, next to the church, at the bottom of the dead end. Lots of parking places.
There is an interesting plaque on the stone which states the stone is though to date to 2000BC and quaried from Conygar Hill. It was recovered from a dew pond on 27.9.87 where it had lain since the 1950’s (what it was doing in the pond in the first place is another question!)
The stone was re-errected by the Portbury Historical Society and with help from the villagers – good on you all.
The stone is about 6ft high, 2.5ft wide and about 1ft deep.
As I said, really easy to get to and well worth a visit when in the area. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to look around the church – maybe next time?

I visited this area a couple of years ago when paying a visit to Candleston Castle (ruin). There was a charge for the car park when I visited although I suspect they only bother to charge in the summer months? The dunes are large – similar to the ones at Kenfig Sands (which also has a ruined castle slowly being burried by the sand). There could be just about anything buried below the sand.
As Gladman rightlt points out, the castle at Ogmore is better and the stepping stones are great! You can also get a cuppa and a bite to eat in the farm house next to the castle.

Visited 29.12.10
On the way home following an ad hoc visit to Shrewsbury we happened to be passing this site. I wasn’t going to bother visiting as it was nearly dark and very foggy. However, Karen persuaded me it was worth a quick look (how lucky am I to have a girl like that?!) so we took the old Roman road south off the A44, just east of Leominster. This road runs past the southern end of the Hillfort, where you will find a rather posh house with a public footpath/sign which basically runs through their garden!
As the light was fading fast I didn’t bother to change out of my trainers into my walking boots (mistake!) and headed straight over the wooden stile and followed the footpath signs through the garden, past the still frozen pond.
You then go through a gate and the footpath continues alongside the river. I however headed immediately to the right, through the bushes to catch first sight of the lower defences. There is a rampart about 1.5 metres in height, with an inner ditch, about 1 metre deep. Along the edge of this ditch, as far as the eye could see (not very far given the conditions) was a barbed wire fence. There doesn’t appear to be any public right of access to the Hillfort so I wasn’t overly surprised by the fence. I walked along the ditch until I happily came upon a fallen tree which had flattened a section of fence. I scrambled over the fence only to be confronted with an approx 8 metre high very steep and muddy bank. I slipped and slithered my way up wishing I had taken the time to put my boots on. Eventually I got to the top where there is a flatish area of grass about 10 metres across. I then came to the next steep, muddy bank – this time even bigger – about 10 metres high. Again, I managed to scramble to the top, on hands and knees in places, and came out to the top of the Hillfort. This comprised of a large, flat area which had been planted with trees (an orchard perhaps?). The outer edge of this area was surrounded by another rampart, still 2 metres high in places.
By now it was almost dark and I could hear voices in the foggy gloom, somewhere amongst the trees, and even shotgun blasts in the distance – very Hammer House of Horror! Getting down the banks was even harder that getting up but somehow I managed to swing from tree trunk to tree trunk without injuring myself. The patches of snow on the ground didn’t help much!
By the time I got back to the car it was dark but luckily Dafydd was happily looking at the frozen pond through the car window whilst little Sophie (newest member of the clan) snoozed in her car seat (her first experience of ‘old stoning’!) – so no stress for Karen! I only had chance for a quick visit and I guess it would take a fair bit of time for a proper look around – perhaps another day?

Visited 29.12.10
Taking the turning west out of Craven Arms off the A49 you go under a railway bridge and shortly on your right you will see a sign for Greenfields Road – park here. Walk along the main road west a short distance and on the left you will see a sign for Outspan Nurseries (pointing to the right) and an old rusty gate giving access to a field.
Up and over the gate, across the handy bridge over a stream and a two minute walk up the slope takes you to the Barrow. I say ‘takes you to the Barrow’ but in fact it takes you to a barbed wire fence next to the barrow. No problem as the largely ploughed out Barrow is easily spotted on the brow of the small hill. I would estimate the Barrow to be about 1 metre high and about 10 metres in diameter – covered in many mole hills. Despite only being a small hill, it does give a surprisingly commanding view over the surrounding area – at least it would if it wasn’t so foggy!
Easy to access (technically no public access) when in the area.

