The History of Welsh Hill Lists

The History of Welsh Hill Lists – Part 4

The Early Years

1911-1940

1929 – James A Parker

In 1929, two articles of interest to our story were published, both related to the same subject.  One consisted of two pages, entitled ‘The Scottish Threes (contd.) and after’ and was published in the Cairngorm Club Journal No.68.  But of greater importance, and the one we shall concentrate on, is the more detailed eight page article published in the Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal, entitled ‘Beinn Tarsuinn and the British Threes’.  The author of both articles was James A.Parker, whom we have briefly met as the third person to complete the Munros.

It was Parker’s objective to climb all the British Isles separate mountains over 3000 feet.  These became known as the ‘British Threes’.  Parker takes up the story of his last Munro: “I climbed my last Munro, Ben Hope, on the 19^th July 1927 – at least, I believed that it was the last”.  “In October 1928, I learned to my chagrin that an alleged 2970 foot Scottish mountain had grown to the extent of about 110 feet, and had thereby acquired the rank of a Munro”.  “The hill is, of course, Beinn Tarsuinn”, hence the title of his article.

After climbing Beinn Tarsuinn, and verifying that the mountain was, in fact, over 3000 feet, Parker turned his attention toward the remainder of the British Threes.  This culminated in him spending a week in Wales, during the Easter of 1929.

At this stage, the Welsh Threes were known to contain fourteen summits over 3000 feet, two of which, Foel Grach and Crib y Ddysgl, in Parker’s opinion, could not be classified as separate mountains.

Parker passes comment on the three distinct groups, the Carnedds, the Glyders and Snowdon.  The Carnedd group: “Consists of a long ridge about 7 miles in length, with six 3000 foot tops, two of which – Carnedd Dafydd and Yr Elen – have very fine northern sides.  The summit ridge affords a very delightful high level walk over quite easy ground, and must command magnificent views in clear weather.  Smoke from the Midlands, however, is apt to be common, and is almost as bad as the smoke from a Canadian forest fire”.  “The next group, the Glyders, containing five 3000 foot summits, presents stoney or grassy slopes to the south and a magnificent range of precipices to the north.  The highest point is Glyder Fawr, and the most interesting one is Glyder Fach, with its famed masses of huge stones on the summit and its very fine north-east ridge running out to Tryfan”.  “Snowdon itself is magnificent, and in its east and north faces has few rivals outside of Skye.  The round of the horseshoe is fascinating, that is, up the east face of Crib Goch and along its knife edge arête and pinnacles to Crib y Ddisgl and Y Wyddfa, and then back along the narrow summit ridge of Lliwedd”.

Under the heading of appendix II, Parker’s ‘List of the mountains in the British Isles 3000 feet or over in height’, appears on the last page of his article.  In all, twenty three separate mountains outside of Scotland are listed, with their respective heights.  England has four mountains, Wales twelve and Ireland seven.  By 1921, Munro’s Scottish list of separate mountains had been revised to 276, with the addition of Beinn Tarsuinn it now stood at 277.  With Parker’s additional twenty three British Isles 3000 foot mountains, the total reached a rounded 300.

The first list of mountains that many people now know as the 'Furths'

On the 19^th April 1929, James A. Parker ascended his final 3000 foot separate mountain within the British Isles, thus becoming the first person to achieve this particular challenge, his chosen 300th and last mountain was Tryfan.

The Welsh part of Parker’s list is but a microcosm within a much varied picture of Welsh hill lists.  Historically it and its similar, later counterparts are important for comparing Wales’s highest peaks with their contemporaries in Scotland, England and Ireland.  To ignore the separate 3000 foot category would be doing an injustice to the history of Welsh hill lists.  As we will see, in the upcoming years, important changes in criterion use, listing of hills and book format will be led by this particular category of hill list.

Only eighteen years had passed since Wales’s first comprehensive listing of mountains appeared, and already the three standard designated minimum height criteria; Corbett’s 2500 feet, Carr and Lister’s 2000 feet and now Parker’s 3000 feet, had been established.  These three heights would dominate hill lists for the next five and a half decades and beyond.  It would take another fifty five years before a Welsh hill list was published that chipped away at these three’s dominance over the designated minimum height criterion.  But, that is for the future, for now, we have to re-visit our old friend John Rooke Corbett.

Next installment due on the 30^th September 2014

For the Preface please click {here}

For Part 1 please click {here}

For Part 2 please click {here} 

For Part 3 please click {here}

Hill Lists – Cymru / Wales – 200m Twmpau updates – Pegwn Mawr

The first list to the Welsh 200m P30 hills was published on Geoff Crowder’s website v-g.me in 2000; this list preceded the list of TuMPs by nine years, the list proved a very useful resource for the TuMP compilation for this category of hill.

The Welsh 200m P30 list documents all hills in Wales that are at or above 200m in height and are below 300m in height, to qualify for the main list each hill requires a minimum of 30m of prominence.

The hills listed below are updates to the Welsh 200m P30 list originally published on Geoff Crowder's website.  To see the original list click {here}

The original published list had a Sub-List which was entitled ‘Hills to Survey’.  This list consisted of all hills in Wales in the stipulated height band that have a minimum of 20m of prominence, but do not meet the minimum 30m of prominence to enter the main list, according to Ordnance Survey map spot heights and contours.  Nowadays the standard Sub-List takes in all hills that have a minimum of 20m of prominence.  However, the Hills to Survey Sub-List discounted hills whose map spot heights gave a drop value of less than 30m, but more than 20m.  By doing so, the only hills that were Sub-Listed were those that map values dictated stood a chance of entering the main list, for example; if a hill had a summit spot height of 250m and a bwlch spot height of 221m, it was not listed in the Hills to Survey Sub-List as with 29m of drop I thought it did not stand a chance of main list qualification.

 

When compiling the Sub-List I was measuring many hills for P30 status using a basic levelling technique, please click {here} for more information concerning this.  I now know that Ordnance Survey spot heights have a standard margin of uncertainty of + / - 3m associated with their accuracy.  Therefore many hills that were not listed in the original Sub-List may have sufficient drop to enter the main list.  Because of this the Sub-List has been altered to include all hills that have a minimum of 20m of drop but are not known to attain the minimum 30m of drop to enter the main list.

The hills listed below are those major amendments to the original Welsh 200m P30 list as it appears on Geoff’s website.  There are many hills that have been promoted from the Hills to Survey Sub-List to the main list, whilst there are many additions to the Sub-List now that it has been standardised to include all 20m minimum but below 30m drop hills.

When the 200m P30 list was first published it was the first to this category of hills and in some way it and its other 100m height band lists paved the way for Clem’s data that later appeared on the RHB file database and then for the TuMPs listing by Mark Jackson.

As well as the first P30 list to this height band the list is now the first to include a comprehensive Sub-List.

TuMP baggers beware; as the main list also includes P30’s not listed by Mark Jackson, so if you want to visit all P30’s you’ll have to include some non TuMPs to do so.

The list will be updated on a weekly basis and will be done so through each Group category, starting from the north and working south.  The sixteenth Group is Pegwn Mawr.

Pegwn Mawr 

North of the Rhyd-hir Brook at SN 974 677, the Black Brook and the Afon Dulas to SO 064 637, continuing north and then east of the Afon Ieithon (River Ithon) to SO 087 609 and then west of the Afon Ieithon (River Ithon) to SO 087 827, continuing west of the Camnant to bwlch at SO 070 842, following stream to SO 081 859 and the Cwm-y-rhiwdre Brook to Lake Mochdre and the Mochdre Brook to SO 085 906, continuing south of the Afon Hafren (River Severn) to SN 945 838, continuing east of the Afon Dulas to bwlch at SN 982 750 and the Afon Marteg to SN 951 714, continuing east of the Afon Gwy (River Wye) to SN 974 677.  Bordering with Carnedd Wen to the north, Beacon Hill and Fforest Glud to the east, Gwastedyn Hill to the south and the Elenydd, Garreg Lwyd and Pumlumon to the west.      

