Druids' Circle

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Site Index Druids' Circle 2 Druids' Circle 3 Druids' Circle 4 Sychnant Pass Conwy Cromlechs Druids' Circle Llandrillo Moel ty Uchaf Llandudno Capel Garmon Barmouth Ffridd Newydd Dyffryn Ardudwy Harlech Llyn Brenig Beddgelert Rhos y Beddau Penbedw Denbighshire Gwytherin		Please note that these are just rough guides on how to get to the sites. Take a map as this is not an easy route and check the route before setting off. Wear suitable footwear and clothing as the weather can change quickly in the mountains. Penmaenmawr OS Map 115 There is a car park by the railway station where you can park to do the full circular walk or you can park up near the start of the Jubilee Path to just go to the stone circles and back. The long route is about 5.5miles and steep in places – this route includes the Neolithic axe factory area before reaching the circles. The other route starts higher up and is about 3 miles. Long Walk (You need a map for this) Notes on the shorter walk are at the bottom of this page From the car park head up through town via the Mountain View Hotel to turn right into Graiglwyd Road. Follow this until you come to some kennels (the farm). Follow the footpath through to the left of the buildings with dogs no doubt keeping you company. Go through the kissing gate and follow the pathleft and uphill. When you reach a bench you are beneath the site of the Neolithic axe factory. Axes from here were exported all over Britain. The igneous augite granophyre flakes easily and made good quality axes.. Carry on up the path until you find a concrete bridge. Cross this and go through another gate. The circles are roughly south from here but if you follow the wall on your right then veer left away from it towards a sheep track heading to the skyline you will see the stones ahead. There is a rock with a painted arrow on it but this isn’t easy to find. The first feature is a ring cairn, excavated in 1959, an 8ft (2.4m) stone bank surrounding an open central space. A small decorated urn was found by the NW wall and to the SE opposite the cremated remains of a small adult were found. The bones had been forced into a small niche in the inner kerb. It is possible to see that the line SE was orientated on the major southern moonrise. It is dated around 1780BC – Early Bronze Age. Stone Circle Circle 278 SH 722 746 The first disturbed stone circle is a jumble where a cremation burial was found sealed by a layer of quartz pebbles. From here in front of you is the Druids' Circle. It had nothing to do with Druids as it dates back to the Early Bronze Age around 1400BC – 1000 years before Druids and the Iron Age.

		Stone Circle Druids' Circle SH 723 746 Not all this site has been excavated. In the centre was a cyst (cavity) covered with a capstone which contained a child’s cremated remains in a large urn. Nearby in a shallow pit another urn contained the cremated bones of another child. The surface of the circle was covered in white quartz. Views of the circle Pictures in the fog Today about 30 stones form the oval stone circle which measures 85 by 80ft (25.9 by 24.4m) in diameter. It was erected at the crossroads of ancient tracks used in the Bronze Age and may date back to 3000BC.
		A shorter walk Turn right at the Mountain View Hotel and drive up the lane for about half a mile. Turn right by a church and follow this to a small crossroads. Turn left into Mountain Lane and follow this up to the Jubilee Path starting point by the pillars. Park here. Follow the path to the right uphill (not the Jubilee Path) and after about a mile the Five Stone circle comes into view. On the skyline you can see Druid’s Circle. See notes above and the next page for the route in reverse. [ Druids' Circle 2 ] [ Druids' Circle 3 ] [ Druids' Circle 4 ] [ Sychnant Pass ]

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