It’s really difficult to make any on site fieldnotes for fairly obvious reasons, and not owning a dingy I decided to at least get as close as I could, this meant a long walk from the carpark all the way round the head of the lake and then back down the other side.( With hind sight this was the wrong way to go as there is a carpark to the north-west on the B4501,go from here.)
I got soaked from the knees down and the very edges of the lakes banks are under cut and very easily collapsed ,so tread lightly.
The barrow looks to be around 2m tall
postman
There’s no two ways about it, it’s a long hard slog to get up here but if you stop two or three times and have a look about your hardship is well rewarded.Two sets of banks and ditches are well preserved on the hilltop ,a good south facing entrance that seems to enter the fort at an angle .(not seen one of them before)On a clear day you can see really far Cadair Idris ,Snowdon and Tryfan To the West and the seemingly endless plains to the east and the other Clwydian mountains north and south .The summit cairn I think is modern but it sits on a more intergrated bump that may be an ancient work of some sort.
Plenty of carparking space by the way
I thought this would be a short foray into new teritory but alas I’d already been past here once in my old 4wd (and you really do need one the road is really rough)god knows how I missed this big barrow. A ten minute walk from the road, down hill over stream up hill over fence and your there , but there is an unwelcoming feel to the place, probably the sign on the gate. Good views everywhere except to the west
The ‘Cook’s Stone’ stands near the road East of Rhosgoch on a mound. Coflein says it’s almost certainly natural, and describes it as a 3.0m x 2.0m stone resting on rocky outcrop. It’s thought to have given the parish it’s name.
The first time I came here I was armed only with an OS map and in the fog I got hopelessly lost .
Second time with map compass and GPS I found it just fine .
This time map and memory sufficed .I parked where fourwinds did, and always have, I took my bike this time .
It’s not easy to find, the hills and mountains are a bit samey and the paths aren’t marked ,I pushed my bike most of the way, and when the path got boggy I tried a new way of my own, big mistake, at one time I was wading knee deep struggling with my bike , always stick to the path no matter what and keep your head up so you can see the path or you’ll wander and believe me you don’t want that.In the end I was on a small hill and saw the cairn in the distance, sucsess. (of a sort)
Last time I was here it was a bit foggy but this time it was beautiful wonderful views all around .The stones seemed to glisten in the sunlight I sat down and enjoyed this place whilst I dried off , I can’t beleive how badly this place has been treated, the army used it as target practice, Ignorant b******s.
Its a lonely place up here in bad weather it could be a bit scary , I wondered whether to rename it’s builders from the Ancients to the Crazies .
It was time to go and I heeded my own advice and stuck to the path it took no time at all to get back I even managed to spot Llyn Eiddaw-Bach on the way . I may come back here many times ,though maybe in the summer heat next time (though snow would be cool)
Directions. From the A487 head south on single track lane if youv’e no desire to walk far look for Ynys-ddu small farm and turn right, pass the farm, down the lane and a small group of houses and another farm are reached ask at one of the dwellings for parking, and go through gate into field pass through hedge and the chamber is on the high ground to the right.
Looking at Julian Copes directions I put off coming here for a while but I brought my bike and parked the car on the B4411 which made it a lot easier and more fun.
This place is really cool, I got here before sunrise and moonset and witnessed something I felt was not often seen the full moon setting in the Llyns mountains and behind me the sun rising . the capstone would be better discribed less as a piano more as an arrow or spear head, supported on four upright stones one has a chock stone presumably for increased stability (dubious though i prefer the show off factor) and another stone only barely touches the capstone .
A fantatsic place where hardly anyone goes sunset would be awesome
Only a mile or two from Ystumcegid and only a 10-15 minute walk from the car .Off the A487park at Beudy Cil-haul not at the farm itself but next to a barn where the footpath heads south-east.
Follow the path then bend right(ssw) then a short walk uphill and there it is.
About five and a half feet tall circular in section near the floor but more angular as we go up and terminates in a point. Nice stone with great mountain views
I had wanted to come for quite a while ever since I saw Kammers pictures who by the way had provided absolutely spot on directions, looking at the map it’s not really clear just where and how to get there just follow the directions.
I really wanted to add a picture of the megalithic bridge it’s very pretty but presumably not ancient.
The stones are barely ten minutes from the car and well worth the little walk.Conundrum ,that just about sums Llys Bradwen up but after the glut of single standing stones in the vecinity this little mystery was most welcome, more people should come here,but not whilst I’m here.
P.S approach down the road from the north, in Arthog the lane is well tiny and very steep.
after going through Rainow and Gincluogh take second right and at the highest point on the road Pike low is over the wall .The barrow is very battered with many big scoops taken out of it much like Musden low, and like that low there isnt much to see apart from the stone about 7ft tall, the squarish hole when looked through lets you see Big low ( but may not be ancient)
Like most Peak barrows there are extensive views,Shutlingsloe can be seen just peeping over the hills
Just to the north of the B4396 inbetween Llangedwyn and the smaller Pentrefelin is this impresive hill fort perched way up in the air on what must be an extinct volcanoe. Walk from the west or the east, but climb it from the east through the natural entrance otherwise it’s a really steep climb as we found out.
The bank runs around the entire hilltop reaching a height of about 5/6 feet, the back door is well defined but less so at the eastern entrance. What magnificent views from up here if your in the area the climb is well worth it.
Driving North out of Carmarthen on the A485,upon reaching Peniel take your first left turn even though it seems to enter a housing estate ,but keep going and you’ll come out t’other end, park in one of two passing places (you’ll be ok for 5minutes).Where there’s no wall or fence enter the trees and go through to the field ,head downhill to the small wood and whilst wading through a small stream(only inches deep) bend low under wire fence over the gate 20yds away and there’s the stone.
Triangular in shape ,about five to six feet tall and close to a small river(Nant Felys) nice place .
If the directions seem a bit like tresspassing it’s because we are, they are easier to follow than they seem.
My daughter and I visited this stone for no other reason than no-one else had ,luckily for us it was a tall and impressive menhir with a good view to the West.
Just south of the hamlet of Cloigyn is a small layby park here and 150yds back up the road is a gate, jump over and go uphill, head for a weirdly shaped tree stump and in the next field is this 12ft standing stone ,it’s always a pleasure to find such a good one when you don’t know what to expect.
We turned off the B4306 and found a dodgy place to park (there’s no where good) a short walk up the lane and then turn right and past a house to the footpath,I use the term footpath very loosely as it was so muddy I carried my 7 yr old daughter on my shoulders, which probably made me sink further in the mud.
Not much further and the path(hah)opens into a field and there’s the stone ,just over 6ft tall and standing proud in the middle of it’s field ,but where was its partner ?there should have been two we skirted the field looking in the next fields but to no avail ,we were so crapped up we didn’t linger long and squelshed back to the car.
The wonderful sandstone trail starts near here and passes right by the hillfort but I bet not all who come by here know of it.
There is a car park on the edge of Frodsham but it’s a long walk to the hilltop , I parked on the B5393 and followed the footpath up the hill .I’m not sure there were any built defences on the western side I couldn’t find any and there are ten foot cliffs there anyway so the(so called) defences may have been semi-circular ,D shaped as it were ,like at Maiden castle further south.
The bank on the eastern side reaches about 6ft tall in places with an identifiable if vague entrance.
Looking westish one can see the hillfort on Helsby hill and to the north, well ,lets just say it would have looked better in prehistoric times,the sea once came a lot closer until the Manchester ship canal was built .Still, a good view
It wasn’t too hard to approach, a quick vault over a gate, a short stroll over to the wall and your just 6ft away. An optional scramble over the wall and a stone hug is on the cards. Nice stone no pony though and I wasn’t prepared for the nearby farmhouse
A small lane heads south off the A52 to the little village of Wooton, after passing Weaver farm a small car park appears on the right , a footpath goes to the trig point 371m high .
