Taken 25th September 2002: In the foreground is the quartz monolith known as the Glandwr Stone, and just behind it is a smaller stone that might be a second Glandwr Stone, or might equally be the tip of a natural outcrop. Highlighted in red in the distance is the Disgwylfa Fach stone.
Visited July 1995: I rode to the circle on my trusty motorbike (now long gone) one evening when I was living in north Lancashire. It was only when I got to Bleasdale that I saw the sign about ringing up to get permission to see the circle.
Having come quite a long way to see the site, I decided to walk straight in (I figured it was too late to ring and get permission). It was great being there on my own, and I just ambled around enjoying the atmosphere and wondering what the place had been like originally.
Bleasdale Circle is very different to anything else I’ve visited. Next time I’m up in the north west I’d like to go back and pay it another visit, this time with my family and a decent camera!
Visited August 1997: With all the megalithic action going on in this area, the little old Barnhouse Stone gets a bit neglected, and looks a rather sorry for itself sitting in it’s enclosure.
I’m afraid I can’t remember much about how we got to the stone, or where we parked. I think the visit involved climbing over a gate and wondering across a field. Having looked at the map I’m guessing that there’s no footpath to the stone.
On Saturday at 2pm David Browne and Toby Driver, authors of the excellent RCAHMW publication on Pendinas, will be leading a tour of the hillfort. If you are interested in coming along, it all kicks off at 2pm by the monument on the top. Toby has told me they have some new theories about the design and arrangement of the defences, so it should be an interesting (if you’re a hillfort enthusiast). Hopefully the weather will improve before then!
These stones are on one of my routes home, so I see them regularly. They are the best known and most easily accessible of a large number of Bronze Age standing stones in the area.
The Buwch a’r Llo (or cow and calf) stones are on the east side of the cattle grid and the Mynydd March stone is on the west side. All three stones are on the southern side of the road (i.e. on your right coming from Penrhyn Coch), and they are right next to the road.
Watch out for idiots driving scrambler motorbikes and 4x4s in this area. It feels relatively safe walking on the road, but the ‘off-road’ fraternity don’t tend to have their brains engaged when they drive along here.
Taken August 1997: This is the stone that was split by lightning. The sign reads:
“This stone was struck by lightning on the 5th June 1980 causing it to shatter. Such events may also have occurred in earlier times, and might account for the damaged state of several other stones in the ring.”
I’ve posted a rather hazy photo of Pendinas hillfort, taken from Bwa-Drain with a telephoto lense, the point being that there’s the potential for people at one site to communicate with the other. There is also intervisibility between Pendinas and Esgair Nantyrarian (SN710817).
Taken 22nd September 2002: A rather hazy shot of Pendinas taken from Castell Bwa-Drain hillfort, about 10 miles inland. The line of site between these two forts must have been used for communication purposes.
Taken 22nd September 2002: Shot from the west of the fort, from a rocky outcrop that doesn’t appear to be part of the fort itself (surely an ideal place to attack from).
Taken 22nd September 2002: Here’s another shot to give you a idea just how spectacular the views are from the fort. This is taken looking south (or near enough). The slag on the far side of the Rheidol Gorge is from 19th century lead and silver mining, and the line above it is the track for the Vale of Rheidol railway. I know I keep saying this, but the valley floor is 300 metres below the hillfort!
Taken 22nd September 2002: I’m not mad on hillforts, but this photo gives you an idea why I keep coming back to Bwa Drain (apart from the fact it’s on my doorstep). This shot is taken from the fort looking west, and you can clearly see the Rheidol and the Cwm Rheidol Reservoir on the valley floor (300 metres below). You might just be able to make out Pendinas hillfort on the coast (almost above William’s head). Apologies for the absence of a sea view, it was a hazy day when I took this.
Taken 22nd September 2002: This is the hillfort (approximately) from the north, taken from the road that runs across the Banc Bwa Drain commonland. You could really do with the third dimension here. From this photo you don’t get an accurate impression of distance between the fort and the trees on the other side of the Rheidol Gorge (behind it).
Taken 20th September 2002 from the north west, this is the south summit. I took the photo from the top floor of the Llandinam Building tower at the University of Wales, Aberystwth. You can just make out the entrance to the fort on the right hand side of the shot.
Taken 15th eptember 2002: Here’s the stone itself. You can just about make out the cracks where the stone was broken.
