Dinas Dinlle

Nearest town:
Caernarfon (8km NNE)
OS reference:
SH437563
OS sheets:
115, 123
Latitude:
53° 4' 50.28 N
Longitude:
4° 20' 1.51 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by postman

The barrow, that’s what i’m going with, is in the middle of the picture, grass on grass doesn’t make for the best picture.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Apr 22, 2019
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Probably the original entrance, flanked by slightly inturned banks.

Image credit: A. Brookes (17.7.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 19, 2016
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The ditch between inner and outer ramparts. G/F walks along the higher inner rampart.

Image credit: A. Brookes (17.7.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 19, 2016
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking down on the outer rampart from the inner. Gryn Ddu and Yr Eifl provide the wonderful backdrop.

Image credit: A. Brookes (17.7.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 19, 2016
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The scooped top of the round barrow/signal station/whatever inside the fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (9.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 4, 2016
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Parts of the rampart have been topped with wooden slats in an attempt to reduce erosion.

Image credit: A. Brookes (9.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 4, 2016
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The curve of the eastern rampart. The skyline is filled with the mountains of northwest Wales, Yr Wyddfa and Mynydd Mawr on the left and the Nantlle ridge across the centre.

Image credit: A. Brookes (9.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 4, 2016
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The view over the northern ramparts. The dark line on the horizon is Ynys Mon, steadily drawing closer on the coast path now.

Image credit: A. Brookes (9.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 4, 2016
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Emphasising how the sea is steadily taking back this stretch of the North Walian coastline. Incidentally I thought this was wonky... but the camera spirit level disagreed.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 31, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The possible round barrow, facing off a definite Bronze Age monument upon Mynydd Graig Goch far right skyline. The Nantlle Ridge’s other cairns are subsumed in cloud to left.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 31, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The western flank, crumbling away to the sea... Suffice to say the Costa Del Sol it is not. Thank Odin for that (as the locals might have said back in the day)

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 31, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The ‘interior’ of the ‘round barrow’. Or bloody Roman lighthouse platform. Or something else, I know not what. Take your pick.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 31, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking north(ish) across the possible/assumed round barrow......

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 31, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The info board reckoned that approx a third of the fort has been lost to the inexorable advance of the sea. He we look south from a fine lowland fort to one of Wales’ finest upland hill forts Tre’r Ceiri

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 31, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking across the interior to what I took to be the robbed remains of a large Bronze Age round barrow (although it has also been suggested as the base of a Roman Pharos). Let’s face it, it’s not exactly uncommon for Iron Age communities to have retained Bronze Age monuments within their enclosures. No point in upsetting the old gods... once again that’s the Nantlle Ridge occupying the skyline.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 31, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The cloud that had delivered a morning of torrential rain peels away from the Nantlle Ridge beyond these impressive ramparts. Mynydd Graig Goch can be seen far right

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 31, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by postman

As seen from Craig-y-Dinas hill fort nearly three miles away south east.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 25, 2015
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by skins

The outer defensive bank clearly visible.

Image credit: skins
skins
skins Jul 7, 2008
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by skins

Looking north – back onto the hill fort with defensive outer wall.

Image credit: skins
skins
skins Jul 7, 2008
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by skins

Coastal path running along the front to Aberdesach.
See the rim of the defensive bank running from the left.

Image credit: skins
skins
skins Jan 18, 2008
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by skins

Dinas from the sea shore. Note sign saying: careful now!

Image credit: skins
skins
skins Jan 18, 2008
Image of Dinas Dinlle (Cliff Fort) by skins

The top embankment, looking back to the mountains. The original entrance can clearly be seen in the centre.

Image credit: skins
skins
skins Jan 18, 2008

Articles

Dinas Dinlle

Dinas Dinlle dig uncovers Iron Age roundhouse and Roman coins

ryaner
ryaner Aug 21, 2019

A huge Iron Age roundhouse, thought to be about 2,500 years old, and roman pottery have been uncovered during an archaeological dig at a coastal fort.

Volunteers have joined experts to find out more about the little-known Dinas Dinlle National Trust-owned monument in Gwynedd before it falls into the sea.

The 43ft (13m) wide roundhouse was buried by coastal sand, thought to have blown there during a sandstorm in 1330.

Coins found at the fort near Caernarfon suggest it was occupied in Roman times.