This is the last Peak hill before descending onto the Staffordshire plain (though outside the national park)
The first barrow is on the crest of the hill above about 1 metre tall, from here we can see the biggest barrow and the built upon barrow and further on the smallest barrow with the hilltop trig point .The biggest barrow has the obligatory scooped interoir and a fenced off tree ,the stranger of the group has no grass covering and a concrete floor on it despite it’s modern appearance it really is a bronze age barrow.
Farther on is the smallest barrow about 3ft tall then it’s down and up a small valley to the trig point and a great view marred slightly by three big quarries.
On the way back to the car it started raining and twenty feet from the car I realised I’d lost my carkeys half an hour retracing my steps precisely with my fingers crossed and whoo-hoo success ,quick tip allways fasten your pocket zip
A nice shapely barrow with ten tall trees growing from it, in a field below Musden low , in a field next to dun lows is another standing stone ,it has been used as a gate post but has a wierd twisted shape its probably not ancient but so close to at least 5 barrows one has to wonder
Thorswood nature reserve has it’s own carpark and wooden posts showing the way round .
Three barrows all intervisible occupy the hilltop varying in size from a small bump just 2 ft tall to a bigun about 8-10 ft tall (in the same field as the bigun a small probable barrow hides in the corner)
In the woods is a barrow lookalike but its too perfect and has a stone built barred well ,deep too.
Great views north in to the Peak district and south across Staffordshire
Just north of the junction of the A52 and the A523 359 metres up hill is the big barrow known as Musden low, it’s the biggest of three barrows on top of the hill but also the most destroyed, a massive section of it is gone. Two standing stones are on the moor at the bottom of the hill one has been used as a gatepost at one time but are now stranded on their own in the middle of the field and arent ancient.
From on the hilltop there are marvelous views to the southwest Calton barrow can be seen,to the northwest Waterfall low , to the northeast the entrance to Dovedale ,and to the east and south the stafford plaines
Easily seen on the A515 ,still quite big but hemmed in by field walls and recently planted with young trees in time it will become more and more invsible
What a fantastic place Carl Wark is, didn’t he play for Everton, or did I go school with him either way a strange name for a Hillfort.An even stranger place to live with all the boulders everywhere, it frankly looks more like an enclosure like on gardom’s edge.
parking is available to the North and the south, we parked near the Burbar bridge but then had to cross the river, so youll be better off walking down to the bridge and take the path there .
The stone built wall is quite impressive with the entrance and more walling plus some kind of stone trough but it’s outside the fort weather that means ‘out I don’t know,I told the kids it’s where naughty kids were made to sit till they can behave themselves.A walk up to Higger tor is obligatory as it looks over the fort and a window in the rocks fortuisouly looks straight to it .The Peak district is the most visited natoinal park in the world and on this day you could really tell it was teaming with walkers and climbers .The carpark near Burbar bridge south has what really looks like a standing stone long and tall aligned on the fort please someone go take a look
At 141 metres above Helsby there are great views to Wales, the Mersey river ,Merseyside and the mid Cheshire ridge of which this is the first hill .Park to the south near the old sandstone quarry and make for the trig point, as you approach it you’ll pass the ramparts on your right.The ramparts are better preserved on the public side of the fence than on the farmed side , a bit strange that all the feet of the public did less damage than a few farmers ploughs.
Park next to the southern end of the dam and go up the stairs to the picnic site (tables and chairs) next to this a fence runs follow to the gate and climb over, take care your now tresspassing, from here another gate can be seen open and proceed after closing.
The stone stands between you and the forest, between you and the stone is a barbed wire topped fence, which we didn’t climb.
Looking up at the stone from below in the valley it has a lozenge shape, about 6ft tall and half covered in moss, as we approached I was uncertain if it be stone or tree stump...
Having not been here before I wasn’t sure what I would find ,from several miles away I could feel the roads were leading me to a hilltop copse far in the distance.
Park in the village of Back o’ the Brook,When we visited a lady was looking for her dog and we asked where was good to park and she let us park in front of her house.
Opposite the lane with a ford is a footpath, which should be taken up hill, it leads directly to Grub Low but as it’s a bit naff turn right and keep on going uphill to the much more impressive Waterfall Low.