Visited 12.12.10
There are several cairns scattered across Gelligaer Common. One of the best preserved can be found at SO098033. This cairn is about 5 metres across with a large central cist and a capstone about 1 metre square – supported on edge of cist. It was painfully cold in the bitter wind, with snow a couple of inches thick lying all around. Needless to say I didn’t hang around too long.

There is also a cairn at SO098031 (which I failed to spot) and further cairns a little North West of the parking area at SO105031 (which I was too cold to look for!)

Visited 12.12.10
A short walk south west from Carn y Bugail will bring you to this ring cairn. It is approximately 10 metres across with about a dozen large stones sticking out of the grass forming a rough circle. Easy to spot despite the snow.
The centre of the cairn has a depression (dug into?) which was full of snow, so I was unable to tell if a cist was remaining?

‘Visited’ 12.12.10
My 500th Field note!
Well, last time I tried to find this cairn I gave up due to the fog. This time I gave up due to the snow! Despite knowing I was in the right place I couldn’t see any sign of the cairn. I assume the lying snow kept it well hidden? It was a bitterly cold day with a biting wind – not much fun when ‘cairn hunting’. I have visited Gelligaer Common 3 times, and every time the weather has been awful. I get the distinct impression that it is often like this in this part of the world. Hopefully you will have better luck?

Visited 12.12.10
This is recorded as a 6th century memorial stone which once had an inscription on it that read NEFROIHI ‘the stone of Nia-Froich’ (an Irish warrior whose name meant ‘champion of the heather’. Although I failed to find any trace of this carving now.
The stone itself is leaning and about 5ft high – it would be about 7ft high if stood upright. The pool of water the stone normally stands in was frozen over so I thought I would get a closer look by standing on said ice – bad idea as my foot went through the ice and I ended up with a wet boot! The stone is visible from the road crossing the common although it is quite hard to spot as it tends to blend in with the side of the hill.

Visited 12.12.10
Easy to spot from the road going across Gelligaer Common – just head for the trig point.
The cairn is quite large, about 15 metres in diameter and 1 metre high. In the centre is a stone lined cist and a large oval capstone – moved to one side. The cist was full of snow so only the top edges could be seen. Apparently the cist was robbed about 300 years ago. The remains of urns and burnt bones were found along with a beaker, flint tools and a bronze dagger. The cairn is dated to about 2000 – 1450BC.
About 25 metres north of Carn Y Bugail is another smaller cairn about 5 metres across and 0.5 metres high. The capstone is quite large, being about 1 metre x 1.5 metres. There were 3 sides of the cist visible – also full of snow.
Unfortunately there is a Trig point slap bank in the middle of the cairn and to make matters worse, it looks like the site is being used as some sort of unofficial scrap yard! There were bits of car, smashed windscreen, bits of metalwork and a large sack full of dismantled kitchen units! Why do these people do this? Why drag all this rubbish up the side of a hill when it would be much easier to dump it next to the road? Even better of course would be to take it to the council dump! Such a shame.

Visited 16.12.10
After two weeks on paternity leave (and all that entails!) I had an hour or two ‘window of opportunity’ to get out of the house and stretch the legs. I therefore decided to make the short 7 mile trip to re-visit my nearest Hillfort. Just as well I chose that day to visit as the following day I awoke to nearly a foot of snow! There has been a few letters recently in the local paper by campaigners trying to stop development of the area around the Hillfort – more power to them!
This Hillfort is easy enough to access but finding it in the first place is a bit tricky.
If you are travelling north east off the Culverhouse Cross roundabout into central Cardiff you will see a sign to the right for the Ely Distribution Centre (there is no sign coming the other way). Turn right and keep an eye out on your right for the turning into Church Road. Once on Church Road look out for a Post Office and Greenmont GP surgery on your left. Just a bit further on you will see a rather run down children’s play area on your right, on a slope above the road – park here.
Follow the tarmac path which runs up past the play area and up to the trees. You will then see a car bonnet nailed to a tree with a sign on it which states ‘Private – no bikers, metal detectors or guns’ – I kid you not! All you then need to do is follow the short but steep muddy path up through the trees and you soon arrive at the ramparts of the Hillfort.
There are surprisingly decent views from the top and a rather sad, derelict church ruins. The graveyard is completely overgrown and much neglected – great shame.
Around the northern side of the Hillfort is a double ditch/rampart with a smaller central enclosure with banks approximately 2 metres high in places.
The sky by now was grey and brooding and starting to rain so I cut my visit short and headed home. After all, I did promise Karen I wouldn’t be out too long as I am sure she could do with some help with Dafydd and now little Sophie.

