Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Y Berwyn

04.05.16  Cae Canol (SJ 098 172) 

Cae Canol (SJ 098 172)

Having previously visited Craig Garth Bwlch (SJ 018 181) and Moel y Gôd (SJ 072 168) I wanted a leisurely stroll to the top of another small hill to round off the day’s activities.  Over the years I’d visited a number of P30s between Llanfyllin and Llanwddyn but a 323m map heighted hill at SJ 098 172 had escaped my attention.

I parked relatively high on a minor lane beside the entrance to Cefnllwyni, a rather grand and well-kept house that now offers Bed and Breakfast.  A public footpath makes its way westward from this point toward Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa, I chose the left track of two and hoped that this was the path.  As the track rounded the back of Cefnllwyni I had my doubts and this was soon confirmed by the owner of the house.  We chatted for ten minutes or so, he’d lived there for twenty years having moved from Cheshire, I asked about the name of his house and whether he’d ever heard the hill being called the same name, he said he hadn’t and that he’d never heard a name for the hill.  I explained what I hoped to do, and he kindly directed me over a fence, through a gate in to a field and toward the top of the hill.  I later checked the Tithe map and the field where the summit of this hill is situated is named Cae Canol, and this is now being used for its listed name.

Once in the field the land opened up with extensive views in all directions, but it was the high Aran that my gaze concentrated on, these are wonderful mountains and form a block of rock set against rolling hills when seen from this vantage point.

The high Aran dominating the view beyond the foreground of rolling landscape

On my way to the summit I passed a number of sheep lolled asleep in the afternoon sunshine, seemingly oblivious to my presence as my camera’s shutter clicked and I quietly moved on trying not to disturb their slumber.

Asleep in the afternoon sunshine

Enjoying the day

I took data from three separate points with two vying for the hill’s high point.  During this time my mind wandered and examined one or two perplexing and interesting things currently on the go in my life, it seems doing this in the environment of a hill walk is ideal as it affords a certain uncluttering of periphery detail where one’s mind can concentrate on the subject at hand.  This thought process is more evident when surveying as extended time spent in one place usually takes place, during this time one can stand motionless in thought which can be a wonderful, fulfilling and constructive process.

Gathering data at the summit of Cae Canol

Having gathered summit data I followed the hill’s north-westerly summit fence toward where it intersects with the public footpath and followed this westward toward the area of this hill’s bwlch.  I found this to be in a field where a lively horse was resident.  I tried to go about my business in a quiet and non-confrontational way and a few minutes later had gathered another two data sets, all in view of the horse and a house from where voices emanated.

Gathering data at the bwlch of Cae Canol

Once happy that my day’s data gathering had been completed I packed the Trimble away and followed the footpath back over the hill and down toward Cefnllwyni, stopping for another chat with the owner who was out gardening next to his manicured lawn.

Survey Result:

Cae Canol (significant name change)

Summit Height:  323.2m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 09866 17255 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  282.2m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 09267 17553 (LIDAR)

Drop:  41.0m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  12.68% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

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