Thursday 14th August 2008, and it was a bright but breezy day. My walk today was going to be along the lower slopes of the Carneddau, to look at some of the ancient sites.
I started at the Stychnant Pass, outside of Conwy, and from there climbed up and around Craigfenwend.
As I climbed I turned to look back at the imposing castle down below.
Conwy castle is one of the most imposing of Edward 1st’s ring of castles. It would have been even more imposing when the walls were rendered and white.
All though it was hazy it was still a wonderful view. The town in the background is Llandudno Junction. The Irish sea can just be seen between the two hills.
I walked around the sides of Maen Esgob and Waen Gyrach, two of the lower slopes (rising to about 1000ft), and then down into a valley.
This is where the Afon Gyrach tumbles down the hillside from it’s source up in the hills.
Up the other side of the valley and then around the slopes of Cefn Coch and I came to the ancient stone circle known as the Druids circle.
As it dates from around 1400BC it actually pre-dates the Druids so I’m not sure how it got the name.
Only about 30 stones remain now, but it must have been impressive. It’s about 80ft in diameter. In the centre was a cavity which was covered with a capstone. This contained the cremated remains of an infant, in a large urn.
The hill in the background is the impressive, craggy ridge of Tal y Fan, the most northerly 2000 footer in Wales.
Some of the remaining stones are still very impressive, and you do wonder how they were erected in this wild place. There are the remains of many ancient sites in this area, such as the burial cairn and smaller stone circle below. The ponies are wild and roam the hillsides in this area.
As I carried on walking I came to Clip yr Orsedd with a view down to Lavan sands across the Menai strait and across to the Isle of Anglesey. It’s a wonderful view so it’s a shame it was so hazy.
There are wonderful views in all directions from up here.
As I looked away from Anglesey and to my left I could see some of the lower Carneddau rising up from the narrow coastal plain.
As I started to retrace my steps I got yet another sea view. This is the Great Orme rising straight up to about 600 ft out of the sea, with the Victorian resort of Llandudno beneath it.
Instead of returning exactly the same way I skirted Waen Gyrach and then dropped down a steep wooded valley and into Fairy Glen, near the small village of Capelulo. It’s a magical place with heavy woodland and the small river rushing through it.
This had been one of the few dry days we’ve had recently, so it was good to get out and see some of the wonderful sights and sites that this area has to offer.
Dalesman's Welsh Ramblings 
