postman

I approached Cefn Penagored ridge from Pennant cairn and walked along its western flank looking below me around me and everywhere, I could not see the circle of stones in cofleins pictures nor could I find the kerb cairn with central cist, but this little cairn (pictured) might just be one of the two satelite barrows next to that one.
Even when I came back the same way but favouring the lower slopes I still couldnt find it, but I did find the Penagored standing stone.

I was on my way to the Yr Aran cairns from Cefn Penagored ridge after another fruitless search for the ring cairn.
There was no path for me to follow, I had to cross a river that was too wide to jump, but before going down to the densely wooded river, I had been following an old field wall down from the upper slopes, it was made up of very large boulders, some were maybe six feet long.
At the bottom end of the wall and in line with it is this wide pointy stone, at odds with all the free standing boulders, I took a couple of pictures and proceeded to my river crossing. Only when i got home did I find it on here, it’s beginning to look like a return trip is on the cards, only in better weather hopefully.

It had been a really long morning and by now I was staggering around like a drunkard, I had reached the end of my endurance long ago, from here and back to the heaven known as “my car” would be on automatic, so ruthlessly had I pushed myself.

My map only shows two cairns, and seeing as Coflein wouldn’t let me play the few days before, I couldnt learn more about these cairns. which is a great pity.
I found at least six small cairns all of which had been got to by treasure hunters, leaving them in the donut shape that can on the one hand expose internal features and on the other desacrate a grave and ancient monument.
But after returning home and finding a back door into Coflein, Ive since found out that I didnt even find the two bigger cairns that are on the map, one of which still has its cist, only the cairn cemetry 150 meters to the west.

Twas the eve of 2011’s summer solstice, the weather was never going to be kind so I weather proofed up and headed for the western slopes of the Berwyn mountains. My main objective was to find some interesting cairns south of llandrillo, so I opted for the comfort and safety of a night in the car, but before that I went back up to these two obscure little circles.

The sun never came out at all but it didnt rain much, low lying clouds were moving through the valleys below giving it an air of mystery. The nearby hillfort was visible when I got here but it soon dissapered behind the thin mists swirling all around, never to be seen again (tonight).
The ring cairns innermost circle is remarkably intact
but only three or four stones remain of the outer circles, surrounding its circumference. The kerb cairn is only eight feet from the circles stones, and is less well defined but to the tutored eye it still retains some self respect.
After the obligatory tidy up (sorry I just cant help myself) and much sitting around interspersed with sporadic photography, I concluded that the sun had indeed gone down by now, so I jumped the low fence and waded and squelched back down to the conifer plantation, where I sat for another half hour hoping to see some wildlife, (inspired as ever by springwatch), I crouched near a freshly dug burrow of some sort and waited, but nothing came out, I only saw flying things out of the corner of my eye, but then a rustling produced a quick glimpse of some reddy brown fur passing from behind ferns to behind a tree. I really must stop singing that lumberjack song from Monty Python when ever I’m in a forest.

The place to park is at Gladbach youth hostel or at the carpark three hudred yards back up the road. Go straight through the youth hostel grounds like you own the place, as the footpath goes this way you kind of do. Following the obvious path that is well trodden, with the sounds of a babbling brook to our right, bluebells up the hill to our left and the oh so welcome sound of Swifts circling about us, it should have been idillic, however I had brought both of the kids and they were all but at each others throats no matter how growly the voice I use, i’m beginning to wonder if they’ll ever get on.
The path comes to the bridge over the river, twenty yards further on it meets with another and carries on under the name of the River Dane.
From the bridge its all up hill i’m afraid up to the big tree (you’ll know it) up some more then the path turns right and takes us all the way to Castle cliffs rocks.
This, on my first visit to Luds church had me fooled as being the big gorge, especially as there is a gorge behind the rocks, and if you hadnt paid too much attention to previous information, you might be a bit dissapointed, its a really nice place, worthy of being a site on its own, but its not jaw dropping awsome. That strange face is saved for another five minutes, for just two minutes away the path branches, one carries on in the light of day but the other branches off into a low light abode of the fairies.

The entrance into this gargantuan grotto is quite small....at first, then it turns left and goes down all the way to the deepest part of the gorge, it often gets quite muddy here. If memory serves this is also diectly below where the wooden statue used to be. The walls (if your looking down ...cliffs) are totally sheer and barely six feet apart, but whilst your wondering and wandering down this twenty meter stretch
you soon get to the corner, the kink in the serpentine, and then your jaw drops.
The gorge stretches away into the distance, it’s difficult to guage how far it is, the walls are so high and steep and the far end is a lot more narrow than this end, almost like one of those optical illusions.
Not far infront of us is a young art student painting the scene, we have a nosey and decide he isnt bad, but then he has a captive and very showy muse. We pass him by hoping not to get included in his painting and start to climb, nothing strenuous or testing but it is a bit slippy.
Now the gorge splits in two, the left junction is a tight and dark squeeze to who knew where, the right junction has stairs carved into it and light is pouring through the narrow gap, I go this way the kids go the other way, and for a while it goes super natural, not supenatural just nature being super. I stand blinking in bright sunlight, a light oasis, the gorge opens and widens and in this light oasis plants just go for it, everywhere you look there are plants, ferns and mosses mostly but when they’re evereywhere it’s just stunning.
Further on the gorgre begins to peter out untill it completely stops. I get out and walk above it all trying to get a good look into the church, it’s quite impossible though, the bushes and undergrowth grow right up to the cliffs edge, I really wouldnt want to stumble upon it this way.
Only back at the entrance and above can you look down into it.

A thoroughly beautiful and well hidden jewel, well worth the walk and bickering kids, who still havent stopped now.

I have returned, and this time I shall dispense with any formalities and jump the gate (the stone is indeed more or less on a marked footpath). Rewards: A stone that’s nearly as tall as me and quartz all down one side, a tractor whirred in the background and an unfamiliar bird call. Nothing about but me and the stone,(and a bug named tony) just the way it should be.

Travelling south on the B4401 from Corwen, turn left in Cynwyd after the pub, if you pass a church on your right keep going. On your right as you get higher the Afon Trystion is far below you, the lane branches off several times, keep going straight untill the rough track takes over from tarmac’d lane and park in a wide parking area.
Walk, or like us bike untill the forest ends, deforesting has occured on the right so keep going untill a gate is reached and trees stop on left aswell. go through gate cross the stream to your right, and go up small hillock, stone circle is on top.