The “well-preserved” roundhouse – with its 8ft (2.5m) thick walls – was uncovered close to the cliff edge buried underneath 3ft (1m) of sand during a two-week dig.

More: bbc.com/news/uk-wales-49397328?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_wales_news&ns_linkname=wales&ns_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0nyySxlVuqawKkRL7-6vl6GmiF38rLZlWAO78mVxWtmVuS46jdmbJoHvw

Dinas Dinlle

C
CARL Sep 17, 2012

Visited 7.9.12

Saw the dotted red symbol for the Cliff Fort on my AA road atlas so just had to visit!
This is a very easy Cliff Fort to access and is well worth the minimal effort required.

We parked in the large car park near the sea wall with adjacent shop /café and toilets.
Karen and Sophie stayed in the car while I went through the gate and up the footpath provided. This is a N.T. site so there are no problems with access.
A short but fairly steep walk will soon take you to the northern defences.

On the way up you pass a Second World War defence emplacement which is also worth a look.

The information board states that 1/3 of the site has been lost to coastal erosion.
What is left is a single ditch / rampart with extra defences on the eastern side.
The ditch/rampart is still in pretty good condition –particularly given its location.
From the inside the rampart is a much as 3 metres high in places.
From the bottom of the ditch on the outside is as high as 8 metres!

As well as the great coastal views you would expect to see there are also good views over to the mountains in the distance.
It takes about 10 minutes to walk right around the Fort.

This is a very good site to visit which I would heartily recommend.

(You can also get a cuppa when you get back to the car park!)

Dinas Dinlle

skins
skins May 1, 2009

Dinas Dinlle now has an official footpath to it and
an information sign, probably in the hope that it stops erosion. It seems to have brought more visitors to this fragile site.

Dinas Dinlle

skins
skins Jan 18, 2008

December 07. Very windy, stormy day, as I went up the side of the Dinas I was nearly blown over! I thought the top would be an anticlimax to all the effort, but it wasn’t. It’s an excellent example. The unfortunate thing is the front of the hill fort has eroded into the sea, about a third is missing. The defensive bank is still very visible and the original entrance is clear. There are great views across the mountains too.
NOTE: the front of the hill is badly eroded and still falling into the sea, so be careful.

Folklore

Dinas Dinlle
Cliff Fort
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Dec 23, 2005

Could this be the place mentioned in ‘Math Son of Mathonwy’ in the Mabinogion?

Then they went towards Dinas Dinllev, and there he brought up Llew Llaw Gyffes, until he could manage any horse, and he was perfect in features, and strength, and stature. And then Gwydion saw that he languished through the want of horses and arms. And he called him unto him. “Ah, youth,” said he, “we will go to-morrow on an errand together. Be therefore more cheerful than thou art.” “That I will,” said the youth.

Next morning, at the dawn of day, they arose. And they took way along the sea coast, up towards Bryn Aryen. And at the top of Cevn Clydno they equipped themselves with horses, and went towards the Castle of Arianrod.

The notes of Lady Guest’s translation imply she thought so:
“DINLLEV*: DINAS DINLLE is situated on the sea-shore, about three miles southward from Caernarvon, in the parish of Llantwrawg, on the confines of a large tract of land, called Morva Dinlleu. The remains of the fortress consist of a large circular mount, well defended by earthen ramparts and deep fosses.”
*Probably ‘Dinlleu’ with a u, not a v? to tie in with Lleu Llaw Gyffes?

She also adds: “The Rev. P. B. Williams, in his “Tourist’s Guide through Caernarvonshire,” speaking of Clynnog in that county, says: “There is a tradition that an ancient British town, situated near this place, called Caer Arianrhod, was swallowed up by the sea, the ruins of which, it is said, are still visible during neap tides, and in fine weather.”

Indeed, there is a stack off the coast (no doubt visible from Dinas Dinlle?) called Caer Arianrhod.

You can read the story courtesy of the brilliant Sacred Texts Archive:
sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/index.htm

Miscellaneous

Dinas Dinlle
Cliff Fort
skins
skins Jan 18, 2008

On the badly eroded path (on the side) there seems to be a lot of rusty metal, as if a metal rail had ran up it. There is a path running around the side of the hill to the original entrance.
The hill was out of bounds for a while because of the eroded front, which is still unstable.
Also at the base (behind the trendy lovely new toilets) there is an old WW2 pill box.

Sites within 20km of Dinas Dinlle

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