Tried to visit 25.4.10.
I failed on this one I am afraid to report.
Judging by the O/S map the stone appears to be fairly close to the lane at the south of it. So I followed the signs for Stackpole Centre and turned right, down the rough track leading to the farm. The O/S map shows that the track turns right at the farm and runs past the farm. However, the track now stops just past the farm buildings and there was no one about to ask permission. There were plenty of cows about who appeared to be waiting to be milked? As I had the baby with me I didn’t want to risk a sneak visit so attepmted to view the stone from any of the surroundings lanes. Unfortunately I could not see the stone despite several attempts.
If I was on my own I would have approached the stone via the path through the woods to the west. There is a small passing place you could park at near the woods. Good luck!

Visited 28.11.10
Directions: drive through Portskewett (heading east) and take the turning on the left signposted Leechpool. The barrow is about 100 yards on your left, behind a house. Easy to spot on the hilltop. Parking is on the grass verge as best you can.
My previous visit to this site was with Dafydd a couple of years ago when I stopped in the lane to give him his bottle/change his nappy. This time I was alone so a more thorough visit was possible! Parking near the spot I stopped last time, I noticed a public footpath sign and a new(ish) looking wooden gate which looked like the top had been gnawed by the horses housed in the field. Although technically speaking the footpath doesn’t go to the Long Barrow it goes close enough not to worry about it.
Despite all the snow we had had in Cardiff the night before I was surprised that there was no snow here, although it was bitterly cold with the wing coming in from the river Severn. I walked up to the largest stone and viewed out across the Severn. Although not a particularly high point, it was surprising how commanding the view was. The largest stone is about 5 ft high with the square shaped stone next to it about 2 ft high. I was pleasantly surprised by how well preserved the small stones (all about 1.5 feet high) forming the rear of the chamber were. I would have liked to have stayed a lot longer but the icy wind cut right through you and it was time to leave the horses to their peace.
This is a site well worth making the effort to see when in the area.
Access is very easy – 2 minute walk from the lane via the wooden gate.

Visited 28.11.10
I pass this site twice a day, driving back and fore to work. Every day driving home I quickly glance up and see the stones through the seasons, in all kinds of weather and in kinds of lighting – it is surprising how different they can appear. I had planned to make a proper visit for a long time and at last, today was the day! I chose a Sunday as I thought it would be easier to park in the industrial site car park and to my delight the place was deserted (I suppose the artic weather conditions helped!)
Walking up the farm track to the left of the car park you soon cross over the motorway and immediately afterwards there is a gap in the fence to the left. (At this point a Land Rover came down the track and I thought ‘here we go’ but they just drove on) Through the gap in the fence and a brisk walk through the knee height snow across the field heading towards the trees. The chamber is visible from this point. You then have to clamber over a barbed wire fence, through the trees and up to the stones. This may sound like a bit of a hike but it is only a 10 minute walk from the car park.
This is the first time I have (I think) visited a site in the snow and it is surprising how much difference it makes. To coin a phrase the snow lay ‘deep and crisp and even’ and it was a lovely sight to see the dark stones sticking out above the white snow.
I counted 6 large stones and several sticking out of the grass/snow. The traffic from the quieter than usual M4 whizzed past nearby but it did not detract from the moment. The sky was blue, the snow was glistening in the sunlight and I had the place to myself – wonderful. It wasn’t too long before the cold set in (it was well below zero) and I gave each stone a pat before bidding my farewells. As I was returning across the field about 20 cows came running across – they obviously have better hearing than me as soon after a tractor arrived with a huge bale of hay. At this point I darted back into the trees to retrace my steps – I don’t think the farmer saw me?
I returned home so glad that I decided to go out for a couple of hours despite the snow. It really does give a different feeling to a site. One I would highly recommend.