Only four stones remain of this probable eight or nine stone circle, three of them are almost half a metre tall and if all the stones were like that it would be a cool place indeed, worthy of a map mention, and on your list of must see’s for the area. But they are all that is left, the fourth stone is almost two feet long but only two inches tall, I cleaned the place up a bit removing dead veggy matter and such, then I probed the ground looking for hidden stones, there wasn’t any.
But even with these scant remains, enough of the circle remains, and on such a beautiful morning in glorious surroundings with someone close to you who could want for more.
It was about now that my camera kind of packed in, every time I try to take a picture, the screen shows error99, turn off and on again or remove battery. GGGGrrrr.... then it would only take pictures with the big zoom lens on and I couldnt get far enough away to get any more than one stone in.

From the B4391 southwest of Llandderfel, either park in the carpark in the trees, or drive up the track towards the forest, the track is inbetween two other cairns Carnedd wen to the north and Rhanneg to the south. We made it all the way up to the corner of the plantation, shunning the gate with prosecution warnings, we rode our bikes north with trees to our right and open ground on the left.
We entered the sometimes dark and creepy forest, which strangely becomes light, breezy and an almost magical place at the turn of the merest corner. Barring one crossroad that isnt on the map, and numerous fallen trees, we made it quickly and efficiently straight to the chambered cairn.
Times have changed since google earth passed over head, all the trees that surrounded the cairn have been felled. It definitely lets more light fall upon this lost tomb, but the business of plantation doesn’t care about tidiness and caring for the environment, the whole area looked like a Tsunami had ripped through the place, a really really horrible mess.

The cairn would have been amongst the list of must see’s for the area, if it were but for two things, the forest, and the awful way in which it was treated, by someone we might have to call an antiquarian. Coflein described it well, but I still couldn’t work out what it might look like in my minds eye, so when I first saw it, it wasnt there it is, it was hang on is that it.
A very big cairn this would have been, but now its like this, a big squareish area has been excavated away to reveal the capstone which is undoubtedly not in it’s original place. The northwest inner area is made of dry stone walling
whether this is an original feature I don’t know, but I cant see someone ripping the cairn apart to construct something else, something almost pleasing to the eye.
The capstone is large and would suit most Dolmens, but now its dumped, slumping into the corner, I hope they found something earth shattering to off set the wanton destruction.
Grai Yr Arian would have enjoyed long views over to the Berwyn peaks, and does so once more.
Large and impressive even in its destruction, but only really one for the completists among us.

Half way between Bala and Dolgellau, just off the A494, the other side of a disused railway embankment.
Only a short walk from the car, through one gate, over the embankment and there it is right beneath us. The fence around the stone goes off course just to keep it on farmland side rather than the railway, there were sheep with little lambs in the stones field so we heeded the barb wires spikyness and kept away.
The stone is smooth and rounded and about four and a half feet tall, due to Error99 on the camera I was restricted to my zoom lens which doesnt really let you get in close to the stone. Dolddeuli farm is close by to the north, but we were in and out, quick and unseen. Hot and sticky, tired and knackered, but what a great day out.

On directions to the place I will only add that the phone box that flagged the turn off is now gone, only the post box remains (yaaaaay).
I parked the car at the usual wide area before the houses, got out my bike and started the long walk up the lane, through the gate, then up the footpath with the circle on the hill to my left, then the even harder slog of pushing the bike up the grassy slope, it was worth it in the end because i’d like to suggest that i’m the first to ride their bike round inside this circle, which made me smile widely.
But not as widely as the way back down, every hill top circle or cairn should have a bike there, for the ripping down a hill side is very invigorating, ever overtaken a sheep in full flight ? youve never lived.
Every time I come here the stones seem to have got a little bigger, first it was theyre a bit small, then they were medium but theyre really quite large. Or... ive seen too many diminutive stones.
For the first time I spotted Tyfos circle down in the valley below, well the farm anyway ,the stones are too small to work out.

Take note.... there is another stone circle further along the footpath into the hills, and close to that a small standing stone, theyre both going crazy after some attention specially the circle, if you have an hour to spare they’d really like the company.

Quite easy to find, from Moel ty uchaf keep following the path up into the hills, past a deforested conifer plantation, over the brow of the hill, passing lots of stone piles, through a gate ( the stone circle cerrig Bwlch y Fedw is in the grass to your right)and you can see the stone half way up Moel Pearce towards the left, when the sun shines on it you cant miss it.

The stone is longer than it is tall, aligned about NW by SE which points the way between two hilltops, some packing stones are evident at the stones meeting with the ground. The stone has split at its eastern extremity and you can see and put your hand through it. Moel ty Uchaf is visible on its small hill top, but Tyfos is out of view below the hill line.
A small climb to the top of the hill affords long views to the Berwyn mountains and across the hills west over Bala to Arenig fawr.

This stone circle is less than a mile from the well known Moel ty uchaf, it’s not marked on any maps, nor is it in any of Burls books, but it is on the now god like Coflein, it is to me an amazing thing, that anyone with time and persistance
can find something that isnt generally known, any bump any wrinkle in the landscape can be identified through the magic of Coflein. Really can’t enthuse about it enough.

From Moel ty Uchaf turn and look up at the mountains, the path you partly used to get here carries on up the hill past a deforested conifer plantation, and then dissapears over the brow of the hill, if you dont have a personal transporter, youll have to walk there, I had a bike.
When the footpath goes through a gate with a stream running through it, either follow the path up the hill to Moel Pearce standing stone which is now visible as a white almost shining beacon on the hillside. Or turn right into the long boggy grass, with a fence on your right follow it up the gentle hill untill you see the stones on your left, four out of five stones still stand higher than the grass, but only just.

