Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Fforest Glud

13.06.18  Llan Fawr (SO 252 664) and Hoddell Top (SO 238 653)

Llan Fawr (SO 252 664)

With a forecast for dry conditions, albeit a little muggy, and with the weather predicted to break the following day I decided to take advantage and visit two hills on my way home from Worcester that are situated above Whitton, which is a small hamlet to the south of Knighton, between each is the Cascob Brook, which is a tributary of the River Lugg.

It was already muggy when I set off at just before 8.40am following a paved road to the Rectory Farm where I spotted someone in the kitchen and so I waved a wave that signalled I wanted to talk with them, Ron Phillips’ wife opened the door and soon her husband was standing outside and we were talking about the hills.  As with many, if not all of these encounters with local farmers Ron proved a delight to talk with, he is now aged 82 and yet looked at least ten years younger, he’d lived at the Rectory farm since 1939 and after telling me about the names of the two hills I was heading for, he suggested I should also talk with Raymond Thomas who lives in a bungalow which was conveniently placed on my descent route.

Llan Fawr from the approach to the Rectory farm

Ron Phillips of the Rectory farm

Having thanked Ron for his time I continued from the farm up a track that led on to open hillside.  Llan Fawr looks like a great steep bulk of a hill from the valley below, rising uncompromisingly above, but as with most hills if a path exists it usually eases passage.  The majority of the south-eastern flank of my first hill; Llan Fawr was covered in fresh shooting fern, however there were large patches of land consisting of just cropped grass and these gave an easy passage toward the trig pillar on the summit.

The route to the hill

Llan Fawr from the east

I set the Trimble up on what I judged to be the high point of the hill about two metres from the base of the trig pillar and waited patiently for ten minutes of data to be gathered.

Gathering data at the summit of Llan Fawr

As I left the summit intermittent bursts of sunshine would strike out from an otherwise dulled and cloudy scene.  A path through the fern led down toward this hill’s connecting bwlch, on the way I stopped and took a few photos of brightly marked sheep lying in shade under small stunted trees, their faces attentive looking back at me.

Resting

I did not have much hope of gathering data from the connecting bwlch as maps suggest the critical point to be just within forestry, but as I approached I quickly got the Trimble out and set it up as the bwlch lay beside a green track with ground behind rising steeply through fern to the forest above.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Llan Fawr

The Trimble set-up position at the critical bwlch of Llan Fawr

Having taken another ten minute data set I packed the Trimble away and continued on the green track down toward the renovated buildings of Pentre, before continuing up a paved lane toward Sprigs Cottage, I knocked on the door hoping to make more place-name enquiries, but there was no answer.

The paved lane stopped at the cottage with a narrow enclosed footpath continuing up in the same direction.  I hoped that a gate would give access to a field on my left from where I could make my way to the summit of the hill known locally as Hoddell Top, however the footpath left its narrow confines and headed up a field which gave access toward the hill’s high point, this has a small fenced compound with scrub undergrowth on it which almost hides the water tank below its concrete and flat top.

Llan Fawr from the approach to Hoddell Top

I positioned the Trimble on top of one of the fence posts and took a measurement offset to what I judged to be the highest natural ground at its base and gathered another ten minute data set, during which I examined the map for the best route down, and stood in the warmth and quietness where nothing seemed to stir and the world seemed at ease with itself.

Gathering data at the summit of Hoddell Top

The small fenced compound which has a covered water tank at the high point

My downward route took me around the periphery of a recently ploughed field to the Ackwood Lane, this track headed down toward Dyffryn farm where I met Ithel Thomas, the son of Raymond, who Ron Phillips had suggested I should talk with.

Llan Fawr from the descent toward Dyffryn farm

I chatted with Ithel for a number of minutes, he was spraying sheep and had 300 to do, and seemed happy enough to take a break, Ithel explained that the land of Dyffryn goes up as far as the Ackwood Lane and beyond is Hoddell Top which takes in the summit of the hill that I had just visited, with the farm of Hoddell situated further east toward Beggar’s Bush.

Ithel Thomas of Dyffryn farm

My next call was further down the paved lane where I met Ithel’s father; Raymond Thomas, we talked at length and he also knew the hill I had just visited as Hoddell Top, his wife was cooking lunch and kindly gave me a glass of water as I must have looked thirsty.

Raymond Thomas

Thanking Raymond for his time I turned left outside his bungalow and left again for a short walk on the lane to my awaiting car.

Survey Result:

Llan Fawr

Summit Height:  386.8m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 25266 66473

Bwlch Height:  299.0m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 24478 67037

Drop:  87.8m

Dominance:  22.70%

Hoddell Top (significant name change)

Summit Height:  377.0m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 23857 65354

Bwlch Height:  338.4m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 23173 64973 (LIDAR)

Drop:  38.6m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  10.25% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet