Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – 100m Twmpau

Pandy Bank (SJ 336 538) - 100m Twmpau addition

There has been an addition to the 100m Twmpau (thirty welsh metre prominences and upward) hill list instigated by a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000.   The hill is situated on the northern outskirts of Wrecsam (Wrexham) overlooking the community of Pandy, in the easterly part of the Bryniau Clwyd range of hills.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey that resulted in this hill’s inclusion as a 100m Twmpau was conducted in the afternoon on the 5^th April 2016 in good, dry and sometimes bright conditions.  With the bwlch height subsequently ascertained from LIDAR analysis initially conducted by Chris Crocker and latterly by Myrddyn Phillips.  

The hill can be accessed from its north from the end of the Pont y Capel Lane where there is sufficient space for three or four cars to be parked.  A broad path leaves the end of the paved road beside a low metal barrier barring entrance to four wheel drive vehicles; a sign proclaims that the land beyond this point is private, so those wishing to visit should technically seek permission to do so.  The broad path leads through woodland toward a high metal fence that borders the adjacent Shrewsbury – Chester railway line where the bwlch of the hill is situated.  The broad path follows this boundary and the summit can be accessed up its steep northern face or from its south, all approaches are steep and much of the hill’s upper slopes have silver birch covering them.

The hill is named Pandy Bank and its summit is positioned at SJ 336 538.  This is a locally known name for the hill and was found when I made enquiries during my ascent.  The only name that appears on current Ordnance Survey maps relating to this hill is ‘Spoil Heap (disused)’.  As the Ordnance Survey detail implies, this hill is the relic of mining waste which was deposited from the old Gresford Colliery.  This site now forms a part of the Gresford Industrial Park.

Contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 mapping does not give this hill any ring contours; however the Ordnance Survey enlarged mapping hosted on the Geograph website does, and uses contour intervals of 5m, with an uppermost contour ring of 105m and bwlch contouring between 70m – 75m.  These contours give the hill a minimum of 30m of drop and contour interpolation prior to the summit survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 and subsequent LIDAR analysis suggested that the hill had 34m – 35m of drop. 

The survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 resulted in a 105.4m (converted to OSGM15) summit height and the subsequent LIDAR analysis resulted in a bwlch height of 70.2m, with these values giving this hill 35.1m of drop.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Bryniau Clwyd

Name:  Pandy Bank

OS 1:50,000 map:  117

Previously Listed Name:  Not previously classified 

Summit Height:  105.4m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 33630 53882

Bwlch Height:  70.3m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 33704 53783 (LIDAR)

Drop:  35.1m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Pandy Bank (SJ 336 538) the new 100m Twmpau

For details on the summit survey of Pandy Bank

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2016)