Dinas Emrys is a rocky, steep-sided and partly tree-covered hill, rising to over 76 metres on the south side of the Nantgwynant valley. It overlooks Llyn Dinas and is a dominating landmark in the area.

There is evidence of human occupation on Dinas Emrys dating from the late Iron Age. Three lines of stone ramparts can, with difficulty, be seen today, each broken by an entrance. Excavations in 1954-56 focused on the entrances and suggest that the inner rampart, which forms an almost separate summit fort, dates to post-Roman times.

The place name Dinas Emrys was identified as early as the 12th century and the site itself has played a key role in Medieval Welsh tradition. Some believe the name identifies with Ambrosius, known as Emrys Wledig in Welsh, who challenged Vortigern, known in Welsh as Gwrtheyrn, leader of the Britons in the 5th century.

The historian Nennius, in his 9th century Historia Brittonum, describes a pool in which a red and a white dragon were hiding - symbols of the Romano-Celtic and Saxon powers. Some believe this is the pool within Dinas Emrys. The dragons reappear in the Mabinogion story of Lludd and Llefelys. In other medieval versions related by Giraldus Cembrensis (Gerallt Gymro) and Geoffrey of Monmouth (Sieffre of Fynwy), Emrys is synonymous with Merlin.

There are traditions of searches for buried treasure at the site, but the first recorded exploration was undertaken by Major C E Breeze in 1910. He cleared out the base of the square tower and amongst his finds were 12 gold-plated bronze studs and a gold-plated bronze bar. In the area of the pool, he found one part of and one complete bronze coated iron terret (a kind of buckle) dated as a 1st century AD type.

Stretches of rampart can still be seen at the site as well as the base of a square tower, thought to be 12th century, and a circular platform from the 9th century or earlier, linked with the pool.

Directions

Dinas Emrys is situated a little over a mile north east of Beddgelert on the A498. The site is accessible from the National Trust property of Craflwyn about a mile north-east of Beddgelert on the A498 where parking and toilets are available.

Dinas Emrys is a very fragile and vulnerable site, owned and managed by the National Trust. Visitors are strongly advised to contact the warden at Craflwyn beforehand on 01766 510120, or email keith.jones@nationaltrust.org.uk.