The barrow is right on top of the hill and surrounded by a low stone wall amongst an attractive copse.It stands maybe 8ft tall by 20ft across and has a shallow scoop taken out of the top.Like I said having not been here before I was impressed by this large barrow ,a good find with spectacular views
More than ample parking at the Country park which is more like a built up crossroads of footpaths,take any path they all go up.
The fortifications are on the east,and south mainly, at times nearly 5ft tall with a well defined entrance at the east .
The last time I came up here it was ultra clear and we could see all the way to The Isle of Man and across to the Wicklow mountains
Park at or near the aptly named Rock farm,follow the path east up between the cliff’s.Upon reaching level ground look for the fence off to the right follow it to the south and you’ll come to the big barrow with great views and the rocking stone, of course I didn’t know it would rock till I stood on it, boy was that wierd.(from here you can see Castle Dinas Bran)
Follow the fence back north for the standing stone and cairn,after reading Treaclechops field notes I doubt she actually got the right stone this one is about 5ft tall stuck in a fence right next to a big cairn,although there are smaller stones at it’s foot but these probably came from an old field boundary as they follow the line of the fence.
A good stone in a fantastic place, go now
To the east of Llanddona, park on the lane that leads to the sea and follow the footpath heading towards the radio mast, not easily found, when the path arrives at a small wall follow it downhill and the stone is off to the left nestling at the foot of a small hillock.This pointy menhir is nearly 6ft tall
Visited late in the morning of the vernal equinox 06,do not under any circumstances park where i did ,well park wasn’t exactly what I did more exactly I got stuck in the mud and couldn’t extract it on my own,so I went to find the circle first then worry about the car.
Amongst a Conifer plantation the stone circle is next to a rough road where the trees have been cleared ,it would have been a good ring once the stones are quite large but all prostrate,from the circle I could see forestry workers across the shallow valley so I rode my bike a mile or two around the road and asked if they could pull my car out ,they elected the youngest member of their group to help me, I threw my bike in the back of his pick-up and retuned to the earth fast car he pulled me out then got stuck himself then I pulled him out and we said goodbye, Thank’s friend from Dumfries
Indeed it was really,really worth a look .loads of parking and a beautiful part of the Staffordshire moorlands.Surely it can’t be just good fortune that this massive stone rests on smaller stones it looks a bit like the Maen Cetti on Gower, I’m not convinced it’s entirely natural
Less than a mile north of Monreith. A small lane links the A747 with the B7085 and a smaller lane leads east to Blairbuy farm, the stones can be seen to the left, park at the side of the road if you can we didn’t ask permission to see the stones but were spotted by the farmer though he didn’t say owt so I presume it’s ok.
Cope describes it as a proto-neolithic temple,the nest is a natural tree covered level mound and the Egg is a big glacial eratic with two smallish stones 20-30yards to the west.It was late on the sum sol morn when we visited with big fluffy white clouds ,a wonderful place to sit and ponder the ancient world
Situated close to the road,at the junction of the B5035 and the small road heading north to Brassington.Overlooking Carsington water the stone is about 6ft high but without it’s bad lean would be considerably taller,the stone has a number of markings a small cross and a number of probably natural cupmarks.
A good stone with a good view to the west
We parked by the farmhouse and asked permission to see their stones. The red faced farmer’s wife said it was OK, so long as I locked the gate behind me. Upon reaching the gate I saw the reason. A Black Beauty of a horse that wasn’t going to leave me alone.
The three stones are all white quartz. Only the central stone is erect (but leaning), and the three of them are not in a straight line. Even allowing for the two fallen stones, ones lying where they fell, if re-erected they still would not be in a perfect line. Perhaps they’ve been moved? Who knows? Maybe they were once part of a circle, like Duloe in Cornwall.
About six feet tall and hiding in the undergrowth beside the lane, with a nice squarish profile. The stone is about 2 miles north of Carreg Cennen castle.
I wandered across three fields to find this stone only to find it hiding in the hedge. Well, I say hiding, but it was easy to see once you knew where to look. One farm lane, one field and one footpath seperate it from Llanfyrnach stone B. This stone stands maybe 10ft tall and is a good looking stone with a nice view.
