Looking North Toward the Isle of Anglesey

© Kanovium Project

 The Isle of Anglesey can be seen, looking north, in the distance beyond the wooded valley, the Afon Rhaeadr Fawr, (‘The Big Valley of the Fountain) flanked by the hills of Ffrith Ddu, (The Black Open Field), left, and Maes y Gaer (The Field of the Fort), right.  The Roman road from Segontium fort ten miles west, enters this ravine, and there is an untypicalness about the Roman planning, especially when this view is seen in reverse, looking south,  from the A55 trunk road.  In his book The Roman Roads of North Wales Recent Discoveries, Edmund Waddelove, the author compares a Roman road using a similar ravine as this at Dolwyddelan, the Afon Cwn Penannen (The Valley from below the High Corrie), the road is the link between Bryn y Gefeiliau (The Hill of Smithies) and Tomen y Mur (Castle Mound within the Walls) forts, he states the severity of such a ravine would render the Roman patrols likely to ambush, in his case he is able to put forward an alternative route, here we are absolutley certain the Roman army did make roads in such terrain.  From the village of Aber, to the area the two vehicles are parked the route of the Roman road is unknown, possibly taking a course similar to the modern lane, but obscured by, but commences from the field wall behind the red car. M.G. Jarrett in Roman Frontier in Wales, Cardiff, 1969 describes the road as here ‘taking a rather devious course’ so it is not a surprise that it is not readily visible today.  While the Roman army built roads to a standard design, usually running from ‘siting points’, but in such country they had to make the best of even pre existing trackways, as it seems likely with this road.  Roman roads could be massive affairs, but here the usual size in the Welsh highlands has been observed, roughly 15 feet wide.   Its sunken course is just about percievable on this image, the car is actually parked on the Roman road, the course of which follows the wall, right, to climb the hill, the course still clear of gorse bushes. The terrain the road covers is is an interesting insight into the early military occupation of North Wales, the fact that they did build roads in such dangerous terraine proves that the local people either had been subdued enough for the Roman to have no fear were they walked, or more likely that they accepted Roman occupation (which seems likely in the area between the Conwy and Dee rivers) and that Roman patrols had no likelyhood of having boulders thrown onto their heads, for one they knew the places these people lived, the cavalry patrols would have made certain of that, a visit from Rome would not be welcomed.

So having negotiated the dreadful road, park your car in the area seen, you could possibly park at Aber Falls carpark and walk up, continue over a stone bridge, especially if you like your car, this is a distance of two miles, but the road is severe, up hill, with numerous bends, no passing places, and numerous boulders projecting from the field banks either side of the road.  Beneath there is only room for half a dozen vehicles, on this day there was only the author’s car and a white Ford Transit dedicated enough to get there.  The car can be seen to park next to a wall which goes up the slope right, this is the actual Roman road, climb the stile and ascend to the flat shelf, which is a climb of just over 300 feet. This image was taken from a modern track midway up the hill of Foel Dduarth (The Bald Black Bear?), this is actually a continuation of the road below, and a sign warns of use for access only, access for what?  This is a Northern gateway to the Carnedd Range, as a National Trust sign proclaims, several very rough tracks run east  (Roman road) and south, but are only likely used for agriculture.  There has been recent local indignation that these old tracks are being used by motorcross riders, and also S.U.V, or in U.K. 4x4 vehicles, which are not only damaging the surfaces, but making diversions which are badly eroding the delicate mountain surfaces.  The Roman road should obviously not be used for this purpose, if you have read this far then you wouldn’t want to damage it, and the rough track south, around Foel Dduarth would only be enjoyed by suicidal motorists as east there is a five hundred foot drop down to a mountain river.