Pen Dinas

Pen Dinas is a hill in Penparcau, on the southern edge of Aberystwyth in Wales, crowned by a sprawling Iron Age hillfort and a column raised in honour of the Duke of Wellington. It looks over Cardigan Bay and the mouths of two rivers, and it makes an easy walk from the town centre.

What is Pen Dinas?

The hill carries the largest hillfort in Ceredigion and one of the larger ones in Wales. It stands where the Ystwyth and Rheidol rivers meet, so its occupants could watch approaches from both land and sea.

Archaeologists describe it as two separate forts. The earlier one occupied the lower northern summit, a second grew up on the southern summit, and in time the two were merged into a single, larger enclosure. The site is a scheduled monument and is documented by the Royal Commission (RCAHMW) in its Coflein database. Settlement is dated from around 400 BC, and the hill stayed in use until about AD 70, when the Romans reached Ceredigion.

What will you see at the top?

• Ramparts and ditches of the old defences, easy to read on the ground, especially along the ridge between the two summits.
• The Wellington Monument, a stone column on the southern summit. Work began in 1853, soon after the Duke died, and finished in 1858. The statue planned for the top was never installed. Lightning damaged the column in 1997, and it was restored in 1999.
• Wide views over Aberystwyth, the Rheidol and Ystwyth estuary and the coast.

Who has excavated it?

From 1933 to 1937, Daryll Forde, then a young professor at Aberystwyth, directed a dig here that ranked among the largest hillfort excavations under way in Britain at the time. He proposed four phases of activity. Fieldwork resumed in 2023 under the Pendinas Hillfort Project, run by Dyfed Archaeological Trust with NLHF and Cadw funding. The team investigated the gateway across the isthmus and a roundhouse platform.

How do you get there?

You can walk from Aberystwyth town centre, and several waymarked paths climb the hill. The simplest start is Penparcau, on the south side of the Rheidol. The climb is short but steep in places, so wear sturdy shoes. The summit is exposed and windy even on warm days.

When should you visit?

Pick a clear spell, when visibility over the bay is good. Late afternoon, before sunset, works well. The hill is open ground with no tickets or opening hours, and the column is visible from many points in town.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entry fee? No. The hill is open public walking land.

How long does the walk take? Allow about an hour round trip from the town centre, including time at the ramparts and viewpoints.

Is it really an Iron Age hillfort? Yes. It dates from about 400 BC, and excavations in the 1930s and in 2023 confirmed occupation on the hill.

Is this the only Pen Dinas in Wales? No. Several other hillforts share the name. This guide covers the hill at Aberystwyth with the Wellington Monument.