Coflein suggests a stone circle of six metres north to south, containing maybe eight stones, none more than a metre tall, only five stones now remain, one small stone has fallen, but its so tiny as to appear as a  modern intrusion. The other four are, I thought quite impressive, after a bit of gardening, you know just pulling out all the old dead grass, making the stones more visible for photography and any subsequent visitors (smiles to him self wryly), and trying to find any other fallen stones, the man made drainage channel that hideiously bisects the circle
is said to have fallen stones in it but the channel has severely shrunk since cofleins last visit so the stones may now be under the squelchy ground, this place really should be looked after, if it was all neat and easier to see it might lose something, but would gain the same visiting rights as Tyfos and Moel ty uchaf.
The next time your at the latter do make the effort I beleive it is worth it

One of the last great North Walean hillforts on my list of must see’s, and what a cracker it is.
I parked on the B5437 and made my own unguided way up, on my way up I tried to see if I could see Owain Glyndwrs mount down the river a couple of miles but it was out of view, but I did see a load of rabbits, more than seems reasonable, especially with three Buzzards circling constantly overhead.
The hillfort is close to the road but it’s a steep climb from there, when I eventually huffed and puffed my way to the top I was at the south east corner of the fort, the best preserved part of the wall, its stone spread is now more like a really really long cairn, indeed as I walked round I unconsiously kept looking for cists, only to immediately remember where I was.
Coflein says this is a multi phase hilltop site, starting with a small fort at the top, which was later incorperated into what we see now, which goes some way to explain the weird rectangular annexe on the north east corner. Here the walls are truly massive, so much so that the obligatory giant was drafted in to explain the mighty work.
The grand entance is at the eastern end, but it hasnt fared well over the last two millenia, at least two other smaller entrances are at the east and west.

What a strange little oddity this is, far too close to the roaring A55, though out of site of it, the oddness trumps the roads proximity.
Not marked on my map, but Burl gives thier co-ordinates in Carnac to callanish, and coflein confirms their existence by tentatively confirming them as a Bronze age two stone row.
Untill recently they were mostly hidden in the bracken at the side of the road, but concerned locals who have moved them at least twice, and periodically whitewashed them, have now built a gateless fence round them and a nice info board tells the story of the horses leap (Naid-y-March).
But how odd to find two standing stones, both cut short, either side of an old lead mine (now filled in), it kind of has a Gwytherin four stones feel to it, just swap the road for the church.
Funny how this place has escaped my attention for so long, barely over an hour from my house and I never knew it was there, after driving past within a hundered yards on the A55. I liked this place very much, I climbed over the fence and sat with my back to the northwestern stone.

This stone is not marked on any maps I have, I found out about it only after a couple of hours trawling through Coflein, it’s time for this secret stone to come in out of the cold, I realise i’m opening it up to the weird and still wild world of man, but it should be counted as equal to any stone on Anglesey.

From Maenaddwyn a small lane winds through the hidden and beautiful landscape in amongst the minor peaks of Mynydd Bodafon. At only 178 metres high, that it has minor peaks at all is quite amazing. As you pass below the trig point on your left there is a house with a small lane going passed it down to Plas Bodafon house, park about thirty yards further on opposite a track going uphill, and right next to a gate is room for one or two cars.
Walk from the car to the house with a lane going passed it ( ask permission now if your that way inclined, i’m not), then walk down the lane open fields to your right and dense woods to the left, unfortunately the menhir is in there.
Walking down the lane look out for a change of fence, a ten foot gap area that used to be a gate
climb over carefully and proceed on old track in woods, a pretty and small pond appears on your left, now turn right and make your way for thirty yards into the dense bushes and trees, and theres your secret stone. Also helpfull in location is an old yellow small tractor twenty yards from the stone.
The stone is almost six feet tall and is slowly being swallowed by ivy, I peeled some but not
all of it away(i’m not a monster), revealing the stone to be composed of a pinky quartz type stone, a small flat stone sits at the menhirs feet which is very pink.
Without all the undergrowth finding the stone would be easy as it is sited on a slight knoll, and would have had a good view east maybe as far as down towards the sea, and west looking up to the rocky bulk of Mynydd Bodafon.

To those in the know this is a very easy stone to find, as its just a few feet from the road built into a wall, but in years gone by this nine foot monolith has been slowly covered in ivy, I like ivy a lot, just not on me stones.
But i’m pleased to say that its been cleared and cleaned up a lot, almost the whole stone is now visible excepting the highest part of the stone, this obviously was too high for our heroic gardener, as the stone wears a full and not unattractive bufon. Mynydd Bodafon with it’s secret stone is large and brooding on the northern horizon, and I wonder if these three stones were set up here to pay service to the recumbent fugure outlined so nicely at Carreg Leidr.
My daughter Phillippa wanted the stone to be known as mushroom head !!!
She didnt know how close she was.

Not the first time iv’e been here, but I did have more time to inspect the stone and its surroundings.
We parked on the top of the hill a couple of hundred yards north of the stone and got the bikes out of the car, I knew there was nowhere to park near the stone so we didnt even try and hence the bikes.
But first we went to Maenaddwyn standing stone, which was further than we’d (i’d) anticipated but did afford a good downhill sprint by bike which is always fun, and Carreg Leidr can be seen from a considerable distance to the east.

The stone is just over five feet tall and has so much lichen growing on it, that i stood for quite a while inspecting it up close, my daughter said I looked as if the stone was brainwashing me.
The menhir is a really good shape, not much a bloke carrying a swag bag, more a grotesque witches warty nose (11 year olds have a good imagination)
There is a low rocky outcrop fifty yards northwestish and from the stone, like two other stones a good view of Mynydd Bodafon a small mountain 178 metres high can be had.

As you pass through Llanfechell look out for the footpath sign pointing northeast, A strange little path that skirts past a housing estate and passes open backyards, directing the stone seeker straight into the field with the stone.

I was on this part of Anglesey just six days ago, but for one reason or another I neglected an audience with this whopper yet again, it was high time to set that straight.
I always thought that it would have lost its attraction due to the nearness of the houses, the pylon and overhead wires, I also thought it would have lost its connection to the triad on the hill a couple of hundred yards away, but I was wrong on all counts.
The menhir is easily eight feet tall, and with a patterning that bigger stones can only wish for. Its broad side faces east-west, it was here that my daughter and me hid from the pearcing wind, and we also spotted Meini Hirion on its slight hilltop just a few hundred yards away, the two places are still intervisible.
This stones thinnest proportion has a very straight edge that almost aligns on the triad, but not quite, but it is the middle stone in a very long alignment of three stones, the other two stones are these themodernantiquarian.com/site/3782/werthyr.html
and
themodernantiquarian.com/site/2431/penyrorsedd_north.html

I always park in the same place, east of the stones by the side of the road near a farm entrance, about fifty yards down the road from Cromlech farm, from there a footpath leads straight to the stones over three stiles the last of which is six feet from the triad.
I had hoped to witness an equinox sunrise from these stones, but not only was I late by fifteen minutes the sun never turned up at all, or rather I should say I was there the sun was there but that old dog the Welsh weather had incinuated itself upon our mini meet, and the sky stayed stubbornly grey all morning.
But these stones are enough, such an enigma, Ive only seen two triangular settings like this, this one and way up north on the isle of Mull at Glengorm, but that trio is known to be a tampered with stone row, I think.
Here there are no hard facts even coflein knows nothing even so far as to suggest that theyre not ancient....for shame coflein, you could cut the prehistoric atmosphere with a bronze dagger up here.