Visited 28.11.10
I wasn’t actually planning on visiting this site but as I was passing on my way home (and it was such a beautiful day) I decided to take a chance and see if I could get access. The freezing weather meant the country lanes had quite a lot of ice across them and driving had to be done very carefully. I parked along the ‘main’ country lane (near the West Lodge building) and walked down the private road to the left handily signposted Druidstone. You soon come to the Druidstone Manor House on the right and just a bit further down there is a sort of small cul-de-sac. You will then see a gate marked ‘Private – no entry’ and just beyond the stone itself. As the gate was already open I saw no problem in wandering over to touch the stone.
It is funny how your memory can play tricks with you, the stone wasn’t the same shape how I remembered it. I thought it was more tear shaped but in fact it is more squarish – about 8 ft high and 5 ft wide at the base, slightly narrower towards the top. The whole stone itself was covered in a thin veil of green moss.
Another highlight of my visit was the walk to the stone itself. The private drive went through a small wooded area and the recent snow had meant all the branches were weighed down with snow. With the blue sky, sun shining, glistening snow it was on of those times when it makes you feel good to be alive. Very, very pretty and I am so glad I decided to stop off on the way home.

Visited 28.11.10
When I first visited this site a couple of years ago I was quite new to ‘old stoning’ and didn’t feel comfortable walking uninvited into someone’s field. However, those days are long gone and I now happily walked through the (already open) field gate, across the bone hard frozen mud and the 100 yards or so to the stone. With temperatures down to minus 10 overnight it was a bitterly cold day but beautiful nonetheless. Dark blue skies with white frost covered grass and all the puddles frozen over.
The stone itself is about 6ft high and was covered in pretty yellow lichen. As I felt how cold the stone was I became aware of the strange situation I found myself in. Behind me the sun was shining brightly, to my left a half moon still clearly visible against the dark blue sky and to my right two aeroplanes high in the sky, glistening in the sunlight. It made me ponder how much things had changed over the last few thousand years and yet this stone remains. I wonder what other changes this stone will witness over the years to come?

Well worth a visit but access would be very muddy in warmer weather!

I visited this site a couple of years ago. I parked on the grass verge of the road which runs across Gelligaer Common and headed straight uphill towards the trig point. The things I remember most about my visit oddly enough is that a ‘tramp’ was living in a self made tent right next to the cairn and I found a pair of pink lacy knickers on one of the stones! I also remember that it was raining with a cold, biting wind. My CADW magazine states that this is ‘one of the most spectacular Bronze Age sites in South Wales’ and who am I to argue? I was planning a return visit this weekend but that plan fell foul of the weather – fog to be precise. I will report back with a more detailed site description when I next get chance to visit Gelligaer Common.

‘Visited’ 20.11.10
As a member of CADW I receive magazines 3 times per year which are pretty good and always have something of interest to read. In the summer edition this year there was a four page guide for a 2 hour walking tour of Gelligaer Common. I pulled the guide out and kept it for a future day out. Well, that day was today.
Getting up early I set out and arrived at the recommended car park (SO105031) by 9.00am. Then I noticed the problem. Thick fog had blanketed the entire common – a real ‘pea souper’. I couldn’t see more than 20 yards in front of me. Unperturbed I set out, guide and compass in hand to search for the first stop, a ring cairn. Described as being ‘splendid’ dating to around 2000 -1450 BC and being ‘a turfed-over bank about 15 metres across’. Despite spending nearly half an hour looking for the ring cairn I couldn’t find a thing – no doubt I was close to it but couldn’t see it in the swirling mist and fog. In the end I gave up and returned home, feeling as miserable as the weather.
Next time I visit I will make sure it’s a clear day to avoid future frustrations!

