Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – 30-99m Twmpau

Gewni (SM 796 236) – 30-99m Twmpau addition

There has been confirmation of an addition to the 30-99m Twmpau list due to LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with the criteria for this list being:

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

This hill did not appear in the main P30 list or the accompanying Hills to be surveyed sub list when the original Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website as it was thought not to have 30m of drop and did not meet the criteria then used for the sub category; however this sub list has now been standardised including the addition of interpolated drop values and heights.

This hill was included as a P30 shortly after the Ordnance Survey Interactive Coverage Map became available on the Geograph website, and prior to LIDAR analysis it was listed with 35m of drop based on the 35m summit spot height that appears on this map.

The name of the hill is Gewni and it is a tidal island that is attached to mainland Wales at low tide.  The hill is adjoined to the Carn Llidi group of hills, which are situated in the south-western part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B4), with the island being positioned to the west of where the Afon Solfach (River Solva) enters the sea, and has the village of Solfach (Solva) towards its north-east.

Gewni (SM 796 236)

If wanting to visit the hill it is a part of designated open access land, for those wishing to do so caution is advised as the easiest approach will probably necessitate some form of scramble.

The confirmation of the addition of Gewni to 30-99m Twmpau status is due to LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales. 

The 1m DTM LIDAR analysis gives the hill the following details:

Name:  Gewni

Summit Height:  35.7m

Summit Grid Reference:  SM 79696 23606

Bwlch Height:  0.3m

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SM 79689 23698

Drop:  35.3m

LIDAR image of Gewni

Therefore, the 35.65m LIDAR analysis for the summit position at SM 79696 23606 and the 0.3m LIDAR analysis for the bwlch position at SM 79689 23698 gives this hill 35.3m of drop, which is sufficient for 30-99m Twmpau status.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carn Llidi

Name:  Gewni

OS 1:50,000 map:  157

Summit Height:  35.7m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SM 79696 23606 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  0.3m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SM 79689 23698 (LIDAR)

Drop:  35.3m (LIDAR)

Myrddyn Phillips (August 2018)