Mynydd Carningli, Pembrokeshire: The ancient volcano in the shape of a reclining woman
The peak of this remote mountain in West Wales is the next spot to make our Secret Britain list.


It only takes half an hour to climb this 1,138ft ancient volcano from Newport, but, once at the top, the solitude is tempered only by the whirling of skylarks on the Atlantic wind.
St Brynach is said to have had conversations with angels here in about 450AD, hence the name ‘Mount of Angels’. You’ll also find one of the largest hill forts in west Wales and remains of Bronze Age settlements on the slopes below.
When viewed from the south, Mynydd Carningli resembles a reclining woman, which some associate with an earth goddess.See more of Secret Britain
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Annunciata is director of contemporary art gallery TIN MAN ART and an award-winning journalist specialising in art, culture and property. Previously, she was Country Life’s News & Property Editor. Before that, she worked at The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, researched for a historical biographer and co-founded a literary, art and music festival in Oxfordshire. Lancashire-born, she lives in Hampshire with a husband, two daughters and a mischievous pug.
-
A spectacular tower for sale that's a blend of Victorian folly, architectural marvel and 21st century family home
Hadlow Tower has space, and a back story of love, jealousy and intrigue.
-
Some Like (to quiz when) It Hot: Country Life Quiz of the Day heatwave special, July 11, 2025
If you're struggling to keep cool — and who isn't? — our Quiz of the Day will at least take your mind off the soaring temperatures.
-
St Patrick’s Chapel ruins, Heysham: The mythical Lancashire ruins with a heavenly view
Annunciata Elwes takes a look at St Patrick’s Chapel ruins, a Morecambe Bay landmark.
-
Suisnish, Isle of Skye: The atmospheric ruins of a Clearance village
Beauty now reigns in a tragic spot where hundreds of villagers suffered during the Clearance
-
Covehithe beach, Suffolk, where the cliffs crumble like cake
The most eroded beach in Britain has a post-apocalyptic feel.
-
Clydach Ironworks, Monmouthshire: Ruins in the gorge that inspired Shakespeare
An oasis of quiet now stands where the steam hammers thudded at this Welsh ironworks, in a river valley that may have moved Shakespeare to write A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
-
Royston Cave, Hertfordshire: A mysterious site full of sacred energy
Our Secret Britain series continues with a Hertofrdshire cave whose true nature remains unknown.
-
John Bunting War Memorial Chapel, Scotch Corner: The painstaking transformation of rubble to War Memorial
Annunciata Elwes celebrates the effort that turned a derelict house into a memorial.
-
The Garden of Cosmic Speculation: The surreal space where Lewis Carroll and Willy Wonka meet Capability Brown
Surrealism, philosophy, nature and gardening come together at the Garden of Cosmic Speculation, as Annunciata Elwes explains.
-
The Airman’s Grave, Ashdown Forest: A touching and little-known memorial to victims of war and fate
A wartime tragedy in East Sussex's Ashdown Forest is among our Secret Britain picks, as chosen by Annunciata Elwes.