The first time I came here I tried to drive as close to it as I could but found myself on a driveway to a house, so i turned around and parked where I think Hamish and Stubob did, theyre right it’s not close and theres no where to park.
So this time I went back to the house and pulled off the drive and onto a grassy area by a big shed. There was nobody around and the kids were still lethargying in the car so I felt a quick look wouldnt hurt. It didnt niether, just me and the big stone in a quiet field. Though it wouldnt hurt to have had a word with the home owner, but at 8am on a sunday morning would you ?
The capstone is huge and has a good view to some Snowdonian pass Llamberis or further west I couldnt tell, whether it was ever raised above the ground I couldnt tell that either, perhaps its a natural place utilised by the ancient people here like Henblas.

Presuming you take the right turn off from the A499 to Pwlleli this collapsed dolmen is very easy to find as its easily visible from the road, the first time I came here it was chucking it down and the field was full of curious cows so I left a closer look for another day.
Today was another day and with plenty of time and no animals to contend with we took a closer look.
The rain though slight was coming in sideways so Eric and me huddled under the capstone for a while, from here we noted the extreme flatness of the capstones underside, was it picked because of its flatness or was it done by human hands, probably both, or am I being too obvious again, either way I liked it.
There are lots of pebbles under the fallen capstone, fist sized up to head sized, but are they part of the cairn or just field clearance, whoever put them their also made what looked like kerbing to keep the stones in place.
I’d really like to see this one re-erected it shouldnt be too much trouble though one of the uprights is shorter than the other two,how hard can it be? but what do I know i’m just a postman with an obsessive nature.

Not too difficult to find, just take the turn off for Dinas Dinlle, and park in the corner of the first right hand bend. The stone is in the second field 20yards from a very old stone wall.
The stone is about six feet tall and very angular and pointy, that would’ve been all there is to say about Bodfan menhir if it were’nt for the strange behavior of the sheep in this field.
When Eric and me entered the field the sheep predictably legged it into the next field, but after a couple of minutes they decided enough was enough and they all came back, somehow emboldened enough to push us away from their stone. We gave them the field, but instead of dispersing around the large grassy square they all congregated around the stone, like Jesus and his disciples or Justin Beiber and brainless teenagers. Had the sheep learned to tap in to the stones energies ? or were thirty sheep trying to hide from the wind behind a single stone ?
Dont know but it was a bit odd.

We unpacked the bikes from the car, which was tastefully parked on the narrow single file road that skirts round Parkhuse hill and Chrome hill and past Dowel cave. The reason for the bikes was unclear, but at the very least it served as encouragement to a nine year old whose commitment to getting to the top flags and wains too easily.
We didnt take them all the way up Hatch-a-way hill, just less then half way then we discreetly abandoned them and carried on walking the rest of the way. As we crested the shoulder between Hatch-a-way and Parkhouse hills the sunset was about to burst across the sky bathing the easy southern slope of Chrome hill.
When we reached the very top of the hill the cairn came into view, probably less than a metre high, but with a complete ring of stones it looked pretty cool and I was impressed with this unassuming everyday hilltop cairn.
Though the hilltop was large and wide the cairn was sited as close the edge as possible overlooking the two prominent hills Parkhouse and Chrome but also the lovely green valley with a stream that bursts from the living rock only yards from Dowel cave.
We had hoped to be able to stay long enough to see the super big moon rise, from here I predicted a moonrise somewhere in the vicinty of Foxhole cave hill (is that it’s name?) but it was getting late Eric was tired cold and hungry, and we were both looking forward to riding our bikes back down the hill to the car, which ended up being a good idea, the wind in your hair a smile on your face and a wildly squeeling child.
A good day

This big stone is only visible from the road as you drive south going into Llanwrtyd wells on the A483, but seeing as Im usually here before sunrise Ive never seen it untill now, because I got up late, I was passing on my way to Cerrig Cynant so I made a note to stop for a peak on the way back.
So on the way back I watched out for the fieldgate with two big rocks on this side and one on the other, parked by them and jumped the locked gate.
This stone is big ! roughly squarish in section and almost nine feet tall and it’s never been added untill now, it must be the most conspicuous stone in Carmarthenshire (so long as your driving south in daylight)
I felt the stone was aligned or was at least submitting in some way to the nearby hill of Garn Dwad, either that or A483.
The muck spreader had completely covered one side of the menhir, giving it a less than attractive colour and an even more unpleasant texture.
Do not touch !!

Carn Wen is located in a big dark forestry plantation, a way through exists for those who are unfamiliar with stuff like suspension and exhausts, a road winds through the lost hillside, a maze of tracks that, judging by maps and google earth shift back and forth like the staircase at Hogwarts.
We drove carefully this way and that picking our way round the labyrinth carefully, but I’m afraid to say we couldnt find it, hidden as it was behind an impenatrable but protective wall of close fitting trees. Google earth, which has a good view of it, shows that if we had approached from the north an open avenue leads the way. But as if in concalation we found another cairn (of which I have posted a pic) really close to where we thought Carn Wen would be, so close that all the time I was there I was convincing myself that this was it.
Better luck next time I guess.

Although they say theres no such thing as the wrong weather only the wrong clothes, even with all the waterproofing at my disopsal the phrase didnt really feel like it carried much weight here today.
I started up the track heading for the turbines natural abode “the hilltop” . But it was so very windy I ended up walking half of it backwards, I had to push against the wind with all my weight at times it stopped me completely especially on the uphill bits. That said it was so invigorating that when I was walking under one of the turbines, its massive blades whoooshing just metres above my head, I clear forgot to navigate through the maze of tracks all about the place, and was hopelesly not where I should be. I climbed the steps that lead to the upper door into the turbine, to get a better view, corrected and with a better understanding of where I went wrong, soon back on target I arrive at the fallen standing stone Careg llwyd. (Whooosh whooosh whooosh)
Its a large stone maybe three metres long and one metre high thinner at the end with the small wind whipped pool, indicating which end went into the ground and also maybe how big it would have stood.
There is a fortuitous alignment of half a dozen big stones right next to the fallen megalith, but they are the last remnants of an old field wall.
From here it is just a hop skip and a wind assisted juuuump to the two ring cairns and then the big cairn on the hilltop

Whilst not an alignment these two rings can be found between the fallen menhir Careg llwyd and the big cairn Tyr Gwyn Mawr, it’s closer to and visible from the megalith, even the last remnants of an old field wall try to get in on the alignment.
It’s not the only time this morning but both rings are in danger of being swallowed up by the thick green grass that I dont know the name of, only the biggest stones on the cairns outer rim give away theyre position.
Although more delapidated and smaller and down one they reminded me heartily of the tripple cairn of Ravens Tor in the old Peak district, only with much more whooshing sounds from the wind turbines.
From these two rings the big Cairn on the hill glowers down at me suggesting perhaps that I leave alone the poor folk and come up and see the big man..... so I do.

Taken from Coflein......
A large cairn, placed at an altitude of about 1,560 feet above Ordnance datum; it has been opened, and very completely destroyed in the process. Welsh historians of three generations ago were wont to associate the carneddau on the high land between Carno and Llanbrynmair, and especially the carnedd known as Twr Gwyn Mawr, with the conflicts mentioned in the Welsh chronicle called Brut y Tywysogion under the years 948 and 1080 A.D. In Archaeologia Cambrensis, 1853, II, iv, 8, the conjectures relative to the battle between Gruffudd ap Cynan (and Rhys ap Tewdwr) and Trahaiarn ap Caradog in the year 1080 are said to have been strengthened by the discovery of “javelin heads, battle-axes, and the infantry bills of that period” near the site of Twr Gwyn Mawr. In 1855 the cairn was opened by the Rev. David Davies, then vicar of Dylife. The remains of what appear to have been two separate interments were met with. In one, which was beneath three flagstones laid “on a level with the soil, a small leaf of bronze, about the size of a crown piece, but much thinner,” was found. In another part of the cairn a cist 6 feet by 2 feet was unearthed, the floor “covered with black charcoal and ashes, intermixed with a profusion of small stones”; two flint arrow heads and a flint knife, having clear connection with this interment, were also discovered. The cairn is said to have measured 60 feet in diameter before the excavation. During that undertaking the interior was practically wholly removed, the stones being carelessly thrown out all round. Visited,12th July, 1910.”

From the two ring cairns this huge and famous cairn can be seen lurking in the thin mist waiting patiently for it’s turn. In good weather it would be seen from anywhere on the moor, alas for some good weather.
Like coflein states the interior is wholly destroyed, a right mess indeed, though I think I found at least one of the cist stones poking out of the rubble. But in this fowl weather I took some comfort in it’s disemboweled interior, I had to lie down almost to get out of the wind, from inside, the wind started howling alarmingly I sat upright and it stopped, lied down and it came back got out and it went away, just normal wind noise and the constant whooosh whooosh whooosh.
I picked a careful route to the nearest turbine and climbed it’s steps to take a view from twenty feet up, on a nice day this would have been a good place to survey the whole area, Three cairns (1 huge) two ring cairns a fallen menhir and an enclosure (of unknown date)
but only on a good day the wind that brings these giant whoooshing monsters almost threatens to fell them, as two of them creaked alarmingly as I walked under their whoooshing blades, that was more unnerving than the super strong wind that had such hampered getting up their in the first place.
Time now to get out of the wind a bit and detect those two small cairns down hill a bit to the east.

From the massive bulk of Tyr Gwyn Mawr I reckoned I could find the two smaller cairns away to the east, just follow the path, how hard can it be ?
With the ferocious wind blocked by the hillside, it should have been even easier than I’d anticipated as its got five wooden posts around it, but no, I shunned these obvious markers of something and made for the hilltop, it wasnt there. But from my vantage point I could map read enough to tell it must at least be near those obvious markers of something. (Whooosh whooosh whooosh)
I staggered and stumbled back down to the five wooden posts dodging the stuff that bears have the decency to hide in the woods and the occasional boggy hole, and well bless my soul they put a cairn in the middle of these five posts. That should have made it easy to find, dont you think.
Though half hidden by my favourite of grasses it still looks a good kerb cairn, reminding me of one or two examples over the hills at Llyn Brenig, and if not for the extreme weather it would enjoy good views down the valley to the east.

I couldnt very well leave it out could I ? After the self imposed all weather yomp and after finding everything eventually I couldnt leave out the least of this hillsides occupants.
Only enough remains to solidly state that this is a ruined cairn, like coflein says only the platform the cairn was grown on remains.
After wandering sometimes aimlessly across this moor (whooosh whooosh whooosh) ive gotten my bearings now so its a straight line downhill hill free walk to the waiting embrace of my car.

Time was short, so I opted for the scenic/anonymous route avoiding two large houses. I abandoned the car in an out of the way place walked ten yards up the lane towards the houses, then quite comically darted off into the undergrowth following the river(Cwm Calch). The high river bank concealed my movements untill it was time to pop up on the farm radar, at which point I walked briskly and nonchalontly around the feild edge untill I reached a zig zag path through the thinning wood to the hilltop.
It all looked so different down by the car, straight forward up to the top then back down, on the hill itself was another matter, I thought I had further to go when suddenly the standing stone was right before me.
In most parts of the country the stone would be termed small or even tiny, they say that in Wales too, it is very small. Just a couple of feet away is a cairn, it too is small, if I didnt know it was there under all that thick green stuff, youd pass them both by with no more than a second glance at the stone maybe.
But...........
Even if all the monuments were twice as big or twice again they would still have taken the back seat to the extreme weather I had endured all morning, the stingy face rain had died down somewhat but the wind was like physical hands pushing me down like a straw man.
From the stone I tip toed through the squelch to a nearby pointy peak of this hill top from there I should have been able to see Cerrig Caerau and Lled Croen yr ych stone circles to the north west,
but the wind is so strong I cant keep my eyes open long enough to focus they tear up in two seconds, I ignore the views and enjoy the feeling of flying and stand at forty five degrees into the wind.
But not for long, then its back down to the other nearby peak but the wind has other ideas it lets me know that I cant go up another hilltop but I can get taken straight to the other Ystradfawr cairn. It’s no more than a grassy circular bump with a dimple in the top, but its relation to the other cairn and its stone can be seen, unlike the other cairn which I dont have time to fool around with, time and the weather have beaten us in the end, only my coat is less waterproofed than I hoped.