Taken 15th September 2002: This photo shows the war memorial, with Garreg Fawr behind it (to the left) partly covered by the shadow of the war memorial cross.
Taken 15th September 2002: This little metal plaque is mounted on the base that supports Garreg Fawr. The Powells of Nanteos are no longer about, but back in the 19th century they owned large swathes of Ceredigion (including the land where my house now stands). I wonder who lays claim to the stone now?
This enormous stone was once part of the capstone of a large burial chamber. It now sits relatively inconspicuously in the centre of Llanbadarn Fawr where it is has been incorporated into the wall behind the war memorial.
It’s very easy to find the Garreg Fawr stone once you’ve found the war memorial. If you don’t know Llanbadarn, then you might miss the centre of the village if you’re driving in, because Llanbadarn boasts a (very small) by-pass road. Once you find a one way street with speed bumps on it, you know you’re nearly there. The stone is behind the war memorial when you have your back to the hairdresser’s (Hayley’s Hair Studio).
Thanks to Toby for consistently pointing this site out every time we stumbled out of the Gogerddan Arms. We took the mickey at the time, but here I am writing about it!
Back in 1867 a gentleman called Mr Morgan wrote about Garreg Fawr (the great stone) in his Aberystwyth Guide. He describes how it once “stood on pillars of the same material” but was “fractured by the kindling of a bonfire upon it”.
Before it’s destruction the tomb appears to have been the focal point for village life. Morgan says that “the [village] crier used to proclaim all matters of public interest” from the monument.
Taken 15th September 2002: On my way to the Disgwylfa Fach Standing Stone I thought I’d grab this shot of Pen-y-Castell hillfort from the south. The standing stone isn’t visible from this angle.
Taken 15th September 2002: In case you’re trying to spot the Disgwylfa Fach Stone and Glandwr Stone(s) from the road, this shot gives you an idea where to look.
I took this from the passing place where we parked. The arrow on the left points to the Glandwr Stone(s) and the arrow on the right to the Disgwylfa Stone.
Taken 15th September 2002: This is the Disgwylfa Fach stone from the north west (ish). In the background you can see the road that I walked from.
Taken 15th September 2002: Here’s the Disgwylfa Fach stone from the south, as you see it approaching from the road. I’ve stuck my Landranger in for scale.
I’ve just checked to find out the origins of the name Disgwylfa Fach. In Welsh ‘disgwylfa’ means ‘watchtower’ and ‘fach’ is the mutated form of ‘bach’ meaning ‘small’.
The stone is named after the hill that it sits on, which is a small peak at the foot of Disgwylfa Fawr (Fawr means ‘big’).
Visited 15th September 2002: It was the end of one of those September days when it feels like July. After an afternoon on the beach, William was asleep in the car, and Louise was about ready to join him. Instead of doing the decent thing and driving straight home, I insisted on paying a visit to the Disgwylfa Fach stone (it was on the way!).
I thought I’d seen the stone from the road on a previous visit, and it turned out that I had. There’s no footpath to the stone, but there are also no boundaries between the stone and the road, so I chanced it and walked. Between the road and the stone is a stream and lots of reeds, but I found a crossing point and got over without getting wet (possibly not the case if you visit in the winter).
Approaching the stone this way you head up-hill, and cross a disused medieval leat that looks like an old cart track. Then you pass a number of rocky outcrops before you reach the stone itself.
The Disgwylfa Fach Stone leans approximately east, and has an interesting grain to it, so that the ‘top’ is roughly indented. There are some packing stones visible at the base of the stone, and another small stone lies to the north (possibly a dislodged packing stone).
The views from the stone are beautiful, mainly because there is so little to see (just upland pasture). It took me about 30 minutes to make the journey from the road to the stone and back (Louise was sat in the car waiting, so I rushed it a bit) and in that time only one car came past.
I should mention that, while I had a relatively easy walk to the stone (I’m no Indiana Jones), I wouldn’t recommend my route to anyone who might have difficulties with jumping the stream or navigating tall reeds and uneven ground.
Visited 26th August 2002: Having dragged everyone around the countryside looking for non-existent standing stones, I had Bedd Taliesin tucked up my sleeve as the grande finale of the day. I had never visited the site before, but I knew the stones were small (smaller than they look in some photos). I warned everyone not to expect too much ‘mega’ in their lithic.
