12.09.15
Carn Siân (SN 127 321)
Carn Siân (SN 127 321) |
My first time to the
hills of Mynydd Preseli for a number of years, my memories from previous visits
were of open hills with relatively easy ascents and distant coastal views, and
all under big skies.
A busy couple of days
were planned with a late afternoon visit to Ynys Aberteifi (Cardigan Island)
and tomorrow’s trip to Ynysoedd y Moelrhoniaid (The Skerries) having been
organised by Adrian Rayner. As one island
is almost the full western length of Wales from the other it would mean many
car miles were to be covered and as with trips such as these, when travelling a
relatively great distance, it’s always beneficial to try and visit a few other
hills on the way.
During the night the
rain battered the countryside which was in contrast to the last nine days of
settled weather, and as I left my bungalow at 6.40am and drove west towards
Aberystwyth the rain continued and hammered down as I made my way over
Eisteddfa Gurig. By the time I’d driven
past Aberteifi (Cardigan) the first semblance of white cloud and blue sky had
poked its way through the mass of overcast grey.
I parked on the south
side of the Mynydd Preseli hills in a small parking spot adequate for two or
three cars at SN 127 307. My plan was to
visit Carn Siân which is listed as a c 63m drop Pedwar with a map summit
height of 402m. Thankfully I’d brought
my wellies as I suspected island trips way prove a wee bit wet and with heavy
overnight rain the hills may be a wee bit soggy.
A green track heads
northward from the parking place and gains steady height around the western
bulk of Carn Siân, as I walked on it patched sunlight struck the eastern
face of the higher Foel Cwmcerwyn with its greened slopes disguising its
moorland appeal.
The green track soon
petered out to a path which proved wet and boggy in places, but it enabled me
to gain height relatively quickly and I was soon at the area of the bwlch which
connects Carn Siân to Foel Cwmcerwyn.
The bwlch consisted of long moor grass interspersed with purple heather;
within its realm were a number of soggy puddles and very soon also a rucksack
which had a Trimble sitting on its top.
As the Trimble gathered
data I watched another shower develop to the west and slowly push my way, and
as the first rain drops fell I turned my back to the shower and waited for the
allotted five minutes of data to be gathered.
By the time the Trimble had gathered the last of its 300 points the
shower had passed and I soon packed the equipment away and headed up toward the
summit.
Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Carn Siân with Foel Cwmcerwyn in the background |
The Trimble set-up position at the bwlch with Carn Siân in the background |
I followed the path on
the hillside that aims toward the east and the 300m tops of Carn Menyn and Foel
Drygarn, reaching its high point I marched over tussock grass toward the
upright stones at the summit of Carn Siân, these are a good
indicator where the highest ground is placed but as I contemplated trying to
balance the Trimble on the highest part of the narrow rock of one of the
upright stones, I gave them a wiggle and each moved, so I looked for the
highest ground at their base.
Within a few minutes the
Trimble was set up on my rucksack gathering another data set. During this process I stood quite a distance
away and watched a couple walking up from the east, although the weather looked
as if it was slowly improving there were still masses of grey murk accumulating
out to the west with their showers spraying down on the land. The bulk of these were just south from where
I stood, with intermittent blue patches appearing in the sky to the north.
Using my rucksack as an improvised tripod next to the upright rocks at the summit of Carn Siân |
The view east from the summit of Carn Siân |
The Trimble set-up position at the summit of Carn Siân |
Once the Trimble was
packed way I set off down the hill on a path that aimed the way I wanted to go,
off to the west a rainbow cast its magic colours across the northern part of
Foel Cwmcerwyn with its bow highlighting the continued grey, showery weather
still lingering across the land.
Still bathed in grey - Foel Cwmcerwyn and its rainbow |
The path shot me down to
my car and soon I was driving back to the high point of the A4329 road for my
next walk of the day. On the way the
murk descended and rain spat out from the sky.
I wondered how long it would last and had decided that the comforts of
the car were too appealing to venture out into it. However, as I pulled into the car park at the
top of the road the last spots of rain withered away and the sky brightened,
excellent stuff!
Survey Result:
Carn Siân
Summit Height: 401.5m (converted to OSGM15) (Pedwar status confirmed)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 12774 32142
Bwlch Height: 340.0m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 12140 32340
Drop: 61.5m
Dominance: 15.32%
Dominance: 15.32%
For further details please
consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet click {here}
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