Abandoned Landscapes: Archaeological Journeys - Advice on Locating Sites Wales

Submitted by M_M_Robinson on Thursday, 29 June 2006 Page Views: 3634

Country: Wales

**Bryn Cader Faner** submitted by TimPrevett : Approaching Bryn Cader Faner from the south, there are some hut circles on the left hand side of the path, over a ridge. There are at least two here. If taking the linear route, these hut circles mark a good place to walk back to, and then proceed north along the next western ridge to pick up the correct path. A little further north of these circles, the ground drops and is overwhelmed with bog. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Advice on locating Sites

I found the 1:25,000 Outdoor Leisure and Explorer maps essential for finding sites. Locating and recognising them on the ground can often be a frustrating business and until you are used to spotting them, many may be impossible to find although sheepfolds, enclosure walls and homesteads are easily spotted.

For earlier types of site I strongly recommend a visit to the Brenig Valley Archaeological Trail which gives a flavour of both the appearance and the landscape context of various types of earlier sites, especially Bronze Age monuments.

However, there will always remain a considerable gap between the non-specialist such as myself and the professional fieldworkers and scholars in the region who have devoted years to understanding the upland landscape through training, survey and study. It was a humbling experience for me to be in a group of archaeologists being shown around the Druid’s Circle area above Penmaenmawr by Frances Lynch, and to realise how little I really knew about the various prehistoric remains and other earthworks in the vicinity. I had a similar experience on a visit to Carnedd y Ci, on the west side of the Berwyns above Llandrillo with Bob Silvester, a professional archaeologist who has undertaken much fieldwork in the southern part of the region. As well as showing me interesting sites such as sheepfolds and cairns which were fairly easy to spot, he also pointed out numerous sites which I would have misidentified or missed entirely including Medieval hafotai and platform houses, a Post-Medieval boundary bank, a small turf structure, and prehistoric ‘wandering walls’. Therefore, my advice is to seek opportunities to go on field trips and study visits with local archaeologists. Information on these may be found on the web for example through CBA Wales, Clwyd Powys and Gwynedd Archaeological Trusts, CADW, and the Snowdonia National Park Study Centre at Plas Tan y Bwlch.

Notes on the Routes

It has not been my intention to write a walking guide and I would not recommend following some of the routes described, especially the longer ones. Far better to devise your own itinerary from the places described or select some of the walks in Burnham (1995) or Lynch (1995) (see below), remembering to check access permissions. However, some brief practical comments are given below in the hope they may be of use.

None of the journeys would be a problem to the experienced hill walker/backpacker and there is no graded scrambling, but they do require more commitment than walking the tops on well-worn and populated paths. The crossing of remote, boggy, and difficult ground is frequently involved. Navigation and route-finding are enjoyable in fine weather and good visibility but if like me you prefer the colder seasons of the year, mistakes are more likely and serious when you find yourself at the end of a long day, cold, sodden, exhausted and alone, perhaps on the flanks of the Northern Rhinogau with miles of mist-soaked and unrelenting terrain still to negotiate. Because much of the most demanding terrain explored is on moorland and valley rather than the tops, people are rarely met and mobile phones are much less reliable in these locations. If you do visit some of the places described I hope you find my text a good companion. Detailed comments are as follows:

The Western Carneddau From Bethesda

A hard day. Care is needed on the ascent of Yr Elen ridge and on the descent. Visiting Cwm Ffrydlas, Cwm Caseg and Cwm Pen Llafar can each be outings in themselves.

The Northern Carneddau From Aber

I took two relatively short days on this but it could be done in one long day. Careful navigation may be needed on the stretch across the watershed of Llwytmor if visibility is bad.

The Eastern Carneddau: Into The Land Of Pen y Gaer Hillfort

Quite a long day. Gledrffordd is mountain terrain and the descent of Cwm Eigiau off-path is pretty tough.