Any directions would only be a hinderance as its a right maze of tiny lanes, just have a map and head north west out of Trefeglwys
The last port of call today is this little shapely stone, disguised as just another stone amongst a jumble of boulders, farmer hid the stone qiute well without actually obscuring it completely or damaging it at all.
At barely three feet tall it’s only worth a look if your in the immediate vicinity, or like me you just cant ignore a map when it says “standing stone”.
The views arent that terrific either .

Eric and me descended the steep side of Fin cop hand in hand (he’s not good with heights bless him), just heading for an old tree by the river, if I managed to find Hobs cave it would have to be by chance, my map was no help, google earth wont let me play, so chance would have to be my only allie, it came up trumps too.
Away to our right I spied some interesting looking rocks and knowing Eric likes a good scramble we mozied over.
The oppresion I’d felt above in the hillfort was easing up now, and I felt this was a good place and that Hob where ever he is nowadays (some say Northumberland) he didnt mind our encroachment , and when I found the cave and the manner I found it, I felt almost welcome.
I was wandering amongst the rock stacks stumbling as I gauped around, there are some thin passageways through the rocks reminding me of the Wadi that leads to the treasury at Petra, well we came out of the rock stacks and there right in front of us was this cave mouth, I looked down at Eric and said “this way Indy”

Upon reaching the tall thin cave I turned around to survey the vista, and over to our left was this obvious man shape looking skyward, even the lad pointed it out, this must surely be the demigod himself,I silently said hello and entered his mansion.
The cave is no more than three feet wide but as much as thirty feet high, was the rock man recognised as Hob before the cave became his house ?because its not very roomy exept upward.
Just inside the entrance some large boulders have fallen almost blocking egress to the rear of the fissure, Eric could get under but I opted for over then drop down, we then scuttled as far as we could, all this by camera flashlight only, eventually eric called for a return to sunlight, but strangely I liked it in the cave more than up on the hillfort.
We laughed and joked about poo dodging mostly all the way down to the river, where we sat by the weir and watched a Dipper going about his wintery tasks, then oppresive feelings forgotten we made our tired way back up to the carpark.

Bruvvs describes Fin cop as a fabulous place, he in my opinion was only half right, it is indeed a place, but as to it’s fabulousness I can not attest.
Ive never really felt at home in the Peak district, even though its the only national park that is in my home county. (just a small bit) I get an oppressive feeling from the place, as if it doesnt really want me poking around. I know it’s just me, I just can’t help it.
From the 150 place car park, we headed to Hobbs cafe and took the high path way above the river wye heading directly for the highest point, this I hoped was the hillfort, my map is strangely rubbed free of detail right on the bit we need, (probably accounts for my delay in getting here), apart from being on the wrong side of the wall, it was the right path.
The entrance and defences on either side of it are still in pretty good shape, though the fenced off excavation scars are a tadd ugly, will they be back soon?
We followed the earthworks over the well made drystone wall, (though presumably not as good as Stonegloves) but in this field the defences are not very defending anymore, but recognisable all the way to the edge of the steeeeep hilside.
We then followed the hillsde round and dropped down to the river via Hobbs cave.

Has it really been nearly four years since my last wander around this no-mans land, yes, yes it has. I was hoping for more snow but in it’s place i’ll take a rain free day. I say no-mans land because all the times Iv’e been here iv’e never seen another soul. Nice
My new super goretex boots and waterproofs might have come in handy if it was wet but everything was frozen solid and the new parts of the path made it all too easy. No compass, no GPS, I didnt even look at the map, so sure I was of the route, no problems at all.
The stones seemed smaller than I remembered, perhaps it’s the bigness of the whole place that tainted my memories.
Amongst the stones we found two letters written by children adressed to the fairies, one was asking how they liked the snow, and whether they were Welsh fairies, the other saying how much they liked their trip into the hills, proof of fairies existence if ever I saw it.

But the reason for this trip was to ascend the big mountain Moel Ysfarnogod, not all the way up mind, just enough to look down on the stone circle/cairn. It was a real treat for the eyes, we started off on the far northern flank and skipped and stumbled across the mountain side as far as Llyn Eiddew Bach, continuously stopping for a breather and to take zooming pictures of the stones with the mountains in the background. Amazingly fantastic. (we also tried to fake a UFO photo using thrown ice chunks, not so fantastic)

I dare say i’ll find an excuse to go back up there but hopefully not waiting for four years, in fact I already have, Y Gyrn cairns look and sound quite impressive and less than a klick from B C F.
Nice one Vic

This cairn is the last visible one before you reach the crown of thorns, it’s not got much in the way of interest but the dark aspect of Moel Ysfarnogod keeps the visitor from being underwhelmed.

Aubrey Burl says only this about Llyn Eiddew Bach...... The ‘Little ivy lake” is an incomplete ring of seven stones one fallen, with a diameter of 42 feet. Originally thirteen of fourteen stones the tallest two and a half feet tall.....
On the ground it’s a little more than that,one can just make out a circular form to it but on the northern side there are a lot of small pointy stones, reminiscent of those hillfort defences I saw at Pen y Gaer themodernantiquarian.com/site/8406/penygaer.html
On the western side of the circle is a small ring cairn with hollowed out interior, all in all a strange little site, a ring inside a ring that frankly looks a bit of a mess .

It’s a long walk from the car to Bryn Cader Faner, so to alleviate the boredom (Ha, boring? north wales? never) there are a few cairns along the way. This is the first one, on the right hand side of the path, coflein says there is a hut circle settlement nearby on the other side of the path, but we couldnt see it.
About fifty yards south of the cairn is a significant rock outcrop that seems to mirror the cairn, and possibly inspired it’s positioning.
With the dark mass of Moel Ysfarnogod looking over the whole place its a mean and moody place not to be entered upon lightly.

The first time I came here I got in some right bother with the farmer, we parked in the wrong place, didnt use the footpath, climbed over a gate and to cap it all I’m just another crap townie from England, this time I vowed would be different, it was too.

