by Peter Foulkes

The spring equinox was several hours old when twelve members of the Society set off from Maesnant and into Cwm Hyddgen.  Without its summer flush of purple moor grass, the valley floor soon revealed both the possible remains of a Bronze Age stone row, and also the more well known Glyndŵr’s Covenant Stones.  Not a red dragon but a rather beige common lizard had taken up residence on one of the stones.  The cosy hand of a non-predatory visitor soon warmed the blood of the little dragon before we left him/her as custodian of the stone.

The group’s next objective was the top of Banc Llechwedd Mawr (560m).  The summit’s two Bronze Age funereal cairns framed fine views of Pumlumon to the south, and of Cadair Idris and Aran Fawddwy in the northern distance.  The sun was now high in a cloud-free sky, a good time for a sandwich.  On the move again, our way was down the hill’s long west ridge to the bwlch separating the day’s hill from its neighbour, Drosgol.  On the descent a group of steel mesh hoops was spotted; not more archaeology, but part of an upland ecology study.  Homebound, back into Hyddgen, the valley bottom and its ‘disco grass’ were avoided before cutting down to the recently reinstated bridge over the river.