Yr Eifl was mentioned as a hill located on the Lleyn Peninsula in North Wales but after an uphill walk of more than an hour and a half this hill now felt and looked more like a mountain. With aching calves and bursting lungs we eventually reach the summit of Yr Eifl where there stands an iron age fort dating back over 2000 years. These Iron Age guys must have been a very fit race indeed.
Yr Eifl is the tallest of The Rivals, an overlooked yet exciting range of hills that make up the backbone of the Lleyn Peninsula. The trek shows the walker two different industrial and colonial ages of the local area, from the abandoned quarrying village of Porth-y-Nant to the most fascinating feature of the trek, the iron age fort of Tre'r Ceiri that is still evident and now preserved on the southern most Yr Eifl peak. This trek is ideal for those afternoons when the surrounding higher peaks of Snowdonia are unable to escape the murky clouds. Tre'r Ceiri is a hill fort dating back to the British Iron Age, being built around 100 B.C. It is one of the most spectacular of Wales' ancient monuments, located on a summit of Yr Eifl.
Was it worth it? Well take a look and decide for yourself. Views like this can only be achieved with some physical effort and determination. Would I do it again? Yes I would, but like running a marathon, it makes sense to train a little before heading out on such a challenge.
Paul Mattock
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