Pen Dinas, Iron Age hill fort in Penparcau, Wales.
Pen Dinas is an Iron Age hill fort overlooking Aberystwyth on the Welsh coast, featuring earthen ramparts spread across two summits. Both the northern and southern peaks show evidence of ancient fortification work that remains visible today.
The northern summit received its first fortification around 400 BC during the Iron Age, with a second fort added later on the southern peak. This two-part defense system allowed control over the coastal region from multiple high points.
The name Pen Dinas comes from Welsh and means "head of the fort." Visitors today can walk along the preserved ramparts and experience how the hillside was shaped into a defensive position.
The hillside is accessible from Aberystwyth town center via several marked walking routes. The site is open year-round, though sturdy footwear is recommended due to the uneven ground and steep sections.
A Wellington Monument from the 1850s stands on the southern summit next to a Bronze Age burial mound that predates it by thousands of years. This layering reveals how people across different eras saw the same location as important.
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