Clyro Court

Trip No.167  Entry No.1  Date Added: 22nd Jul 2021
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: Wales (Powys)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 12th Jul 2021. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Clyro Court Chambered Tomb: This tomb, marked on the OS map, lies on private ground behind a cottage. There was no one at home in the cottage, and the gates into the field had been padlocked with the largest padlocks and chains I've seen in a long time! We had to content ourselves with finding a vantage point by the barbed wire fence and photographing the cairn from there. Lumps and bumps vaguely visible. Would have loved to have climbed over for a closer look.

The Monk's Well

Trip No.167  Entry No.2  Date Added: 22nd Jul 2021
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: Wales (Powys)
Visited: Couldn't find on 12th Jul 2021

Log Text: Monk's Well, Clyro: Despite having the grid reference and the Coflein information, we were unable to find this well, which appears to be on private land.

St Maelog's Cross

Trip No.167  Entry No.3  Date Added: 22nd Jul 2021
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Wales (Powys)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 12th Jul 2021

Log Text: St Maelog's Cross: Despite being told the church was open, and going armed with masks and hand sanitiser, the door was very firmly locked. We could see the back of the cross through the windows at the north western corner of the church, but it was impossible to photograph through the tiny, dirty panes. So disappointed. I did spot a sundial in the churchyard, built into a memorial stone, so had to be content with photographing that.

Ffynnon Gynydd

Trip No.167  Entry No.4  Date Added: 22nd Jul 2021
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: Wales (Powys)
Visited: Yes on 12th Jul 2021. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Ffynnon Gynydd/St Cynidr's Well: On the way to this well, we stopped at an earthwork/enclosure just south west of Llowes, on Bryn yr Hydd Common, at SO 17808 41972, but the vegetation, trees and bracken were so high, it was virtually impossible to make out any structures.

But, at last, a site we could access, walk into and appreciate! The well house may be modern-ish, but the water is clear and we could hear it running through the well basin.

The water/spring feeding the well emerges from the fields by the side of a barn at SO 16380 41266, just round the corner, running along a ditch which rounds the corner to the well, down a slight gradient.

Neuadd-Glan-Gwy

Trip No.167  Entry No.5  Date Added: 27th Jul 2021
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: Wales (Powys)
Visited: Yes on 12th Jul 2021. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Neuadd Glan-Gwy Standing Stone: At first glance, this stone didn't seem very far off the footpath. We couldn't find anyone at the houses at the start of the footpath to ask permission from, so we thought as long as we kept to the very edge of the field of pasture, we would be OK.

The stone is almost at the brow of the hill, with a lively little stream running down in the River Wye below. We both thought we were pretty fit, but by the time we'd plodded up the hill, we were tired, as it was a lot further than it looked on the map, and the grass was calf deep, making it hard work. However, the views were well worth it.

A tall stone, very imposing. At some point it has been stood upright again, as the packed earth (and perhaps some concrete?) around its base testifies.

Twyn-Y-Beddau

Trip No.167  Entry No.6  Date Added: 27th Jul 2021
Site Type: Round Barrow(s) Country: Wales (Powys)
Visited: Yes on 12th Jul 2021. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Twyn-y-Beddau: This round barrow is right next to the road, although with the twin tyre tracks leading up and over it, it could be mistaken for part of a 4 x 4 obstacle course, which some idiots presumably have been using it for, hence the stones placed on top.

A lovely evening, with paragliders attempting to set up their kites and take off from just to the south of the barrow, although there wasn't enough wind to enable them to take off.

Quite a few cars passed by, but no-one (apart from us), stopped to look at the barrow. A beautiful view to the west, as the land just drops down, with mountains (big hills, certainly) rising to the south and the east. Well worth a stop.

Pen Y Beacon

Trip No.167  Entry No.7  Date Added: 27th Jul 2021
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: Wales (Powys)
Visited: Yes on 12th Jul 2021. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 4

Log Text: Blaenau Stone Circle (remains of): At first view, there was only one standing stone here, immediately adjacent to the car park park, where people were picnicking in their cars and rubbish all around. Rather than there being a footpath, it was a short walk across the grass to the standing stone.

I was very disappointed, but we got out to explore anyway, and found what appeared to be three other stones lying flat in the grass, and other lumps and bumps around that could have been stones lying under the turf.

We had the Coflein record up on our phones, so tried to trace the 29.8m diameter of the circle, and thought we spotted part of the outer arc of the circle away from the car park.

The one standing stone has a well-worn bench mark on its southern side, almost at ground level.