The South East Carneddau

This took me 8 hours on the hills plus nearly 2 hours road walking. A start from Capel Curig would be more sensible. I found the descent of Bwlch Trimarchog unpleasantly steep and slippery in the wet but it is not a scramble. The base of Cwm Eigiau can be waterlogged so it is probably best to cut across to the track along the west side. The neck of high ground between Cwm Eigiau and Lyn Cowlyd is a fascinating but confusing wilderness with a sheer drop if you emerge too far from the head of the reservoir. Creigau Gleison ridge looks innocuous on the map but is a proper mountain walk - although there is a path, I can confirm that losing it in the mist and gathering darkness is a disturbing experience.

The Moors Around World's End: 'A Short But Wild Road Through The Hills'

Off-path this is very tough heather ground and navigation is demanding, even in clear weather. Don't be misled by its low height and relatively flat terrain.

From Corwen To Llangollen

Stretch of very tough going if you can't find a path through the heather up to Moel Fferna. The remainder is on paths/tracks.
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Along The Ridge From Llangynog To Cynwyd

A very long day which would be easier as a point-to-point walk which would require transport at each end. There are many shorter variants. I suggest avoiding the direct approach up Craig Rhiwarth quarry (especially in the wet) by taking the lovely path round its eastern side. Also, rather than slog over Post Gwyn to reach Rhos y Beddau there are a couple of good traditional paths across Y Clogydd (visible on the map and on the ground) which bring you out above Pistyll Rhaeadr and you can then visit the cairn on the way along Afon Disgynfa.

From Tal y Bont
Mostly excellent hill walking but there is very tough mountain walking over Y Llethr and Rhinog Fach, especially the descents.

Around The Llanberis Territory

A fairly long day. Upper Cwm Brwynog is slow going due to the boulders. It is worth a day visiting here and the sombre boulder field of Maen-du'r Arddu, which you should have to yourself despite the proximity of the Llanberis path. I would not follow the wall contouring the south west slopes of Foel Gron again although this terrain is interesting to explore. Better to stick to the wonderful ridge instead.

Druid's Circle Trackway

Quite a long day if done as a round. Leave lots of time for hunting for the many sites scattered across the moor . Straightforward walking in clear weather but serious moorland in mist and poor weather. The sanctuary zone around the Druid’s Circle can be visited from Penmaenmawr.

Bangor To The Severn Valley (Carneddau, Hiraethog, Berwyn)

I wouldn't recommend this as a journey as there is a lot of tarmac involved, although most is quiet and pleasant. I found it difficult to find a decent wild camp on the first night and finding a way through the woods north west of Maenan was a nightmare. In compensation the trackways and moorland stretches of this route are sublime. The evening crossing of Bwlch Cynwyd and down Ceiriog Ddu was the most lonely experience described in this journal, and although the paths are clear you would not want to get lost up here in mist or darkness. I missed the junction of the forest road with the route onto the moors at Bwlch y Dolydd (138372). The ensuing moorland trackway is hardly used and the going is quite tough. Also I failed to tease out the pathway down from these moors to Tregeiriog.

Cadair Idris and the Bronze Age Trackway

The main ridge is straightforward mountain walking in good weather. The remainder is excellent hill, track and road walking (rather too much of the latter). Shorter variants would be easy to devise.

Coast to the Tanat Valley

Quite a bit of road walking interspersed with hill, remote moor and mountain tracks. Cwm Moch can be wild in winter. Getting to and locating the track past Bwlch y Fenni is a navigational challenge, mainly because it involves forestry.

The Perfect Line

Again, road, track and moorland. I found the stretch between Dolwyddelan and Penmachno most difficult to follow and totally failed to find Bwlch y Groes. Finding a way through the forestry on the descent here was the usual difficult and depressing experience.

See "here for contents page, or here for the bibliography.

Contributor Bio for M_M_Robinson: Based in North of England, contributing since 2006. Occupation: Archaeologist.

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