When we arrived at the cairn, everyone including me was surprised at how small the stones are! The cist is really diddy, and it made me chuckle when I thought about Rhiannon’s story about spending a night in the chamber. I think you might well go mad if you managed to squeeze yourself into such a tight space, but you’d get cramp first.
The cairn is beautifully situated, with views of the Dyfi Estuary and Aberdyfi. The weather was also excellent, but it was all a bit marred by a big stack of smelly silage that the farmer had stacked in the next door field. Well worth a visit though.
Taken on a visit in 1995 (I’m not sure exactly when) this photo shows the circle as you see it, against the horizon, approaching from the south.
Taken 16th June 2002: Looking out of the churchyard, through the megalithic gateposts. Just about everyone agrees that these two stones have been moved from their original location.
Taken 8th August 2002: Here’s the standing stone, complete with sundial. Previous to 1909 the stone stood outside the original circular churchyard.
Taken 8th September 2002: Looking north-east, here’s the standing stone with the church in the background. You can just make out the remains of the original churchyard perimeter on the left-hand side of the photo, now just a denuded bank (see plan).
Taken 8th September 2002: This is a detail from the sign outside St Tyssilio’s showing a plan of the churchyard (the weird colouration in the corner is shadow):
1) Stone lined spring
2) Present church structure
3) Standing stone with sundial planted on top of it
4) Old bank where churchyard perimeter was before its extension in 1909
This sign was created by St David’s University College (now University of Wales, Lampeter) so I probably shouldn’t be posting it without permission. Sorry guys!
Visited 8th September 2002: This Bronze Age standing stone is very easy to find, because someone has conveniently built a churchyard around it!
We entered the churchyard through an iron gate, and I began scouring the area for a sign of the stone. Louise was a bit more canny than me, and spotted it right there by the gate! To be fair, it’s not what we were expecting, because someone has concreted a sundial to the top of the stone! This is one of the weirdest adaptations of a megalith that I’ve seen so far.
St Tyssilio’s church is an early Celtic Christian site, with the compulsory holy well (nearby) and round churchyard. Judging by the standing stone, it was a ceremonial site long before it was Christianised. There’s a notice near the churchyard gate that explains some of the history of the church, and according to this a second megalith was discovered during the 1890s during work on the church itself. This stone was so big that they left it in place and built over it!
Taken 7th September 2002: This is the southerly stone, taken looking approximately west.
Taken 7th September 2002: This is the southerly of the two stones, with my 3 year old son William sat on it for scale. Behind William a slither of Pond Nant y Cagal is visible.
Taken 7th September 2002: This is the northerly of the two stones. In the background is Pond Nant y Cagal, and our car parked up where the footpath to the southerly stone crosses the road. In the distance is Pumlumon silouted against the horizon.
Taken 7th September 2002: This northerly stone may have been an early Bronze Age motorbike or car. That’s William’s verdict anyway. Lou is off in the distance on the road.
Visited 7th September 2002: Neither of these stones is now standing, and there appears to be some uncertainty as to whether they are Bronze Age standing stones, marker stones, or just conveniently placed lumps of rock. Similarly, although they share a name, there may be no connection between the two stones.
That’s the scepticism over with. I think that these two stones could be the real thing (i.e. Bronze Age standing stones) based on their proximity to the river and the meeting of two routes through the mountains. The stones are named after the nearby lake, which is a 19th century lead and silver mining reservoir.
The smaller of the two Pond Nant y Cagal Stones is to the south (SN72709034) and is accessible via a footpath that has been churned up by 4x4s. The path crosses the road, and you can park up almost at this point. Follow the footpath southeast (i.e. not in the direction of the lake) for a few hundred yards and you’ll come to the stone on your left. It’s not very big, so don’t start out looking for a gigantic monolith!
The larger of the two stones (to the north) is adjacent to a cattle grid. You could park by the cattle grid if you wanted to, but we just walked up from the other stone. This second stone is a large lump of white quartz, which sits conspicuously on the hillside to the west of the road (to the south of the perimeter fence that runs down to the cattle grid). You can clamber up to the stone, but it’s a bit steep, so not ideal if you’re not feeling agile (like Lou, who is 8 months pregnant). The views from up there are beautiful though, with the lake and Pumlumon making a stunning backdrop.
I’d recommend visiting these stones if you’re passing through, or if you’re very enthusiastic about standing stones, but not if you’re looking to visit a site that is still intact.