Visited 21.11.10.
Isn’t it funny how you can visit a site several times and spot something you hadn’t seen before on each visit? Well, that was certainly the case for me today. Taking Dafydd out for a drive I decided upon a double visit to the CADW sites of Tinkinswood and the nearby St Lytham’s. Both sites are well signposted and easy to access. One of the things which had prompted a return visit was seeing a drawing of how the site may have looked when in use (Prehistoric Britain page 18 by Alan Sorrell)
Anyway, parking in the small parking area provided we went through the kissing gate when I noticed to my left a sign post showing the ‘approved path’ to the site. I had not noticed this before; I had always walked along the rough track directly to the burial chamber. Taking this route for a change I first noticed the large outcrops of stone, on the left, amongst the trees on the other side of the fence. Were these ‘natural’ or once part of the chamber? Just before reaching the burial chamber, again in a field to the left, there was what could be easily to the untrained eye (i.e. mine!) be confused as a ruined burial chamber. Access is easy enough to this ‘oddity’, over a home made wooden stile, although I am sure it is on private land. There are four large stones to be seen, the largest (capstone looking) was on top of one of the others – worth a quick look.
As for the ‘real’ burial chamber, the inside was under a couple of inches of water – as it has been every time I have visited and there were the remains of several tea lights. It was nice to compare the drawing in the book I brought with me with the site itself – it certainly stirs the imagination! I will have to visit on a hot summer’s day as this would be a pretty good place for a picnic – but not today!

Visited 21.11.10.
After my frustrations yesterday of having my planned day out ruined by fog I was desperate to get my ‘fix’ today instead. It had been a while since I last visited this (CADW) site and as it is only a 30 minute drive from where I live I thought ‘why not?‘
(Karen is now only two weeks away from the expected date of the baby arriving so I have promised not to travel too far from home)
Taking Dafydd with me we followed the signposts and parked next to the field gate which gives easy access to the dolmen. A 50 metre walk up a small incline and you are there. Just to the right of the chamber as you approach you will see the largest of the several stones sticking out of the ground. The wind was sharp and cold so we sheltered inside the chamber – easy to do as the roof is way above head height. There is a small hole through the back wall stone which I assume is from weathering? We didn’t stay long as Dafydd complained of being cold and wanted to go back to the warmth of the car – I can’t say I blame him.

When visiting the Souterrain there are several signs stating where you can and can’t go and warning signs about ‘live firing’ etc. It was getting late and I didn’t have time to have a good look around to see which (if any) parts of the Hillfort you can access. There are decent views to have all around from this high point.

Like anyone who has visited the wonderful Edingburugh Castle you can’t help but think that this would make an ideal spot for a defended enclosure. It reminds me very much of the rocky outcrop that Dumbarton Castle is built on.

I visited this site back last summer whilst heading for the nearby park / duck pond. I didn’t realise this was site on TMA! Very easy to access and once your eyes have adjusted you can see pretty cleraly into the well. I remember being pleasantly surprised that there was no litter forced into the well. Also not far away is the (in my opinion) hiddeous Scotish Parliament building. (And I thought the Welsh Assembley building was poor!!)

Visited 13.11.10
Directions: Taking the A4059 north east out of Penderyn you soon arrive on the open moorlands of the Beacons. On your right the first disused quarry you come to is sign posted Cefn Cadlan Quarry (has a metal barrier across the entrance) This is NOT the quarry you need. Instead, keep on the road and in a mile or two you come to another locked metal barrier, also on your right but without a sign post – park here.
(It’s just before the sign stating POWYS)
If you walk around the barrier and walk up the old track you will see a Trigg point on the highest summit in front of you. Head towards the Trigg point and you will easily see the cairn to your right. The cairn is approximately 1 metre high and 3 metres in diameter. The centre has been ‘dug out’ to (I assume) provide shelter for walkers?
The walk form the parking area to the cairn takes about 15 minutes. There are good views to be had in all directions from the top. You also get an excellent ‘birds eye’ view of the Cefn Esgair Carnau cairns across the road.

