Bryn Celli Ddu - Anglesey

Date of visit - 22/06/2024

Being in Wales for the northern hemisphere Summer Solstice we thought it would be a good idea to visit this prehistoric site on Anglesey - not for the solstice itself, as we didn't find out about the festivities at the site, until after the solstice. There was still evidence of the activities that had gone on at the site, with hay bails set out as seating, a gazebo still in evidence and speakers - presumably for some meditation music!

Anyway, I'm jumping ahead of myself.

This was one of those rare occasions when we wanted to do something, that Little One would have to endure, rather than enjoy. Having said that there was a bit of a walk to get to the actual burial mound, which he appeared to enjoy. I have always had an interest in these ancient sites and the mystery that surrounds them, my wife less so. In fact, whenever we pass Stonehenge, another site of mystery, my wife comments on all those people wandering around the stones "what do they get out of it?". I tell her she has no soul as we slowly drive past. Surprisingly, to me, it was my wife that wanted to see this burial mound.

To visit the site we parked in the small roadside car park and after crossing the road, started the walk to the site. The signed pathway was quite narrow, and we had to be very aware of the stinging nettles encroaching onto the path. Little One has no idea of the effects of touching things like nettles, and doesn't do unexpected pain or discomfort very well, so we are always super vigilant for these often otherwise little obstacles to life!

The walk to the site was around 15 minutes, with a small one in tow. Upon arrival you are greeted by the back of the burial mound, which at some point over time has been opened up, creating light into the chamber itself. The mound is surrounded by what looks like a dry moat and in its past was surrounded by standing stones, similar to Stonehenge, but on a smaller scale. These large stone have now pretty much gone, and have been replaced by "kerbstones" surrounding the moat area.

The reason this site has become so important for those celebrating the solstice is in the way it was built. On the summer solstice the sun lines up perfectly with the passageway leading to the burial chamber, bathing the inside of the chamber in light. As already mentioned the tomb has been opened up at the rear, to create natural light, so some of this mystery has been lost - however it still appeals to those who wish to celebrate with Mother Nature.

Entrance to the tomb itself is unrestricted, the site being open to the public 24/7, and is via the passageway. It is quite a narrow space and at 6ft I had to duck to get in (hence you see my feet in the below video). If you, or your child, don't do enclosed spaces you might find this quite challenging, although the central chamber itself is a reasonable size. The other thing to note is the items people leave in the chamber, these are usually things of meaning to the individual, but on our visit there were several "dolls" dotted around the chamber, in nooks and crannies. At first appearance they appeared quite scary, but with a little thought you can appreciate this is precisely the sort of thing Neolithic man may have done as offerings to some other entity.

While this was only a short visit, I felt it was something well worth doing while on Anglesey, and was a good insight to times long past. It was a fairly easy walk for Little One, and the chamber itself didn't spook him - in fact quite the opposite, as he loved the acoustics within, in particular the echo, which despite his hearing problems, he seemed very attuned to.

If you're ever in the area, check it out!