Coflein says it’s the survivor of a stone pair
With Llanfyrnach stones A and B this stone forms a close trio. Parking is dodgy on the small dead end lane, but there is an overgrown footpath running parallel to the stone’s field. From the lane the stone can be seen, but from that distance the stone’s size is unapparent. It’s nearly 8ft tall, 3ft wide and about 1ft thick. Its longer axis is north to south.
Something slightly strange happened to me here, my batteries were running very low so I took them out and put new ones in. I took a picture and turned to go 30 metres on and I turned to take a zoom pic and lo and behold the battery door was open and empty. We spent a good half hour searching the small area we’de just covered but to no avail, they were gone, troublesome pixies no doubt. Damn ‘em.
Coflein says this stone also was one of a pair
Poor poor stones. Had I not found them they doubtlessly would have been lost forever. I know, not really, but that’s the way they looked. Uncared for to say the least.
Found (?) behind houses on the east side of the B4310 north of the river Towyl Afon Tywi. Two stones about 2ft apart , the eastern stone is about 4ft tall and the western stone about 7ft tall I think (hard to tell under all that nettles and brambles). Nice if someone knew how to use shears or even wanted to. There’s not a standing stone within 20 miles of my house, if only...
What an absolute whopper! Can’t believe no-one’s posted pictures before now. Park by the house and ask permission (no-one was in when we went).
With Bwlch Mawr in one direction and Mynydd Graig Goch in the other, it occupies a great position despite the nearby farmhouse, quarry and tall antenna. The two cairns are close too, just the other side of a fence. What a great stone!
From Prenteg go west, Park next to cattle grid and walk down hill following path to Hendre Hywel passit and another house and you can see it next to a wall.
This Menhir has one of the best views of any stone in Wales so long as one only looks east which is easily done with Cnicht(the Knight) and Moelwyn Mawr in the distance .
The stone is about 7.5 feet tall and very photogenic
It’s a fair walk to the stones, so go prepared. Park by the road near the golf course and follow the footpath (it’s not a big one but you can see it). If you come across a long cliffy rock face you’ve gone too far. Retrace till you pick up the path again. When you come to a house with the path on the left hand side, you’re nearly there. Then down and right, and the stones are in a field to the left.
Funny stones these. I presume it was a burial chamber, but a capstone on them would be very precarious, so its no wonder its gone. Very white stones stand out against the rocky hills. Just twenty yards to the S.W is a rocky outcrop with faint cupmarks and in a line (ish).
Moel-y-Gest has a hillfort on top. Fantastic place. Mountains, forest, and sea all meet in one place and you can see Criccieth castle too. Even the kids loved it.
The small lane up to the old windmill is hard to pick out on the main road. We got there, 3rd time lucky. Just before the renovated windmill we saw the first stone and took about 10 pictures. I wondered why it was so close to a deralict building and saw two holes with wood still filling them.
Further up on the hill top we saw the other lump of a stone, half covered in ivy with great views. This, I decided, was it but I posted a pic of the other one as well, just to cover all bets.
Plenty of room to park at the farm, my son Eric and me knocked at the farm and spoke with the farmer, he seemed quite pleased someone had come to see his stone, and kept saying"champion”.
The stone is nigh on seven feet tall, and made up of some conglomerate type stuff (sorry not a geologist).In good weather great views across Malltreath marsh vally
You will have to leave the car behind. Combine with a trip to Carneddau Hengwm from where it looks like a big henge type monument with big banks and ditches and a well defined entrance. Tremendous views for miles along the coast. Like my new mate said of somewhere else, “do your self a favour and get your arse up here”.
For notes on how to get here follow diections for Hengwm Ring Cairn.
Two long-cairns, aligned east-west, fifty yards north and south of each other. The northern one is smaller and less complete. It’s massive capstone lies just proud of the cairn (no entry possible). To it’s rear(?) one can make out the outline of ruined chambers .
