Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Mynydd Hiraethog

05.04.16  Moel Fodiar (SH 978 680)  

Moel Fodiar (SH 978 680)

Moel Fodiar is positioned to the east of the Afon Aled and is elevated above its surrounds and neighbouring peaks, its prominent position affords extensive views, and these did not disappoint when I reached its summit as the northern blue sky and sunshine cast down on the 160 wind turbines standing white in the Gwynt y Môr wind farm out to sea, whilst away to the west the high Eryri peaks rose grey and silhouetted against the greens of fairer foreground pasture.  I stood and looked and soaked in the view, it was only a fleeting visit on my part but that view was to be savoured and stored in memories eye.

Gwynt y Môr wind farm

The high grey silhouetted peaks of Eryri

I’d approached from the west north-west from the convenience of a high and narrow lane that skirts this hill’s western slopes before darting down toward the safer valley realms.  A public footpath leaves this narrow road and contours around the northern slopes of the hill, this is where I parked and then set off up a wide gap in the gorse on a good path which is not marked on the map, but which ascends all the way to the summit.

As I popped out on top two young mountain bikers were resting beside the summit cairn which is positioned on one of the two tumuli at the summit of this hill, we chatted for a few minutes and then they were off down the hill’s eastern slopes, leaving me to examine the cairn trying to find the highest ground at its base.  As the chilled breeze from earlier in the day had not relented I decided not to position the Trimble on top of my rucksack and opted to put it on one of the rocks of the cairn and take a measurement offset to the highest ground immediately below it.

As the last of the 300 data points were collected voices appeared brought up on the breeze and within a minute of closing the equipment down a group of four people appeared with their dog following the same path as I had.  I’d passed the same group on the minor lane as I drove up the hill, I chatted with one of the group who originated from Bangor, but now lived locally, pointing out his house to the south of the hill.  We both praised the view and talked about the higher hills to our west, reminiscing about Tryfan and Crib Goch.  As they left descending the eastern slopes I decided to take a second data set from the adjacent tumulus.  As the Trimble beeped away gathering its allotted 300 data points I tried judging what tumulus was higher, the one with the cairn seemed to be the winner, but eyesight alone is not ideal to judge such things.

Gathering data at the summit of Moel Fodiar

Having collected the two data sets from the summit of Moel Fodiar, I only had one hill left to visit and survey; this was situated on the outskirts of Pandy, which is on the northern extremity of Wrexham.  To my knowledge no other hill bagger knows that this hill exists, let alone has visited its summit, and it needed Trimbling to confirm its claim to being Wales’ newest P30.  So it was away to Wrexham next, after retracing my steps back down to my car.

Survey Result:

Moel Fodiar

Summit Height:  389.8m (converted to OSGM15, Timble GeoXH 6000) (390m Sub-Pedwar deletion)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 97828 68002 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  273m (spot height)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 98189 67421 (spot height)

Drop:  117m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and spot height bwlch)

Dominance:  30.02% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and spot height bwlch)

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