After last night's deluge it was a pleasant surprise to find the day bright and sunny. But to let us know that it is still winter a bitterly cold easterly wind blew all day long.
It was a good day for going out for a walk in the hills. Today we headed to Pen Y Castell (castle top) hillfort. I have not been able to find out much about this hillfort and my search was made harder by the fact that there are a number of hillforts with the same name.
It was a short drive to Bont Goch where the thirteen of us plus a dog squeezed into three cars for an even shorter drive along a potholed track.
Today's walk was characterised by very muddy and slippery conditions due to all the recent wet weather and of course the wind was biting.
Dotted around were wind turbines making use of the windy conditions. These ones aren't too harsh on the eye but the latest ones that are due to be put up near Nant Y Moch are three times the height and will have considerable detrimental impact on the natural environment.
Eventually we came in sight of the hillfort that was our destination. Although lower than the neighbouring ridges its isolated position with steep drops on the south and west sides in particular would have made it more defensible. From where we stood on the track it looked as though the eastern flank of the summit had been dug away to create a steeper approach.
We could see the inner ramparts with the opening for the main gate clearly visible.
Just out of sight in the above photo a small menhir stood in splendid isolation. I have been unable to find out much about the hillfort or the standing stone but somebody who seems to have an interest in such things suggests there is a significance to the position of the stone which faces the gateway (can be seen as a break in the rampart on the skyline above the walkers.)
Standing within the ramparts we had clear views in all directions and could just make out the memorial on the site of Pen Dinas, the hillfort near Aber. So beacons could have been seen.
The plan had been to have our lunch break sitting in the hillfort but it was so cold with the icy wind that we decided to find a more sheltered spot to sit and enjoy our food. The photo above shows some of my fellow walkers departing through the main gate opening.
Standing in the gate opening the outer rampart on the left, ditch and inner rampart on the right could be seen clearly. Amazing to be looking at something constructed 3,000 years ago.
Walking through the surrounding fields we found a pile of rocks facing into the sun. There we sheltered from the wind to eat our lunch.
On our way back we had a good view of the hillfort looking up from the north western side.
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