The southern long-cairn is the real star here, nearly twice as long as its partner. A wall cuts off its head leaving three standing stones (all over six feet tall) and a big capstone. In the middle of the monument is the intact chamber. One large capstone covers all. The cairn itself is still eight feet tall. A real gem! I feel privileged to be the one to post pic’s and notes.
Park on the A496 between two caravan parks either next to the footpath, or in a layby a few hundred yards north or even ask at Egryn Farm.
Walk east uphill past the farm and straight on at the crossing paths, through a couple of gates over a couple of styles up a steeper hill and then it gets easy, the path is easy just follow the yellow arrows, a wall on your left hides Carneddau Hengwm long cairnsfollow the wall, path leads uphill again and there it is.
A pretty little ring with more than a passing resemblance to Bryn Cader Faner, outward leaning curb stones no cairn stones though. Lovely views down to the sea. Situated next to destroyed homesteads. I don’t see why there’re no pics posted already (probably the long walk).
We did knock at the nearby house, but there was no answer, so we jumped the gate and helped ourselves. It wasn’t till then that I realised we’d been there before.
The stone is about 6ft tall and has great views. Nearby is a funny kind of Gorsedd made of large boulders, and the two seem connected somehow.
Permission to see the site should be sought at Llwydarth Fawr B&B on the B5111 near Llanerchymedd, but park at the dishevelled farm house nearer to the stones.
Go through two gates, then right through another gate, follow the hedge to the wall and it’s in the corner of the next field.
The burial chamber is collapsed and covered by thorny gorse. No wonder no one’s been here before me. They either couldn’t find it or left in a bad temper. Not me though. I was quite charmed. More intreresting was the throne stone, 50 yards away (maybe the reason for the chambers position).
From Hebron leave heading east then take the first left (south) onto a rough but level road. Keep going till you see the stone on your left. When we had parked, luckily the farmer was passing on his quad bike, and he didn’t mind the four of us visiting the stone. He said the cows were not used to children (huh?).
The stone is 8 to 9 ft tall and entirely made of pink quartz – quite beautiful. Not since Duloe stone circle in Cornwall have I seen it’s like. Don’t see why no one came here before little old me.
This was to be our last site before heading home, but will be remembered most. This must be the biggest capstone round here. Just how did they get it up? Crazy. We parked on the B3306 and followed the path south (not easy going at all). It went this way, then that way, and I wondered if we were on the right one, but it got us there in there end. After the long hard walk I was surprised to find other people there. They sat on one side and we had the other.
After a while we went over to the rocks by Sperris Quoit (didn’t go to it though ‘cause it’s unrecognisable as a quoit). The rock’s were really stone island’s in a sea of bracken and thorny gorse. Not wanting to retrace our steps, I decided to cut through it straight to the car. Big mistake! With a 7yr old on my shoulders and a 4 year old in my arms, it felt like an army yomp and I came last. Damn gorse cut me to shreds but I did see a smooth lizard for the first time ever. Karma’s a funny thing isn’t it.
PS. Why dont they get rid of the cow shed stones?
We parked by a house in the Try valley to the east, in a one car grassy layby .Walk north to the footpath and climb the hill it was quite easy even the children didn’t ask to be carried.Upon reaching the dolmen you cant look at it too long because the view is too demanding of your attention .Being up here you just know the view was important to the ancient’s whether for beauties sake or as a territorial marker, either way we benifit
I was camping in Cardinney campsite just two fields away (you can see it over the hedge at the bottom of the campsite)and only 5ft from my tent was a footpath heading right past the chambers field,So I got up early as postmen do and trod the path seldom trod ,boy was it overgrown ,slug’s and snail’s of many colour’s and sizes.there was no footpath sign but it was marked on the O.S map ,then a small jump over the wall and I was there .What a little beauty ,looked to be grown rather than built with a little chamber that one could just squeeze into if you dont mind more slug’s than you can count,I dont really have high regard’s for farmer’s (collectively how much land do they own)so i played a kind of peekaboo with a nearby farmer in his tractor he went one way and i went the other allways keeping the barrow between us, lot’s of fun