Visited 13.11.10.
As Karen is now within a couple of weeks of having the baby I promised I would only have a ‘short day’ out and be back by noon, so it’s up early and heading north to the Brecon Beacons National Park while it’s still quite dark. Fortunately I had timed it right and by the time I park it is light and sunny.
Directions: Taking the A4059 north east out of Penderyn you soon arrive on the open moorlands of the Beacons. On your right the first disused quarry you come to is sign posted Cefn Cadlan Quarry (has a metal barrier across the entrance) This is NOT the quarry you need. Instead, keep on the road and in a mile or two you come to another locked metal barrier, also on your right but without a sign post – park here. (It’s just before the sign stating POWYS)
If you walk around the barrier and walk up the old track to the quarry you get an excellent ‘birds eye’ view of the cairns across the road. Looking like small grey islands in a sea of yellow/green grass. Very easy to spot.
Warning – you will need wellies to visit to the cairns if my experience is anything to go by! When you cross the road the land dips down and becomes little more than a marsh, with places several inches under water. The first cairn I came to was the one on its own, a little south west of the main group. The cairn was about 0.5 metres high and about 5 metres in diameter -well preserved with no grass/vegetation growing over it. A two minute walk then takes you to the main group of cairns, all ranging from 0.5 meters to 1 metre high and between 3 and 5 metres in diameter. Although one or two were in poor condition, most were well preserved.
I really liked it here and am surprised that these cairns are not better known. It was a wrench to leave and I would like to visit again one day in the future when I have more time to sit and contemplate. It is quite a striking setting, on flat moorland between two hills with view north to the higher peaks of the Brecon Beacons.
The cairns are only a 10 minute squelch from the road and some of them can actually be seen from the road once you know where to look.
All in all a cracking place to visit and well worth the effort; but remember – bring your wellies!

p.s.
Further north along the A4059 (on the right hand side) the O/S map shows a ‘burnt mound’. If you wish to visit, there is a small parking area opposite. You will see a small pretty stream opposite the parking area. Follow the stream (down stream) and you will come to a point where the stream bends sharply. This is where the burnt mound can be found. Not worth the effort really although it was a pleasant walk alongside the stream.

Visited 6.11.10
Now it’s not very often I set out on a days ‘adventures’ with only one target in site but after failing on my last attempt, I was determined to succeed this time. Since it appears to be no longer possible to gain entry to the access road leading up to the former landfill site I decided upon a different tactic.
Once you find the village of Gelli (not as easy as it sounds as the road signs are not as good as they could be) I headed for Bwllfa Farm (as per Burl’s advice). It is probably easiest to ask a local for directions as it is a bit of a maze of terraced houses / side roads to navigate. (As an aside I saw my first house with Christmas decorations!!)
Once you have parked, walk up the track that takes you to the farm and you will come to the metal gate which is at the bottom of the farm drive. Immediately to the left of the metal gate is a sort of ‘home made’ wooden stile (strangely enough I saw two pigs feet at the bottom of the stile!). Climb over the stile and you come onto the road which leads to the landfill site (the same road that the bloke on the gate won’t let you up!). Walk up the road and just before you reach the locked gates at the top, you will see a parking bay on your right and a battered public footpath sign. Go up the grass bank and follow the chain link fence (on you left) for about 10 minutes. You will then see a green ‘shed like’ structure on the other side of the fence. The cairns are a bit further on, over to your right.
I am no expert and it took me quite a while a while to ‘get my eye in’ and spot what I believe were several of the cairns. They ranged from small ones, about 2 metres in diameter to large ones about 10 metres across. They were all covered in grass/moss and consisted of low mounds with stones sticking out of the surface. Some of the stones were large but most were small. There are a lot of ‘natural’ stones sticking out of the ground so it is possible that some of what I saw was natural and not a cairn. The ground was very uneven and the grass / brown ferns still fairly high so it was not an easy exercise to locate the cairns. The ring cairn (about 10 metres across) is in the same area but nearer the fence – there were several larger stones in this cairn.
From where I parked it took half hour to walk to the site and although I am glad I finally managed to visit –the ‘Welsh Stonehenge’ in all honesty it is hardly worth the effort. There isn’t a great deal to see although there are reasonable views to be had. The highlight for me was spotting what appeared to be a lone standing stone quite close to where the hill starts to shelve off. It is about 20 inches high and triangular in shape. Again, I am no expert so perhaps this was also ‘natural’?
One other thing I saw was an obviously recent burial site on top of the mountain. There was a small wooden cross with still freshly cut flowers around it. It made me think that over the thousands of years people were still using this site as a final resting place. Goes to show that some ancient traditions are still maintained? There are certainly worse places you could end up.