The grid reference given for this site is for the most southerly of the two stones (the one you can’t see from the road).
The northerly stone is less than half a mile away just up the hill from the cattlegrid (you can’t miss it because it’s an enormous lump of white quartz). Here’s the grid reference for it: SN72619062
Visited 1st September 2002: I first spotted the Garn Lwyd standing stone on the 1:25000 OS map when I was planning a visit to Hirnant Circle just up the road. The stone is very small, and stands next to a cairn of the same name.
There’s no public right of way to the site itself, but the cairn is relatively easy to identify from the road if you have a map (it’s almost in line with the telegraph pole that has the number 23 on it). Once you’ve spotted the cairn you can just about see the stone from the road. It’s between the cairn and the perimeter fence, but it’s less than a metre high so you’ll have to look hard for it in amongst the reeds.
It’s worth noting that the OS Landranger map only marks the cairn itself, and although the 1:25,000 OS map has the stone marked on it, it’s placed too far north (at least that’s the only conclusion I could come to).
Garn Lwyd is the name of the cairn next to the stone, but it’s also shared by all the cairns in this group. The word garn means cairn in Welsh and lywd means sacred.
Taken 1st September 2002: I made a second visit to this site in as many days to take this photo, and check that this tiny stone is the only one that could possibly be the Garn Lwyd stone. Siloutted in the distance is Dinas Hillfort.
Another page from this local Web site, this time about the ‘Hirnant Kerb Circle’ including a brief description of the circle and a photo.
I’ve visited Hirnant a couple of times before. Yesterday I thought I’d pop up again after work and get some photos, but by the time we got there (about 8pm) it was nearly dark, so the end result isn’t very good.
The field that the circle sits in is covered in a type of reed that is common around here, to the extent that (at this time of year) the stones are almost entirely obscured by undergrowth. I guess this is what Grendel was referring to in his last post.
Like Dolgamfa to the south, Hirnant is situated on a plateau above the Rheidol gorge (now partially flooded by the Dinas Reservoir). The name Hirnant means long stream in English, so there may be some echo of a connection between the river and the monument that has lasted down the years. As with Dolgamfa there are beautiful views of the surrounding hills from the circle.
This photo was taken on 28th August 2002 looking east. The light was appalling because it was late in the day and the weather was closing in.
Taken winter 1994/95. This is a detail of one of the the spiral engravings on Long Meg.
Taken sometime during the winter of 1994/95. Long Meg is in the distance against the horizon.
Taken 26th July 2002: The Chestnuts is in a garden belonging to Mrs Bygrave, but it’s not been incorporated into a patio or anything horrible like that. The land that it stands on is kept relatively untouched, with the grass cut only for footpaths and access to the stones.
Taken 26th July 2002: As with all the big megaliths, William found the Chestnuts very exciting. He really liked Mrs Bygrave and kept asking us when we were going to go into her house and have a drink!
Taken 26th July 2002: This shot is taken from underneath a tree next to the Coldrum, which is hung with offerings of hair, flowers and what appears to be polyprop rope.
Taken 26th August 2002: This photo shows the capstone, propped up on a little stone pillar. The stone is covered in modern carvings, which are themselves relatively weathered, and from a distance look almost like an intentional pattern.
Taken 26th August 2002: A photo of the cist and capstone, with my Dad for scale. This was my first visit to Bedd Taliesin, and having seen other photos of the site (without anyone in them) I expected it to be bigger.
It was a sunny and slightly hazy day, but the views were amazing. You can just make out the Dyfi Estuary behind Dad, and we thought we could see Snowdon (off to the right and out of shot).
Visited 26th August 2002: The Cwmere Farm Stone is off the beaten track, on a loop road that runs from the village of Cwmere to Bont-Goch. You can approach it by car from either end, but from Bont-Goch the road is gated.
The stone is marked on the Ordnance Survey map, so it’s not too tricky to find. You can see it from the road (on the right coming from Cwmere) and there’s just about space to park a car (in a passing place opposite the gate to the field that the stone is in).
There’s no footpath to the stone, but we decided to exercise our right-to-roam (perhaps a bit prematurely), and take a closer look. If you decide to do the same, please act responsibly, and be courteous to the farmer if he turns up (I’m probably preaching to the converted here).
The stone itself is striking, with a distinctive taper to it. There are smaller recumbent stones nearby, but they don’t appear to be positioned in any way.