Llynnau Cregennen Stone Row
The Llynnau Cregennen area on the east-north-west side of Cadair Idris and overlooking the Mawddach estuary has long moved the spirits of people. Today modern tourists worship the beauty of the scenery. In the 17th century Quakers suffered persecution. The area has fascinated me for years, until I stepped back from the intensity of its centre and, by chance, found myself keeping my daughter Michelle amused by dowsing at the Waun Oer stone row (SH 617113).
This row has three stones still standing, two recumbent and three more supposed missing. Michelle and I dowsed a ley through it at an angle of 60 degrees, 64.4 for magnetic variation. Only later, when I drew its line on the map, did I realise that we had dowsed a line, which pierces this complex of ancient monuments like a lance going through a ring. It equates to the moonrise in its northerly minor standstill (a fact I didn't know when we dowsed it).
The line drawn on my map (OS Outdoor Leisure 23) links this stone row with a cairn and a standing stone at SH 604105 and a standing stone at SH601103 to the west and with a cairn and a standing stone at SH 626118 in the east. Returning to this westernmost of the Bryn Seward Stones, I did indeed dowse the line I picked up with my daughter at the stone row.
Walking eastwards the 12 & 1/2 miles from Llwyngwril to Dolgellau (the two ends of this linear route are conveniently linked by bus no.28, while visiting ley hunters will find Kings youth hostel is on this route, and trains run to Llwyngwril). I dowsed the same line going through the prominent standing stone above the Ffordd Ddu at SH 652133. It passes close to another standing stone at SH 662138. The Arthog stone circle at SH 653139 is a quarter of a mile to the north of this line.
The eastward continuation of the ley glances the southern side of Craig y Castell (SH 694158) and reaches the centre of Dollgellau by way of the site where Roman coins were found in 1695. These are thought to have been votive offerings in sacred springs. As the map shows, this line is paralleled by ancient tracks, becoming metalled roads as Dolgellau is approached.
Laurence Main
The line passes along the southern edge of the lower lake. It’s where the Lady of the Lake portions of the TV series Merlin where filmed.
The Dolgellau Roman coins find was probably at place known as Mary’s Spring (FFynnon Mair) according to Dolgellau History, which aligns well to the centre of the town, and not St. Mary’s church as given by several others. It’s at the site of the only Carmelite Monastery in Wales (est. 1929). The location is found by typing ‘FFynnon Mair, Dolgellau’ into Google Earth.
15km 58°/238°