18.10.18 Dinas Emrys (SH 606 492) and Panelau (SH 613
501)
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| Dinas Emrys (SH 606 492) |
Early autumnal mornings
are special times amongst the hills as the chilled night air can create
delicate mist formations which ebb and rise, slowly dissipating as the glow of
sun increases the day’s warmth.
On my way toward the two
hills I planned on visiting, I stopped my car and watched such a mist formation
as it meandered its way over Llyn y Gadair, as the great bulk of Moel Hebog and
its adjacent peaks acted as backdrop on this beautiful scene.
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| Llyn y Gadair and the great bulk of Moel Hebog |
To the south the oranged
hue of early morning cast out across the northern Rhinogydd, whilst ethereal
wisps of mist edged their way across the expanse of foreground water. All seemed still, only the mist slowly moved.
This scene heralded a
good day ahead, and so it proved as autumnal colour mingled with morning light
and distinctive and craggy tops to give me a wonderful few hours on the hill.
My first hill was Dinas
Emrys, legendary place of dragons and which has association with Myrddin Emrys,
the gifted youngster also known as Merlin.
I’d driven past this hill on many occasions but to my knowledge had
never visited its summit, although my brother told me we once did, I have no
recollection of this.
I approached from the
tranquil surrounds of Craflwyn, this house is now a traditional hotel, having
once been a hunting lodge and its laid out walks through Coed Craflwyn are recommended.
The path I opted for led
past the dragon seat and trees moss strewn and green with quietly falling small
waterfalls adding movement to an otherwise still scene. It was beautifully tranquil in the wooded
surrounds.
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| Coed Craflwyn |
The path led toward
Dinas Emrys whose wooded upper slopes still cast green as the last colour of
summer clung on against the browned bracken and first colour change of autumn.
In front of me the
cragged slopes of Panelau headed steeply upward and were accentuated against
the low lying and gentler wooded slopes of Dinas Emrys, both at contrast and
yet eloquently nested against one another.
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| The cragged and steep slopes of Panelau |
Sun glimmered through
the canopy as I followed the path toward the summit of Dinas Emrys, with the
last of the morning’s mist just clinging on as blue skies dominated the scene
with Moe Siabod rising as backdrop.
The summit of Dinas
Emrys consists of a large rock and once I had aligned the Trimble with its
highest point I stood back as it gathered its allotted data. To my south-west Moel Hebog rose with sun and
cloud casting light and shade upon its great bulk.
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| Moel Hebog from the summit of Dinas Emrys |
It was wonderful to be
on such a summit as Dinas Emrys, with stillness and sun and without a
care. Almost all I wanted was here with
me.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Dinas Emrys |
Once data were stored I
packed the Trimble away and retraced my inward route back out of the woodland
to a greened track leading up to an old abandoned mine. This track gave access to the western slopes
of Panelau, which abound with crags and ridges, all steep and looking decidedly
rough.
I made steady progress
up this rough ground looking back occasionally as Dinas Emrys sprang wooded out
of a foreground of autumnal moor grass, whose beige tinged edges contrasted
with the woodland below and the cultivated and reclaimed green pastures nestled
at the foot of Nantgwynant.
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| Dinas Emrys from the ascent of Panelau |
Reaching the summit I
balanced the Trimble aligned with its high point and waited for the allotted
data to be gathered and stored, and whilst doing so watched the play of light
leading toward the darkened profile of Y Lliwedd that dominated the scene, with
Yr Wyddfa almost an inconsequential elevated peak from this viewpoint.
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| Y Lliwedd |
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| Gathering data at the summit of Panelau |
Once summit data were
stored I followed a wall down to the connecting bwlch where I again set the
Trimble up to gather data. Having taken
this third data set of the day I packed the equipment away and followed another
wall down toward the Afon y Cwm and the inward track I had used to access this
hill’s western slopes.
On my walk back to
Craflwyn and my awaiting car I called in at Hafod-y-porth and spoke with Bethan
Roberts. We stood at the front of her
house and chatted about the hill I had just been up, this dominated the view,
rising steeply above the farm with its cragged expanse almost hovering above in
the late morning’s sun.
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| Outside Hafod-y-porth with Bethan Roberts |
After thanking Bethan
for her time it was only a short walk down the connecting lane to the main road
below, which in time took me back to Craflwyn.
A wonderful way to spend a morning.
Survey Result:
Dinas Emrys
Summit Height: 135.6m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 60666 49242 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)
Bwlch Height: 96.5m (LIDAR)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 60774 49401 (LIDAR)
Drop: 39.1m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)
Dominance: 28.86% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)
Panelau (significant name change)
Summit Height: 337.6m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 61301 50197
Bwlch Height: 287.2m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 61341 50439
Drop: 50.4m
Dominance: 14.94%
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