Sub-Twmpau - 200m updates

Pt. 239m    239m    SO 075 896

This hill has a 239m spot height on the area of the summit and a 212m spot height at the bwlch, the latter appears on the Ordnance Survey enlarged Geograph map.  These values give this hill 27m of drop.

Pt. 279m    279m    SO 094 677

The second update to the hills of Pegwn Mawr follows the Pt. notation as no appropriate name is known by the blog author for this hill.  The bwlch contouring is between c 250m – c 260m and has been estimated as c 252m, giving this hill a drop of c 27m.

Next update due on the 4^th August 2014

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Bannau Brycheiniog

22.07.14  Allt Lwyd (SO 078 189), Waun Rydd (SO 062 206) and Bryn (SO 071 226)

The high Bannau Brycheiniog peaks from the northern slopes of Waun Rydd

After visiting Bryn Melyn (SO 109 184) we drove down to the valley and parked beside the Talybont Reservoir at SO 099 197.  Our original plan was to visit Waun Rydd and Bryn, but a quick examination of the map showed that Allt Lwyd is a Sub-Hewitt and Sub-Sim with an estimated c 28m of drop (once back home I examined the Ordnance Survey enlarged Geograph map, it has a spot height on this hill’s critical bwlch giving it 28m of drop).  Excited with the prospect of potential new Hewittdom we quickly changed our plans and headed toward Allt Lwyd.

Opposite the small pull in area a track can be followed that leads to a gate and a path then heads uphill to a small ladder stile before the open hillside.  Further east the morning’s sunshine was still baking the hills, but our ascent route was now under high cloud cover, even if this helped in lowering the temperature the ascent was still very warm.  I oozed sweat at every step and became absolutely sodden, this and the sometimes high pollen count are two major disadvantages of summer walking, but as height was gained the merest breath of breeze occasionally filtered over the land.  I set a slow but consistent pace and Mark followed a few hundred metres behind.  The land to the east started to appear with the reservoir being foreground to the long ridges of Mynyddoedd Duon.

Looking across Talybont Reservoir toward the elongated ridges of Mynyddoedd Duon

We reached a corner of a forest where I stopped and appreciated the sweep of ridge line between Allt Lwyd and Waun Rydd, the hills of Bannau Brycheiniog portray an architectural shape seldom seen anywhere else in the country as accentuated lines sweep up to truncated summits and then plunge in descending curves down to the next bwlch before ascent lines sweep back up, all repeated time and time again.

The path continues beyond the corner of the forest to the summit of Allt Lwyd, which is behind the trees on the left

Mark on the final bit of up hill leading to the summit of Allt Lwyd

The last part of the ascent is on a good path that led up to the small cairned summit, as Mark sat and enjoyed his lunch looking out toward Waun Rydd I set the Trimble up on the highest bit of land close to the small cairn and gathered ten minutes of data.

Gathering data at the summit of Allt Lwyd

After lunch we descended to the bwlch which is narrow between the valley to valley traverse and elongated between the hills.  We spent a few minutes judging where the critical bwlch was and set the Trimble up for another ten minutes of data collection.  Having had hopes that Allt Lwyd may become a new Sim and Hewitt before the ascent, once we arrived at the bwlch our hopes were somewhat dashed as we both thought the hill looked as if it only had around 25m of drop.  We’ll have to wait until the data is processed to see if our on ground estimation is more accurate than the Ordnance Survey spot heights that give the hill 28m of drop.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Allt Lwyd

The connecting ridge leading up to the summit plateau of Waun Rydd is rather slender in shape and sometimes steep, looking behind I focused on Mark as he made his way up with Allt Lwyd framed in the background.  To the west the escarpment edge named Gwalciau’r Cwm on the map was slowly highlighted in a patch of sunshine, a perfect enhancement to its steep sided greens.

 

Allt Lwyd (SO 078 189)

Sunlight on the escarpment edge of Gwalciau'r Cwm

Once the steep ridge is crested a number of paths give options for onward progress, we used the path that headed straight in to the slowly rising moor toward the summit of Waun Rydd.  This hill is not typical of the region as its top is plateau like, whereas other summits are comprised of truncated land of smaller area.  As height was gained on the path the land to our north came in to view and there sat Bryn, our last objective of the day.

