Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Carnedd Wen

03.10.16  Stingwern Hill (SJ 132 014)    

Stingwern Hill (SJ 132 014)

Stingwern Hill rises above the Afon Rhiw (River Rhiw) which meanders to its north down toward the quiet village of Aberriw (Berriew).  It was this village that Rick and Jen had made their base for a couple of nights as their pursuit of setting a new 12 month record for the Marilyns continued.

This part of Wales is ideal for such a venture as there are a number of Marilyns within easy access, both from distance travelled between each and also from immediate access to the summits from relatively high country roads.  By the time we met they had already visited Y Golfa (SJ 182 070), and the next hill on the day’s schedule was Stingwern Hill, a 358m map heighted hill that is adorned with a trig pillar at its summit.  I’d only visited this hill once before with Bob Kerr in October 2012 when we’d had a quick nine minute up and down visit to its summit.  Today was a little more leisurely.

Part of the reason for a leisurely walk was having the Trimble and wanting to survey two points that vie for the accolade of summit position meaning that we would be on the summit area for twenty minutes or so, but the glorious early October weather also dictated a leisurely pace, as why rush when one can wander and soak in the warmth of early Autumn. 

Rick and Jen had a plan to visit six Marilyns during the day and this seemed achievable even with a Trimble chomping at the bit to produce accurate height data and with blue skies and sunshine becalming all around.

Stingwern Hill is easily accessed from its north where a car can be left in a tarmacked passing place.  I set off first to test my recently sprained knee, by the time I was setting the Trimble up beside the trig pillar on what was judged to be the high point of the hill, Rick and Jen were making their way up to join me.

Rick and Jen on the way to the summit of Stingwern Hill

Once five minutes of data were gathered at the high point adjacent to the trig we headed south-west for about 100 metres to where the other potential high point is positioned, we all thought that this was lower when compared to the ground beside the trig pillar, but it needed Trimbling and the height comparison will be interesting once the data are processed.

Gathering data at the summit of Stingwern Hill

Gathering data at the lower south-westerly point with the trig pillar and summit in the background

Rick and Jen on Stingwern Hill

The view south-west from Stingwern Hill

After this second five minute data set was gathered I packed the Trimble away and we sauntered down the hill back to the car.  Next stop another Marilyn above Trefaldwyn (Montgomery).

 

Survey Result:

Stingwern Hill

Summit Height:  358.1m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000))

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 13282 01452 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  c 179m (interpolation)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 09845 99748 (interpolation)  

Drop:  c 179m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)

Dominance:  50.01% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)

For details of the 2nd visit to Stingwern Hill

For further details please consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet