Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Carnedd Llywelyn

10.10.18  Llys y Gwynt (SH 779 728)  

Llys y Gwynt (SH 779 728)

Llys y Gwynt is one of a number of smaller heighted hills that lies undisturbed except for the passage of an occasional farmer or hill bagger.  It isn’t dramatic in nature, but does afford extensive views in to the higher eastern Carneddau, albeit its summit is plagued by copious amounts of gorse.

I visited Llys y Gwynt relatively early in the morning having travelled from Nantlle and stopping on route to watch the slender threads of mist as they played across the land beside Llyn Gwynant.  The misted scene again appeared beside Llynnau Mymbyr as delicate wafts ebbed their way upward toward the lower flank of Moel Siabod.  The misted morning foretold a blue skied day ahead.

Llyn Gwynant and Moel Hebog

Public footpaths approach the summit of this hill from the north-west and south-east, and it was the latter I chose having parked my car just off the narrow lane in a field, with the wired fence having been conveniently pulled back enabling a farmer’s vehicle to gain immediate access.

A convenient place to park a car

The field led upward toward the ruined gamekeeper’s house that now looks upon the abandoned scene.  This house must have been a solid stoned edifice built against the elements on the summit area of this hill.  Now ivy has taken hold and the roof is no more.  As I looked in through an open gapped window I heard movement inside, I backed away instinctively wondering if it may be a fox or badger, and a few seconds later caught the silent white flight of a barn owl as it flew overhead.

The summit of Llys y Gwynt is situated just beyond the trees in the centre of the photo

The ruined gamekeepers house on the summit of Llys y Gwynt

The high point of the hill was relatively easy to pinpoint and is situated amongst a large patch of gorse close to the ruined building.  Once the Trimble was set up and gathering data I walked around the house and stood in the sunshine looking out on a quiet land still waking in the morning air.

Gathering data at the summit of Llys y Gwynt

I let the Trimble gather 600 datum points, and after ten minutes closed it down, packed it away and retraced my inward route back to my awaiting car.  During the day I hoped to visit six P30s and two other lower prominence hills, all needed Trimbling with the prospective of a number of summit relocations.  My next hill was such an example; Maes Glas Mawr (SH 768 724) and Clytiau Poethion (SH 763 717).

Survey Result:

Llys y Gwynt (significant name change)

Summit Height:  120.6m (converted to OSGM15) (significant height revision)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 77982 72884

Bwlch Height:  50.7m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 76137 71943 (LIDAR)

Drop:  70.0m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  58.00% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet

Mapping Mountains – Summit Relocations – 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales

Bryn (SH 426 361)

There has been a Summit Relocation to a hill that is now listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the hill suggested as a P30 by Chris Pearson in February 2018 and its status confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Chris Crocker.  The hill was subsequently analysed by LIDAR and surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 by Myrddyn Phillips, with the latter taking place on the 10^th September 2018.

LIDAR image of the summit of Bryn

The criteria for the two listings that this summit relocation applies to are:

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.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales - Welsh P30 hills whose prominence  equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those additional Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is between one third and half that of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

The locally known name of the hill is Bryn, and this is the name it is now listed by, and it is adjoined to the Pen Llŷn group of hills, which are situated in the western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and is positioned overlooking the sea to its south and the A 497 road to its north, and has the town of Pwllheli towards the west.

As the summit of this hill is not a part of designated open access land permission to visit should be sought, for those wishing to do so a public footpath approaches the hill from its north and access to the summit is relatively easy from here via its north-west which avoids the majority of gorse on its upper part.

When this hill was first listed in the Hills to be surveyed sub list that accompanied the 30-99m height band of hills in the original Welsh P30 list published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, it was listed with a 36m summit height which appears as a spot height on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and is positioned at SH 42664 36179.

Prior to the Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey this hill’s summit and bwlch contours were analysed with LIDAR, with the conclusion that the hill is not a natural P30 as LIDAR bwlch contouring implies that the natural bwlch would once have been over 7m in height.  This bwlch is now reduced in height due to a railway cutting. 

An appropriate name for the hill was also researched via the Tithe map, finding that the upper section of the hill which now comprises one field, used to comprise two, with the boundary between each showing as a slight elevation on LIDAR.  This boundary although old, is not ancient, and would be a man-made construction.  LIDAR also shows that the natural summit of this hill still exists, close to the old field boundary.  Therefore I wanted to take data sets from the slightly raised field boundary, and the natural summit with LIDAR giving two potential positions for this, with one adjacent to the old field boundary and the other a few metres distant from it.

Therefore, three data sets were taken with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 from the summit area of this hill, resulting in:

1^st survey:  36.750m at SH 42673 36171 (raised old field boundary)

2^nd survey:  36.5965m at SH 42668 36171 (average of two surveys)

3^rd survey:  36.675m at SH 42656 36173 (natural summit)

The height produced by the Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey to the natural summit of this hill is 36.7m and is positioned at SH 42656 36173, this is not a dramatic difference in position compared to where the 36m spot height appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map, but it does come within the parameters of the Summit Relocations used within this page heading, these parameters are:

The term Summit Relocations applies to any listed hill whose summit meets the following criteria; where there are a number of potential summit positions within close proximity and the highest point is not where previously given, or a relocation of approximately 100 metres or more in distance from either the position of a map spot height or from where the summit of the hill was previously thought to exist, or when the summit of the hill is in a different field compared to where previously given, or when the natural and intact summit of a hill is confirmed compared to a higher point such as a raised field boundary that is judged to be a relatively recent man-made construct.  As heights on different scaled Ordnance Survey maps are not consistent the height given on the 1:25,000 Explorer map is being prioritised in favour of the 1:50,000 Landranger map for detailing these relocations.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Bryn

Therefore, the natural summit height produced by the Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey is 36.7m and is positioned at SH 42656 36173, this is relatively close to where the 36m spot height of this hill is positioned and is approximately 17 metres from where the raised old field boundary is situated, and as this is considered a relatively recent man-made construct it is not considered as a part of this hill’s height.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pen Llŷn

Name:  Bryn

OS 1:50,000 map:  123

Summit Height:  36.7m (converted to OSGM15) (natural summit)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 42656 36173 (natural summit)

Bwlch Height:  6.6m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 43103 36535 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  30.0m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  81.88% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details on the survey that relocated the summit position of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains – Summit Relocations – 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cae Ffwyn Uchaf (SN 588 005)

There has been a Summit Relocation to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location, drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Cae Ffwyn Uchaf

The criteria for the two listings that this summit relocation applies to are:

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.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales - Welsh P30 hills whose prominence  equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those additional Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is between one third and half that of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

The name of the bounded land where the summit of this hill is situated is Cae Ffwyn Uchaf and this was derived from the Tithe map, and it is the name this hill is now listed by.  The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Penlle’rcastell group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and is positioned with the B 4296 immediately to its east with the M 4 and the Afon Lliw beyond, and has the town of Gorseinon towards the south.

As the summit of this hill is not a part of designated open access land permission to visit should be sought, for those wishing to do so it is positioned relatively close to a B road which could give access towards the summit from its east.

When this hill was originally listed as a P30 and published in the 30-99m height band of hills on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, and drop values later added it was listed with c 34m of drop based on the 67m spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger map at SN 586 998 and an estimated c 33m bwlch height.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger map

The position of this hill’s summit was re-evaluated when the Ordnance Survey Interactive Coverage Map hosted on the Geograph website became available online, this map showed a 67m spot height positioned at SN 588 005.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Interactive Coverage Map hosted on the Geograph website

However, it was only with the advent of LIDAR that the high point of this hill could be confirmed, with the summit height produced by LIDAR analysis being 66.6m at SN 58825 00532, with LIDAR giving 65.9m at SS 58625 99765 to the position of the previously listed summit.  The position of the new listed summit position in relation to that previously given comes within the parameters of the Summit Relocations used within this page heading, these parameters are:

LIDAR image of the old listed summit position

The term Summit Relocations applies to any listed hill whose summit meets the following criteria; where there are a number of potential summit positions within close proximity and the highest point is not where previously given, or a relocation of approximately 100 metres or more in distance from either the position of a map spot height or from where the summit of the hill was previously thought to exist, or when the summit of the hill is in a different field compared to where previously given, or when the natural and intact summit of a hill is confirmed compared to a higher point such as a raised field boundary that is judged to be a relatively recent man-made construct.  As heights on different scaled Ordnance Survey maps are not consistent the height given on the 1:25,000 Explorer map is being prioritised in favour of the 1:50,000 Landranger map for detailing these relocations.

The summit height produced by LIDAR analysis is 66.6m and is positioned at SN 58825 00532, this position is close to where the 67m spot height appears on the Ordnance Survey Interactive Coverage Map hosted on the Geograph website, and it is approximately 750 metres north from where the previously listed summit is positioned.  With the caveat that the previously listed summit has a covered reservoir positioned at or close to it, and as this is considered a relatively recent man-made construct it is not considered as a part of this hill’s height.

   

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Penlle’rcastell

Name:  Cae Ffwyn Uchaf

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  66.6m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference (new position):  SN 58825 00532 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  36.0m (LIDAR, natural bwlch)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 59731 00951 (LIDAR, natural bwlch)

 

Drop:  30.6m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  45.90% (LIDAR)

My thanks to Aled Williams for helping to decipher the Tithe name given to the bounded land where the summit of this hill is situated

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales

Bryn (SH 426 361)

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is now listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with it suggested as a P30 by Chris Pearson in February 2018 and its status confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Chris Crocker.  The hill was subsequently analysed by LIDAR and surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 by Myrddyn Phillips, with the latter taking place on the 10^th September 2018.

LIDAR image of Bryn

The criteria for the two listings that this name change applies to are:

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.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales - Welsh P30 hills whose prominence  equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those additional Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is between one third and half that of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Pen Llŷn group of hills, which are situated in the western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and is positioned overlooking the sea to its south and the A 497 road to its north, and has the town of Pwllheli towards the west.

The hill originally appeared in the accompanying sub list entitled Hills to be surveyed and which is adjoined to the 30-99m P30 list published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Creigiau Penychain, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the North.

Creigiau Penychain

36m

SH427362

123

254

Name from buildings to the North

During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance use the word Creigiau instead.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

As the summit of this hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map, and the upper section of the hill which now comprises one field, used to comprise two, with the boundary between each showing as a slight elevation on LIDAR.  This boundary although old, is not ancient, and is a relatively recent man-made construct.

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Extract from the Tithe map

Extract from the Tithe map

The two upper fields at the time of the Tithe are orientated north-west – south-east of one another.  The enclosed land where the north-westerly field is situated is given the number 2183 on the Tithe map, whilst the south-easterly field is given the number 2212 on the Tithe map, these can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The north-westerly field is named Bryn Cefn Tŷ and the south-easterly field is named Cae Bryn in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Aber-erch and in the county named as Caernarfonshire.

Extract from the apportionments

Extract from the apportionments

After visiting the hill I took the opportunity to call at the farm of Penychain which is situated to the immediate north of the hill, and met Griffith Owen; the local farmer, who is now aged 76 and has lived at this farm for many years.  Griffith told me that the headland to the south-east of this hill’s summit is known as Penychain and that the hill is known as Bryn, with some locals also knowing it as Bryn Penychain to differentiate this generic name from other hills in the vicinity that are also known as Bryn.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Bryn, and this was derived from local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pen Llŷn

Name:  Bryn

Previously Listed Name:  Creigiau Penychain

 

OS 1:50,000 map:  123

Summit Height:  36.7m (converted to OSGM15) (natural summit)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 42656 36173 (natural summit)

Bwlch Height:  6.6m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 43103 36535 (LIDAR)

 

Drop:  30.0m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  81.88% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details of the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Guest Contributor – Dale Vernor

Introduction

If readers would like to contribute an article for the Guest Contributor page heading please contact me, my email address appears on the About Me page heading.  The only two things I ask is that the article should be hill related and importantly I should not end up in court through its publication!  Otherwise the choice of subject matter is down to the Guest Contributor.

About the Author; Dale Vernor

DALE VERNOR is a writer and researcher in the fields of mental health and substance abuse. After a brief struggle with addiction Dale was able to earn his Bachelor's degree and find a job doing what he enjoys.  After finding sobriety Dale has developed a passion for the outdoors and tries to be in nature and see new sights as often as possible. 

The Great Outdoors and its Impact on Mental Health

It is an undeniable fact that mental health issues affect many people around the world.  Then again, despite this fact, it is still overwhelming to know that in the United States alone, the number is very high.

In the recent report released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the following statistics were revealed:

● Almost 44 million of the adult American population are presently going through some kind of mental illness;

●  Nearly 20% of adults have experienced anxiety;

●  Almost 26% of children have, or are, experiencing anxiety; and

● Almost 10% of the American children have suffered, or are currently suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), while 1 in every 50 children end up diagnosed with Autism.

With all these facts and statistics, it is safe to assume that the prevalence of mental health problems among Americans has increased tremendously.  As a matter of fact, the number of people being admitted to ambulatory centres, residential facilities, and psychiatric hubs rose by almost 5 times compared to that in the mid-1950s.  Now, it can be said that almost 40 in 100 Americans are receiving mental health care.  This tremendous rise in mental health problems is actually considered as an epidemic by some scholars and researchers.

The truth behind the Nature Deficit Disorder

Up until now, there is no single cause that can explain why mental health issue occurs.  However, there’s a new concept introduced by Richard Louv in his book named “Last Child in the Woods.” Here, Louv suggested that because we spend fewer hours outdoor, we sacrifice our mental and physical well-being.

Though nature deficit disorder is not considered as a formal medical diagnosis, it is a good way to explain the cognitive, physical, and psychological repercussions brought by human beings’ alienation of nature.  These repercussions are strongly experienced during one’s younger years.  Richard Louv explained that our alienation from nature led us to develop negative feelings and moods.  This also decreased our attention span, said Louv.

According to Dr. Ross Cameron of the Sheffield University in his interview with BBC News, nature deficit disorder can be considered as a symptom of the current sedentary lifestyle of people.  He even explained further that because we are so glued to our gadgets, devices, and other products of modern technology, we become less and less perceptive of nature and we learn about the wild from TV than from exploring the woods.

In Dr. Cameron’s lecture at the Royal Horticultural Society, he mentioned that NDD is used to describe the entire phenomenon where we become less and less attached to the natural processes and to the natural experiences offered by life.  He ended his lecture by suggesting ways on how we can bring nature back into our lives, and consequently, help increase our attention span and improve our mental health.

These are his suggestions:

● To bring nature into our lives, we can try by adding any kind of green into our spaces.  We can start by putting weeds or potted plants in our living room or in our patio.  These can attract wildlife and can help expose people to the positive effects of nature.

● We can also try bringing in some Junipers of Scots pine because these can capture air pollutants, thus, improving the quality of air circulating in our spaces.

● We can also grow Catalpa or Paulownia since these can lock up excess nitrates from the soil.

 

Benefits of Outdoor Activities to our Mental Health

As a support to the concept of nature deficit disorder, the 2012 review of scientists from Stanford revealed that there are actually numerous studies highlighting the benefits of spending more time outdoors.  In the said review, a study on the effects of spending time outdoors was highlighted.  In the said study, people of different ages were taken as respondents.  They are divided into two groups.  The first group of respondents was tasked to spend more time outdoors, while the second group was left to spend their time indoors.

The results of the study revealed that those who spent more time with nature ended up feeling joyful, having more self-esteem, improving their memory, and lessening their stress-levels.  Also, these positive effects of nature exposure were not just felt but were also seen in physical and mental health.  The participants who were exposed to nature had decreased blood pressure, better heart rates, and improved brain activities.

According to a study published in the JAMA Network, it was revealed that mountain climbing, along with other outdoor activities, offers a lot of benefits.  Physically, such activities are equivalent to a full body workout, hence, can greatly improve blood circulation and cardiovascular health.  If you do it on a regular basis, it can help you lose weight and body fat.  It can also help you tone your muscles.

On the psychological level, conquering a mountain or finishing a difficult trail can be very rewarding, thus, making the person experience euphoria.  The panoramic views can also make the person feel happy, calm, and more in tune with nature.

Unfortunately, though, despite the positive physical and mental effects of nature exposure, there is still a steady decline in the rate of physical and outdoor activities engaged by most people.  In the same study conducted by the scientists from Stanford, it was revealed that on the average, an American adult remains sedentary in almost 8 hours, while an American child from 0 to 12 only spend a maximum of 40 minutes a week for doing outdoor activities.  Also, this finding is supported by the fact that since 1988, almost 20% decline in the per capita visitors of the National Park System.

 

Outdoor Activities for those in Addiction Recovery

For those in addiction recovery, especially those with co-occurring conditions, attending holistic addiction treatment allows you to spend more time with nature would help the individual heal, not only from the physical effects of addiction but also find healing for his overall well-being.

A time spent with nature like mountain hiking, rock climbing, or a simple trekking can help us get the physical exercise our bodies need while we also reconnect with nature and improve our mental health.  A visit to the mountain where it’s serene and calm could help us heal from the daily anxiety and stresses brought by life and other circumstances.

Most of the time, especially when city life gets very demanding and stressful, retreating to the mountains can give us the feeling of finally being able to find refuge or a sanctuary where we can rest our bodies and our minds.  A little peace and quiet, along with magnificent scenery and fresh air could help remind us that no matter where life takes us or how difficult things may become, we can always retreat for a while, relax, recharge, and get ready to fight again. These are the feelings and realizations outdoor activities can give us. 

Other Benefits of Outdoor Nature Exposure

When we go out of our comfort zones to experience nature, we might also be lucky to meet other people who share the same motivations or passions with us.  If we’re lucky, we might be able to find life-long friends while enjoying fresh mountain air or while struggling with the challenging mountain trail.

Our chances of finding and discovering exciting people are more if we decide to ditch our sedentary lifestyle and try some outdoor activities.  Who knows, you might even find the love of your life while you’re on that trek.

 

Where can I find rock climbing and hiking activities?

For individuals struggling with addiction who wants to try addiction treatment programs that would allow them to spend some time outdoors, you can inquire about different holistic treatment approaches by addiction rehab centres.  If you want to get to know more about this option, you can visit the nearest addiction rehab facility near you and speak to an Addiction Specialist.

For those who are not on rehab but want to join hiking and rock climbing activities, you can check out local hiking and trekking tour groups.  These groups usually plan an itinerary ahead and gather people who want to join them on their guided trek.  These treks are usually accompanied by an expert so you can be sure that you’re safe.

If you want to be more adventurous though, you can gather your own friends and plan a mountain climbing activity. Before you do this, make sure though that you know the trail well, that you are physically fit to go on with the climb, and that you are mentally prepared for it.

If you want to read tips and stories about hiking, mountain climbing, and outdoor experiences, you can check out the blogs on Mapping Mountains.  You can read a lot of stories about the different mountains climbed and explored by the author.  From these stories, you can gain a lot of valuable insights that could also help you prepare physically and mentally for your own outdoor excursions.

So, what are you waiting for?  Put that gadget down, get out, and enjoy the wonders of nature!

Dale Vernor (January 2019)