Visited 30.10.10.
Starting at the Maen Llia standing stone, I headed south east across the bumpy, boggy ground towards the small hillock at the bottom of the valley. I had to climb over a rust fence and leap over the infant Afon Llia River – not a big leap but the water was quite deep and very fast flowing. Climbing the rise you come to the remains of the cairn.
It is about 8 metres in diameter and easy to spot. Lots of stones sticking out of the grass and the remains of the cist in the centre. The cist is about 2 feet x 1 foot and had one lining stone remaining. The interior was largely filled in and covered in grass.
The Cairn is about 300 metres from the standing stone and took 10 minutes to walk. It is well worth checking out when you visit the more famous Maen Llia although it would probably make more sense to approach along the Sarn Helen Roan Road from the south. Access would then be very easy.

Visited 30.10.10
Parking at the small pulling in area near Maen Llia standing stone I walked back down the road a short distance (south) until I came to the wooden stiles on the opposite side of the road. There are two stiles next to each other – climb over the small one. The ground is very bumpy and quite waterlogged.
Heading in a south western direction a short distance I think I spotted the remains of the Barrow, although I am not 100% certain. (It is very difficult to tell for sure in this terrain) I was able to make out a circular ‘feature’ about 8 metres across and less than 0.5 metres high. It had what appeared to be a small raised rim around the edge and the centre seemed to have sunken into the ground rather than dug into.
As I say, I cannot be 100% sure that I found the Barrow but what I saw was in the right area and there wasn’t anything else nearby which looked ‘Barrow like’.

Re-Visited 30.10.10
This is a cracker of a stone and well worth a visit.
Since I last visited the walk up from the road was a bit longer than I remembered (took about 20 minutes) but just as wet! Many sections of the Sarn Helen road were underwater to a depth of a couple of inches. I have been to this part of the Brecon Beacons several times in the past and one thing is for certain – it always rains so bring your wellies! As with my previous visits, I had the place to myself and you get a good feeling when walking alone in such scenery, quite therapeutic really. When approaching from the north the Latin inscription is on the far side of the stone.

Re-Visit 30.10.10
Visiting Maen Llia is like visiting an old friend. Since my last visit I have visited many standing stones up and down the country but this remains a favourite of mine. I think it’s a combination of the size, shape, colour and dramatic setting. As a bonus it is very, very easy to access.
I notice that on the far side of the stone some moron has used spray paint to graffiti his name. I notice that this isn’t a modern form of vandalism as there is a name carved in the other side of the stone dates 1869! I am sure the stone will survive such minor irritations.
This is a fab stone, in a fab location – visit, visit, visit. You won’t be disappointed.

‘Visited’ 30.10.10
No so much a visit, more a ‘couldn’t find it’!
I parked on the side of the minor road north of Ystradfellte (plenty of room) and trudged off into the trees. Luckily I was wearing my wellies because as soon as you get in amongst the conifers the ground is completely sodden with hidden puddles aplenty. It was difficult to see far ahead due to the density of the trees and despite my best efforts I was unable to see the Barrow. I know I was in the right area but this one escaped me I am afraid to report.
One piece of advice to anyone else that goes looking for the Barrow – make sure you wear your wellies!

‘Visited’ 30.10.10
What a lovely place to come for a picnic / walk in the summer!
From the village of Pontneddfechan the forestry commission site is clearly sign posted. There is a large free car park and the first thing that strikes you is the huge, flat, near vertical rock face which had a couple of climbing ropes dangling down it. There is an information board and map of the walks available from the car park. The info board states Craig -Y –Ddinas means ‘Fortress of the Rock’ and seeing the afore mentioned rock face you can easily see how the place got its name! Strangely enough there is no mention of a Hillfort and it is not marked on the otherwise fairly detailed map. There are several paths to follow and I decided on the one which leads to the nearest waterfall and is an easy 400 metre walk along the river bank (wheelchair friendly). I passed a small cave entrance on the left, below the sheer cliff face and the gently flowing river was on my right. When the path ends you are close to a small waterfall. Very pretty. A group of ‘gorge walkers’ had just taken the plunge into the icy water!
As for access to the Hillfort itself, I couldn’t find any! (Unless I joined the climbing club who had just started scaling the cliff face!) There must be a way up to have a Hillfort here in the first place but there was no obvious route. The information board states that there were a lot of explosives used in the area in the past (one walk is called the gunpowder path) so perhaps the original access way has been destroyed?
Anyway, this is such a pretty place to visit that I shall return in the summer with Karen and the children and will have another look for a path to the Hillfort.

Visited 23.10.10
From Gelli Nedd Hillfort I hiked across the open moor, heading north east towards the rocky outcrops. When climbing the outcrops, the cairn can be seen on the brow of a hill a short walk away. I couldn’t see any gate into the field where the cairn is so I had to climb over a barbed wire fence. The cairn is about 1 metre high and about 2 metres in diameter. The O/S map I had shows two cairns but I could only find one of them. In all honesty it was not worth the effort to visit the cairns although there is a decent view to be had. If you do choose to visit, keep an eye out for the old lime kilns near the rocky outcrops and don’t do what I did – get lost trying to find my way back!!

Visited 23.10.10
Really easy to access this one.
I parked in the large free car park in the village of Ystradfellte and walked north along the road through the village for a couple of hundred yards. After passing a couple of houses on your left you come to the cairn which is right next to the road (also on the left). The cairn is about 1 metre high and 10 metres in diameter. The central section has been dug into and the remaining bank has a ring of trees growing on it.
I visited several cairns in the area today and this was easily the best preserved, despite the damage done by the digging. You could easily have a look by just pulling up along side the cairn; it is so close to the road. There is a fence between the road and the cairn.
Well worth a look when in the area.

Visited 23.10.10
I parked in the large free car park in the village of Ystradfellte and headed up the road/track which runs directly from the car park, uphill towards Tyle farm. You will shortly come to a turning right towards the farm, but keeping walking straight up the hill. The track now becomes rougher and you go through two metal gates. After the second gate you come out onto open moor land. You pass the cairns when walking to Gelli-Nedd Hillfort.
As you approach the brow of the hill look over to your right and you will see the remains of two cairns. One is round in shape – about 0.5 metres high and 5 metres round. The other is oval in shape – about 0.5 metres high x 5 metres x 10 metres.
Well worth looking out for are the strange rocky outcrops you pass on the way to the cairns. Very odd looking – like the remains of stone walls (which they are not). I have never seen these types of formations before. In truth, more interesting than the cairns themselves!
It takes 15 minutes to walk from the car park to the cairns.

Visited 22.9.10
Whist visiting the Matfen Stone I took the opportunity to have a quick look at the nearby barrow marked on my O/S map. Taking the minor road north east out of Matfen towards Warwick, the road takes a sharp turn to the right. Just beyond the bend I parked near a field gate and was able to see the barrow on the far side of the field. The field had recently been ploughed and the barrow appeared as a small ‘grass island’.
I settled for a view from afar as I didn’t fancy getting caked in mud.