Foel Feddau

Nearest town:
Fishguard (15km W)
OS reference:
SN102323
OS sheet:
145
Latitude:
51° 57' 22.51 N
Longitude:
4° 45' 45.21 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Retrospective view back towards the cairn on the route to Foel Cwmcerwyn.

Image credit: A. Brookes (26.4.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 12, 2023
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Looking towards Mynydd Carningli (centre). The Waun Mawn sites are to the left of the shadowed hillside.

Image credit: A. Brookes (26.4.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 12, 2023
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Looking east back along my route, from Foel Drygarn via Carn Menyn and Carn Sian.

Image credit: A. Brookes (26.4.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 12, 2023
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Looking east from the monument towards some familar features, approximately indicated....

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 5, 2012
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Cairn detail – as clear as the buffeting wind would allow, I’m afraid – highlighting some interesting stones upon the flanks...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 5, 2012
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The sun kindly pops behind cloud cover for a profile shot...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 5, 2012
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Truly there is something magical about these hills... Foel Feddau rises top left.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2012
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

The top even has its own water feature to counter balance the walker’s cairn. And, unless I’m mistaken, that’s Mynydd Carningli rising beyond.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2012
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

A nice monument in an exquisite location.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2012
Image of Foel Feddau (Cairn(s)) by GLADMAN

Approaching across rough ground from Foel Cwm-Cerwyn. The dodgy ‘walker’s’ cairn makes the monument appear much less substantial than is actually the case.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2012

Articles

Foel Feddau

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 14, 2012

Foel Feddau, a nice medium sized hill (for Wales, anyway), lies upon the main east/west ridge of the legendary Mynydd Preseli. The summit is probably most easily attained from the B4329 at Bwlch Gwynt (windy pass) to the west... however, finding myself upon Foel Cwm-Cerwyn’s grassy northern cairn – as you do, if partial to such things – the decision is simply whether to visit at all. Needless to say some fantastic winter light draws me in and I really have no choice... like a moth to the flame. Sure, the hillside may be all a’glow, but, seeing as I choose to abandon the main path and ‘cut the corner’ to the north-east, the only heat in evidence is that I generate myself as I stagger and stumble across the rough terrain.

As I draw nearer I’m still none the wiser as to the relative size of the Bronze Age cairn which surmounts Foel Feddau. It is only upon reaching the summit that the annoying walker’s cairn is placed in proper perspective as a puny little construction set upon a massive, grassy monument. To be honest the grass mantle does make it somewhat hard to differentiate cairn from hillside at first, but several distinctly ‘artificially placed’ stones upon the flanks reveal the truth upon closer inspection. But don’t take my word for it... Coflein reckons the monument ‘....still stands up to 3.4m high. (J.Wiles 26.02.02)’. Not sure what the dimensions of Foel Drygarn’s (apparently now restored) trio are, but is this possibly Mynydd Preseli’s finest cairn?

It is also a great viewpoint, the main treasures of the massif lying beyond Mynydd-bach to the east, the wondrous Mynydd Carningli and the coast to the north-west.... not to mention the landscape of Pentre Ifan, Bedd yr afanc and Craig Rhos y felin – the latter apparently the confirmed source of the bluestones – below to the north. That’s just for starters, worthy of much more time than I have at my disposal. Incidentally RiotGibbon’s ‘wasp nest’ was not in evidence... possibly dormant for winter, possibly abandoned? However I’ve seen a number occupying South Walian cairns, so don’t hold me to that. I suggest any visitor respects the little blighters if he/she knows what’s good for them!

All in all I reckon Foel Feddau’s well worth the diversion, you might say... particularly if combined with a visit to Foel Cwm-Cerwyn.

Sites within 20km of Foel Feddau

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