Bryn (SO 071 226)

The high point of Waun Rydd has two distinct possibilities for its summit, with a third cairned high point that we thought lower.  Each had five minutes of data gathered from its respective high point, I favoured the most southerly option to be the highest, whilst Mark thought the central option was the true summit.

First (southern) summit option looking toward Mark on the second (central) summit option.  The result for this placement came to 768.411m at SO 06229 20546

Second (central) summit option looking toward the cairn atop the third (northern) summit option.  The result for this placement came to 769.158 at SO 06211 20645

Third (northern) summit option looking toward Mark on the second (central) summit option.  The result for this placement came to 768.541 at SO 06209 20680

On our way down to the last summit of the day; Bryn, the sun broke through as the western cloud bank slowly dispersed.  Looking westward to the higher mountains the sun had cask a metallic gleam mixing blues and grey on their profiles, but just as quickly as the colour feast materialised so did the reoccurrence of overheating with copious amounts of sweat produced in a lost hope of cooling the body.

Mixing blues with grey on the high peaks of Bannau Brycheiniog

Data was gathered at the bwlch of Bryn before we followed a sheep track up to the summit.  The Ordnance survey 1:25,000 map gives a 562m spot height at SO 071 226 and the 1:50,000 map gives a 561m spot height at SO 072 227, the latter position has a cairn on it and views across the flatlands to the north.  Both positions were Trimbled before we headed down the south-eastern flank of the hill toward a forest.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Bryn

Waun Rydd (SO 062 206) from the bwlch of Bryn

Gathering data at the high point of Bryn.  The result for this placement came to 561.951m at SO 07132 22696

Gathering data beside the cairn at the second option for the summit of Bryn.  The result for this placement came to 561.206m at SO 07287 22759

Once beside the conifer plantation we assessed our options and decided to head down to a stream crossing and ascend a track on the opposite side.  This descent gave us the last views of Waun Rydd in early evening light, aglow as the sun started to cast long showers.

Heading down the south-eastern flank of Bryn

Waun Rydd bathed in early evening light

The ascent on the opposite side of the stream was evil and I suffered, the track eventually led to one or two farm houses and down on to the lane that in time brought us back to the awaiting car.  This return journey seemed long as I suffered in the sun and plodded uphill on the lane as it headed toward the reservoir dam, here we rested and looked at the reflected colours in the water.  Arriving back at the car was very welcome.  Time to rest and sit down – yummy!!

Doesn't look much, but this last bit of up hill was a wee bit evil

   

 

Tor y Foel above the coloured waters of the Talybont Reservoir

Survey Result:

Allt Lwyd

Summit Height:  653.2m (converted to OSGM15) 

 

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 07860 18909

Bwlch Height:  625.4m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 07535 19113

Drop:  27.7m  (Subsimm, Sub-Hewitt and 600m Sub-Twmpau status confirmed)

Dominance:  4.24%

Waun Rydd

Summit Height:  769.2m (converted to OSGM15)

 

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 06211 20645

Drop:  169.7m (converted to OSGM15)

Dominance:  22.06%

For details on the bwlch survey of Waun Rydd

Bryn

Summit Height:  562.0m (converted to OSGM15)

 

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 07132 22696

Bwlch Height:  530.3m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 06718 22457

Drop:  31.6m  (Dodd, Dewey and 500m Twmpau status confirmed)

Dominance:  5.63%

For further details please consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet click {here}

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Cymoedd Gwent

22.07.14  Bryn Melyn (SO 109 184)

Bryn Melyn (SO 109 184)

Bryn Melyn is perched on the southern flank of Tor y Foel (SO 114 194), a small lump of a hill with its grassy summit heading skyward but forever dominated by its higher and more prominent neighbour, it clings on to the hillside almost as an afterthought, something that seems rather inconsequential, but none the less fine views can be had from its summit, especially northward to Tor y Foel and westward to the Talybont Reservoir in the valley below and across to the eastern part of the high Bannau Brycheiniog, with the profiles of Allt Lwyd (SO 078 189) and Waun Rydd (SO 061 206) on grand display.

Talybont Reservoir with Allt Lwyd (SO 078 189) and Waun Rydd (SO 061 206) above and to the right

I’d only visited this hill once before, in early June 2013 when on a four day bagging trip, visiting friends in south and mid Wales whilst enjoying days of endless sunshine and visiting as many hills as my body could get up.  Today’s walk had been suggested by Mark, who had a day off work and wanted to investigate south Wales to edge his second round of the Welsh Hewitts nearer to completion.  Before the main walk he suggested we could visit Bryn Melyn and survey it as the hill is easily visited from a high road that culminates at the hill’s bwlch.  Bryn Melyn is currently listed in Y Pedwarau (Europeaklist May 2013) as a marginal Pedwar with c 446m summit (no spot height appears on any map) and c 413m bwlch, giving c 33m of drop.  As well as determining if Bryn Melyn is rightly listed as a Pedwar we could also give it an accurate absolute height, rather than an estimated one.

We had a relatively long drive down to south Wales as we wanted to avoid the throngs of people enjoying the Royal Welsh Show at Builth Wells, our journey deposited us at the top of the high road at just after 11.30am.  As Mark took photos of the higher hills to the west I had a look at the area of the bwlch, a solid stone wall heads down from just below the summit of Bryn Melyn and crosses the bwlch in the hill to hill direction, land immediately below the wall on its eastern side is significantly higher than that on its western side, this we deemed to have been earth piled up during the walls construction and therefore man-made, therefore we discounted it as the rightful place for the critical bwlch.  Once a position had been chosen the Trimble gathered five minutes of data and we then headed up the hill to the summit.

The first survey for the bwlch position of Bryn Melyn

The ascent of the hill is an easy one with a small sheep path to follow before the high point is gained.  This consists of grass with a few thistles adding summer colour to the profusion of greens.  The summit is easily identifiable and soon had the Trimble placed on it gathering another five minutes of data.  As the data was being stored we pottered about taking photos.

The view south from the summit of Bryn Melyn as the Trimble gathers data

The view north from the summit of Bryn Melyn toward Tor y Foel as the Trimble gathers data

Once the Trimble was packed away we headed down and re-assessed the area of the bwlch and decided to get another data set from a slightly different position, this was next to a large manure heap and rutted ground caused by farm vehicles.  Again the Trimble was placed away from the ground immediately below the wall as this was deemed to have been built up and therefore man-made.  After the Trimble was closed off and packed away we headed down the narrow road and aimed for the car park next to Talybont Reservoir for the main walk of the day.

The second survey for the bwlch position of Bryn Melyn

 

 

Survey Result:

Bryn Melyn

Summit Height:  450.5m (converted to OSGM15) (significant height revision)

 

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 10941 18432

Bwlch Height:  412.3m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 10976 18733 (LIDAR)

Drop:  38.2m  (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  8.48% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For further details please consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet click {here}

Hill Lists – Cymru / Wales – 200m Twmpau updates – Pumlumon

The first list to the Welsh 200m P30 hills was published on Geoff Crowder’s website v-g.me in 2000; this list preceded the list of TuMPs by nine years, the list proved a very useful resource for the TuMP compilation for this category of hill.

The Welsh 200m P30 list documents all hills in Wales that are at or above 200m in height and are below 300m in height, to qualify for the main list each hill requires a minimum of 30m of prominence.

The hills listed below are updates to the Welsh 200m P30 list originally published on Geoff Crowder's website.  To see the original list click {here}

The original published list had a Sub-List which was entitled ‘Hills to Survey’.  This list consisted of all hills in Wales in the stipulated height band that have a minimum of 20m of prominence, but do not meet the minimum 30m of prominence to enter the main list, according to Ordnance Survey map spot heights and contours.  Nowadays the standard Sub-List takes in all hills that have a minimum of 20m of prominence.  However, the Hills to Survey Sub-List discounted hills whose map spot heights gave a drop value of less than 30m, but more than 20m.  By doing so, the only hills that were Sub-Listed were those that map values dictated stood a chance of entering the main list, for example; if a hill had a summit spot height of 250m and a bwlch spot height of 221m, it was not listed in the Hills to Survey Sub-List as with 29m of drop I thought it did not stand a chance of main list qualification.

 

When compiling the Sub-List I was measuring many hills for P30 status using a basic levelling technique, please click {here} for more information concerning this.  I now know that Ordnance Survey spot heights have a standard margin of uncertainty of + / - 3m associated with their accuracy.  Therefore many hills that were not listed in the original Sub-List may have sufficient drop to enter the main list.  Because of this the Sub-List has been altered to include all hills that have a minimum of 20m of drop but are not known to attain the minimum 30m of drop to enter the main list.

The hills listed below are those major amendments to the original Welsh 200m P30 list as it appears on Geoff’s website.  There are many hills that have been promoted from the Hills to Survey Sub-List to the main list, whilst there are many additions to the Sub-List now that it has been standardised to include all 20m minimum but below 30m drop hills.

When the 200m P30 list was first published it was the first to this category of hills and in some way it and its other 100m height band lists paved the way for Clem’s data that later appeared on the RHB file database and then for the TuMPs listing by Mark Jackson.

As well as the first P30 list to this height band the list is now the first to include a comprehensive Sub-List.

TuMP baggers beware; as the main list also includes P30’s not listed by Mark Jackson, so if you want to visit all P30’s you’ll have to include some non TuMPs to do so.

The list will be updated on a weekly basis and will be done so through each Group category, starting from the north and working south.  The fifteenth Group is Pumlumon.

Pumlumon 

North of Aberystwyth at SN 579 808 and the Afon Rheidol to SN 749 807, continuing north of the Afon Castell to Eisteddfa Gurig at SN 797 841 and the Afon Tarrenig to SN 841 826 and the Afon Gwy (River Wye) to SN 910 792, continuing north of stream to bwlch at SN 927 800, continuing west of the Nant Gynwydd to SN 952 820 and the Afon Dulas to SN 945 838 and the Afon Hafren (River Severn) to SO 027 916, continuing south of the Afon Carno to bwlch at SN 930 998 and the Afon Laen to SH 890 027 and the Afon Twymyn to SH 821 052, and then the Afon Dyfi (River Dovey) to Bae Aberdyfi (Aberdovey Bay) and the sea at SN 592 945.  Bordering with the Tarennydd, Bryniau Dyfi, Mynydd y Cemaes and Carnedd Wen to the north, Pegwn Mawr and Garreg Lwyd to the east, Elenydd to the south and the sea to the west.  

Twmpau - 200m updates

Pt. 252m    252m    SN 797 954

A hill whose name has reverted to the Pt. notation as it was previously listed in the Sub list as Mynydd Rhiw-gam, which was partly invented from a wood to the west of the summit.  The bwlch contouring is between c 220m – c 230m, with the valley to valley contours being close together, implying a bwlch height of c 221m, giving this hill c 31m of drop.

Pt. 237m    237m    SN 809 977

This hill was originally listed as Penyglôg, map study indicates that this name applies to the farm to the north-east of the summit.  The name of Cae’r Allt appears on the south-westerly slopes of this hill on Ordnance Survey maps, but as this name may apply to an enclosed field and not the hill or its summit, the name of the hill is reverting to the Pt notation.  The 237m summit height is taken from the Ordnance Survey enlarged Geograph map and the height of the bwlch has been estimated as c 203m from bwlch contouring between c 200m – c 210m, giving this hill c 34m of drop. 

Mynydd Cae-du    227m    SN 728 985

A hill whose promotion from the Sub list is reliant upon details from the Ordnance Survey enlarged Geograph map, as both summit and bwlch are spot heighted with 227m and 194m respectively, giving this hill 33m of drop.

Sub-Twmpau - 200m updates

Cefn Modfedd    289m    SN 788 972

This hill qualifies for the Sub list with an estimated c 26m of drop, based on a 289m summit height and an estimated c 263m bwlch height.  The area of the bwlch has a 264m spot height at SN 787 970 on the Ordnance Survey enlarged Geograph map positioned on a track, this has been judged too high and not at the critical bwlch.  However, saying that, the c 260m – c 270m contouring position suggests that this latter spot height is quite close to where the critical bwlch is positioned.

Pen yr Allt    267m    SH 842 025

Pen yr Allt has bwlch contouring between c 240m – c 250m, with the height of the bwlch estimated as c 242m, giving this hill c 25m of drop.

Pt. 246m    246m    SN 814 981

This hill follows the Pt. notation as the blog author does not know an appropriate name for it.  As the valley to valley contours are close together the bwlch height has been estimated as c 221m, based on bwlch contouring between c 220m – c 230m, giving this hill c 25m of drop.

Foel Fach    297m    SN 815 963

This hill is situated on the north-westerly descending ridge of Foel Fadian.  It has bwlch contouring between c 270m – c 280m with an estimated bwlch height of c 274m, giving this hill c 23m of drop.

Banc Troedrhiwseiri    233m    SN 671 854

A hill that has two uppermost c 230m ring contours, with the westerly one being 1m higher according to the map (the Ordnance Survey enlarged Geograph map gives the easterly ring contour a 232m spot height).  The OS enlarged Geograph map also spot heights the bwlch as 211m, this appears at a cross roads, the same position where a 212m spot height appears on the OS 1:50,000 map.  These values give this hill 22m of drop.

Castell Bwa-drain    298m    SN 712 794

Castell Bwa-drain is an ancient hill fort with commanding views over the Afon Rheidol, it qualifies for the Welsh 200 Sub-P30 list as it is given a height of 298m on Ordnance Survey maps and has bwlch contouring between c 270m – c 280m, with an estimated bwlch height of c 276m, giving this hill c 22m of drop.

Pt. 216m    216m    SN 729 978

A contentious entry in to the Sub list as it is based on the 216m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey enlarged Geograph map.  This spot height could be a typo as no c 210m ring contour exists; therefore the height may in fact be 206m.  However, for now the hill enters the Sub list.  It also has a twin 216m top at SN 731 981 that also suffers from a lack of a c 210m ring contour.  The bwlch contouring is between c 190m – c 200m and is estimated as c 194m at SN 731 982, with an alternate 194m bwlch height being positioned at SN 729 980.  If the 216m summit height is correct this hill has c 22m of drop. 

Pt. 208m    208m    SN 985 896

Another hill that follows the Pt. notation as the blog author does not know an appropriate name for it.  The bwlch contouring is between c 180m – c 190m with an estimated height of c 186m, giving this hill c 22m of drop. 

Pt. 273m    273m    SN 695 878

Although the name of Ffridd Cwmere appears near to the summit of this hill on some Ordnance Survey maps, the Pt. notation is being used for the name of the hill as the ffridd name may only apply to the bounded land to the west of the land where the summit of this hill is situated.  With a summit height of 273m and a bwlch height of 252m, the latter coming from the Ordnance Survey enlarged Geograph map, this hill has 21m of drop. 

Pt. 276m    276m    SN 717 788

The bwlch contouring for this hill is between c 250m - c 260m and is estimated as c 255m at SN 719 790, giving this hill a drop of c 21m.

Ffridd Rhosygarreg    297m    SN 806 947

With a summit height of 297m and an estimated bwlch height of c 277m, based on bwlch contouring between c 270m – c 280m, this hill has c 20m of drop.

Mynydd Eithaf    c 278m    SN 750 974

Another contentious entry as both summit and bwlch height have been estimated, and even after this the drop figure only comes to c 20m.  The bwlch contouring is between c 250m – c 260m and has been estimated as c 258m, whilst the summit height is estimated as c 278m based on the area of the uppermost contour ring compared to how close the ascending contour rings are to one another.

Cae’r Orseddan    223m    SN 805 998

This hill has bwlch contouring between c 200m – c 210m with the height of the critical bwlch estimated as c 203m, this gives the hill c 20m of drop.

Cefn Maesmawr Bach    217m    SN 727 981

Another hill that qualifies for the Sub list with c 20m of drop, based on a summit height of 217m and a bwlch height of c 197m, with bwlch contouring between c 190m – c 200m.

Next update due on the 28^th July 2014