Firstly I didn’t take any wrong turns, I pinpointed the exact place I parked last time then reversed back till we saw the green rusty gate that leads onto the footpath. I parked as contientously as possible well off the road. The footpath is almost hidden from the farm, three minutes from car to stones.

The dolmen looks completely different now the wall has been peeled away, you can actually tell what type it is, it’s a portal dolmen, and in extremely good nick too. To be honest it’s been so long since my first visit I couldnt really remember what it looked like as all my photos of back then are none digital, but I was hoping that more of the walling was gone, and was a bit dissapointed to see it still joined at the behind.

But the longer I stayed the more I appreciated the place, like the big stone still trapped in the wall, like the small stone with a big smooth bowl like cupmark on it, and the fact that the capstone is resting not just on the chambers uprights but also on the stones of the wall, if they were removed it might slip straight off, the capstone is as precariously angled as Trethevy quoit in Cornwall though not as big. The three front stones are identical to those at Cist Cerrig a couple of weeks ago, and Howth near Dublin a couple of months ago, but thats a portal dolmen for you.

We made it back to the car unhindered and chalked up a win for the stupid townie, How would you like it if I turned up on your property and wandered about at will, why I’d be gald of the company of course, but theres nowt much of interest in my pokey little back yard.

We north drove all the way up the small road that ends at Sylfaen farm, all was quiet so we discreetly parked the car out of the way, and made a dash for the hillside.

From the farm go through one gate, turn left and follow the path over the brow of the hill and the three big stones come into view, from car to stones was less than ten minutes.

I knew this circle wasnt going to blow me away, but I was unprepared for the majestic mountains decorating the whole southern vista, Cadair Idris is they’re highest point, ascended by me and the day vole in typical Welsh weather some years ago, but today the clouds were above the mountain peaks all over Snowdonia, and the scant remains of last months snow highlighted and picked out details on the mountain side that were at other times invisible. I like mountains.

Kammer, bless his heart thought the two big stones were an odd arrangement in the circles centre, and that was how i thought it was untill we walked up to the top corner of the field in order to look down upon this less than mighty work of old, it was obvious to my mountain buddy Day vole and myself that the two big stones stand on the south west edge of a slight embankment with several very small stones poking through. Reminding me highly of the loupin stones way up north of two borders, the two big stones being portal stones perhaps framing a significant mountain peak or a celestial moment. This is the second whiff of Scotland ive had in North Wales this last couple of years, maybe i’m onto something, but the wifes been saying that for years.

From where I parked the car near Pen y Gaer the small mountain takes on a pyramidal shape, a footpath leads from the road straight up to the top, but seeing as I went to the hillfort first I had to climb a couple of fences untill the path and me crossed paths. On the way up I followed a samll stream thin enough to step over, but big enough to be teaming with fish at least 6inches long, species unknown, salmon or trout probably.
Half way up the slope I came across a circle of stones, not a stone circle and too small for a hut circle or shelter. Strange.
As I neared the top the weather did what it does best, it didnt rain, oh no, that would be too heavy handed, the clouds came in and the views that I so love faded away, mountains are like that, they want to be appreciated they want to be adored but they don’t want it to be easy for you, they only rarely show themselves completely
like a shy yet demanding stripper.

The first cairn arrived at didnt look ancient but more like a walkers cairn to show that your at the top, but it has the best view down the Ogwen valley.
The second cairn is the real McCoy, it almost shuns the view back into the mountains and concentrates on gazing out to sea or perhaps more probable onto Anglesey, always the most special of megalithic locations in Wales.
The cairn has been converted into a walkers shelter, I dont know if this is proper, but, I started to try and make it look more like a cairn again, just a half hearted attempt for half an hour, the spirits may have looked kindly upon me as I swear the cloud looked to be thinning and the sky had a more blue colour.
The second big cairn has also been shelterized so I gave it another half hour reconstruction, not so anyone would notice, but atleast there were no more precariously placed boulders threatening to fall on an unconcerned shelterer.
By the time I reached the last cairn in the line the mist was really dispersing, and I felt my endeavours at reconstruction were appreciated.
This cairn is the biggest one here, so big that it contains three walkers shelters, and one breakaway shin high shelter. The bigger hills come into view out of the mist Gyrn to the north-east and behind that Moel Wnion, but Gyrn Wigau and Drosgl remain stubbornly hidden.
I only gave the shelters a cursory pushing in and as I sat down to appreciate the views opening before me a final large rock fell just 10 inches onto my little finger, it didnt break but it was a right mess, luckily my extremities were freezing so it didnt bleed much. Time to start back, by that I mean another walk along the ridge this time in sunshine and then down the slope to the other cairns and the fortified settlement above Rachub.
It was still a small price to pay for the clouds to part for me and the mountains show themselves to me.
Gladman was right, they are worthy of a visit in the own right, and then some.

From the first big cairn on Moel Faban I slipped and scrambled down the slope, heading for the first big boulder on level ground, from there I could see the cairn even half covered in the cold white stuff.
It’s not as big as the three on the hilltop, but it has at some time been hollowed out, though maybe not by scardy walkers as youd have to lie down in it to be protected from the elements.
Did the cairns builders feel the occupant of the grave was not worthy somehow of not being buried on the hilltop, there’s still plenty of room up there but for some reason they put it at the foot of the hill. Perhaps they knew that if they put it up there it would be hidden in the clouds half the time hiding the view from the occupants spirit or hampering it’s construction.
Either way the place is fantastic, views extend over Anglesey and up the Ogwen into Snowdonia proper, and with Moel Faban rising immediately to the west you can almost forgive the Welsh for over mining the mountains for slate.
But only almost, the huge scars left by them are unforgiveable.

High above Bethesda is this small, less than impressive hillfort, but its position overlooking the entrance to the Ogwen valley is inspired, with the low low clouds and snow in Snowdonia there aren’t many better sited hillforts.
Parking available on Cilfoden Terrace and Tan y Foel (they may be one and the same) to the south east of the settlement, I’d streetviewed the place already so knew what to look for and when I got there I knew I was there.
The hillock on which the fort sits is high above the valley floor to the west but on the east side it keeps on rising all the way up to the pyramidal Moel Faban, with its quad of cairns. All the way round the fort is a modern wall that makes it difficult to see the earthwork, a gate echoes the old fort entrance, but the only traffic these days is of the sheep variety, indeed the whole fort is being reused as a big sheep pen.
The only way to appreciate it is from slightly above, looking over it down the Ogwen valley, on your way up the hill note the hut circle, but don’t tarry long it’s only medieval. (only he says)

Not going to go on about this place too much as it’s one of my favourite places and it was one of my first megalithic trips , suffice to say I love it.
I love the passageway and the chamber stones, especially the menhir, I love the solar alignments and the stone of the enigma’s albeit a fake one but it is now looking more aged than my first time.
There has been much talk of a spiral in side the chamber, but it is very indistinct and in my opinion it may not be a bonafide example of rockart. However the cupmarks on the nearby Gorsedd are distinct and easy to find, once you know they’re there.
Brinkly doo as I know it is a sweetheart of mine anyone found messing with her will feel my wrath. (no really)

The Gorsedd is seperated from the burial chamber by a thick wall and hedge, to get to it climb over the enclosure fence through the gate over two fences and a stream, probably a bit too much for some visitors but a wander around and over the outcrop is I’d say essential. Like Iron man says it’s a good place to sit and watch the burial mound.
How I missed all the cupmarks on my first visit I don’t know, perhaps it was all the cows gathering around the rock like a crowd at a sermon, or perhaps you just don’t see what you don’t know is there.
The cupmarks are on the highest part of the Gorsedd, in two groups, an arc of three cups and two metres away at least six more, five of which were in a definite pattern (to me they looked like they formed a sword type shape) with a few more thrown in seemingly at random here and there. Or were they?

About two hundred metres WNW of the burial chamber is this tall pointy stone, about nine feet tall with terrific views south and east. Farmer has piled up lots of big boulders around the stone, maybe he’s protecting the stone from itchy sheep, I don’t know.
I came at it cross country, over a fence, a gate, 2 fences and a stream over the gorsedd, a fence a road and two more fences, it didnt add much to the arrival at the stone, so probably best to walk down the road a bit, and its two fields in.
The standing stone I think is called Llandaniel Fab menhir, calling it “standing stone near something else” detracts somewhat from the serious venture of erecting such a big stone.
It is in perfect alignment with the Gorsedd and the burial chamber, from here the chamber is behind the outcrop, but from Brinkly doo its only in view whilst standing on top of the mound.

With only hours to go before the plane for Blighty took off, there was just enough time to track down this collapsed but still magnificent portal tomb.
Or so I thought, no help would be coming from one of Julians books, which meant it was time to break out the fourwinds. I tried to follow his directions, with only a road map to aid us, but it took ages to find the right golf course, I think it may have changed its name, either way its the golf club that is off the R105, through the big impressive gateway, past the castle and into the club carpark. From there on his instructions were spot on. Skirt round the right hand side of the Golf shop and follow the path. I’ll just add turn right at the NO FLOWER PICKING sign.
I had no idea the path through the woods at the bottom of Muck rock would be so pretty, even at the end of autumn, but it was very nice, old twisted Yew trees, giant ferns and Rhodadenrons with the tinkling sound of a small stream, then the giant capstone looms up as you turn a corner, I didn’t expect it to be soooo big.
The tomb is wrecked, the capstone fallen or slid backwards away from the portal stones, these three stones are all that is left of a similar tomb in N. Wales, when I first saw them I couldnt work out how it would have looked, I found out long ago, but this is the first time I could see them with my own eyes, hmmmm and ohhhh.
For reasons known only to its builders the tomb faces not to any sunrise or sunset, nor was the moon involved either (S’far as I know)it was aimed right at the rocky cliffs of Muck rock. I had the pleasure of looking down on the whole peninsula as we flew into Dublin airport, the place is an ancient magnet, a big sticky out bit with a big rocky central hill, an obvious place for the local people to attach legend to.
But it had taken too long get here, and my visit was cut unceramoniously short by the missus on the old textaroo, is there any more painful way to leave a site.
No.

As the name suggests this big cist (not a dolmen)is to be found in Dublin zoo, they also have Amur tigers and snow leopards, sad to see them this way but try and see them in the wild.
From the entrance of the zoo turn right and the cist is in the Tapir and mara prison, behind the ice cream kiosk, it was cold, we didnt have an ice cream.
The chamber is generally hidden out of view behind a small shrubby tree and the back of the kiosk, the only ones who can see it are the zookeepers and i’ll bet even they don’t know it’s an ancient relic, and the mara’s of course.
The stones are all an unpretty mudstone and were moved here from Pheonix park where there is still another cist.

Another stone circle we left out of our last Irish trip, and boy do I regret it, we only saw Athgreaney last time and missed out on this little wonder, it is a gem of a site.
Really easy to find, and intimate parking for one, with a short sheep stared stroll to the stone “henge” circle. The two big quartz stones that guard the entance are extremely pretty, and have since topped my list of stone circle stones ( dont mean it Callanish ), theyre the best stones in stone circlery, the rest of it is good too.
In the middle of the circle lye six stones, which I half fancied as an interior six stone circle a bit like at Lissy vigeen, (is that the right name) but it was only a fancy.
After going to King Arthurs hall a couple of months previously they both seemed very similar, in feel anyway, obviously ones round and ones rectangular, but still similar.
If I could change some things though, I’d get rid of the farm and the overhead cables and pylons, or move the whole magical site somewhere more remote, which evers easiest, seeing as its a nice place the farm will have to go.

November 18th was our 10th wedding anniversary and my wife treated us to a weekend in Dublin, hire car and all, so after the promise of a shopping spree on Connell street (Aaaaagh nightmare) we headed south to look for a couple of stone circles that we’d neglected on our last trip to Irelandia.
First we sought the circle of Broadleas, with nowt more than a road atlas and half remembered directions from the Megalithic European.
Needless to say I got it wrong and couldnt find it, so I did what any postman would do and looked for help at the post office, they didn’t know but the bloke that owned the rest of the shop knew where it was, though he said he’d never been to the stones himself. He got me there almost perfectly, I drove past it once but on the way back it was large and obvious, and room to park next to it by a gate.
The circle is a really good one, some stones are missing to be sure but those that are left are really big boulders, white and shining in the morning scattered sunlight.
One stone left on its own has been cracked right down the middle by a holly tree, the southern arc is overshadowed by small trees and on the opposite side by one big mature tree, the circle is sited on a perhaps artificially leveled platform or even on a raised hillock, either way an overall picture of the circle is difficult without me good old step ladders.