15.10.18 Mynydd y Dref (SH 759 777), Penmaen Bach (SH
750 777), Penmaen Bach (SH 748 780), Allt Wen (SH 745 772), Cogwrn (SH 756 767)
and Bryn Mawr (SH 765 766)
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| Allt Wen (SH 745 772) |
The hills to the north
and south-east of the Sychnant Road Pass in the northern Carneddau are a
compact group of hills, ones that I had not previously visited, but often
considered doing so. I had been in this
part of Wales for 16 days and needed to get home to re-group, and with a
forecast of unblemished blue sky with grey murk edging in as the day progressed
as far as the east of Wales, it was an ideal opportunity to now visit these
hills.
I set off at 8.25am from
the east of the pass following a public footpath toward Mynydd y Dref, which is
also known as Conwy Mountain. As height
was gained the slithers of autumnal mist cast out across the valley floor,
delicately hugging lower hillsides as the first light of day awoke.
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| Early morning mist with the summit of Y Faerdre (SH 781 794) in the foreground |
The mist merged in to a
low lying slightly greyed cloud bank, and above heralded a stunning day ahead
as the sky was clear and awaited the arrival of the sun. This broke through as I arrived at the summit
of Mynydd y Dref with a good greened track leading up its broad eastern ridge.
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| Approaching the summit of Mynydd y Dref |
The summit consists of a
large flattish rock and as I positioned the Trimble aligned with its high point
I looked down and noticed a woman making quick progress up the ridge, she soon arrived
at the summit just as I was about to activate the Trimble.
Melanie Cross greeted me
with a smile and asked what the equipment was doing, I explained and she
replied that one of her friends has friends that also survey mountains. I smiled and thought that it is a very small
world indeed as there are few independent surveyors in Britain, and when
Melanie explained that her friend was also a part of a big database and his
name is Chris, there was only one person who fitted the bill; Chris Crocker.
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| Melanie on the summit of Mynydd y Dref |
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| Allt Wen from Mynydd y Dref |
Melanie and I chatted
for a number of minutes and departed with a hug! Whilst Melanie headed down the ridge I
continued toward this hill’s connecting bwlch which is positioned beside one of
many manicured green paths that pass over and between these hills. Once data were collected from the bwlch I
continued toward the lower of the two Penmaen Bach summits.
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| Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Mynydd y Dref |
This lower summit must
have few visitors as it had no path to its highest point, a rarity amongst
these hills. As the Trimble gathered its
allotted data I stood and savoured the colour cast on adjacent hills and took
in the view, the latter was extensive whilst the former remained subline all
day, with a clarity and cleanness that only the months outside of summer can
bring.
The connecting bwlch
between the two Penmaen Bach peaks was positioned in a field which is probably
a part of Pen-pyra farm. I used a gate
to access the area of the bwlch and soon the Trimble was set up beeping away as
individual datum points were gathered and stored.
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| Gogarth (SH 767 833) from the approach to Penmaen Bach |
Once back through the
gate I followed the path up to the summit of the higher of the Penmaen Bach
tops which again consists of a large up thrust of rock. These hills were proving a delight as the
colour riched morning enhanced their appeal and the closeness of sea gave their
height true prominence. The sea enriches
any walk, and there are only a few hills in Wales where hill meets sea. However, today went against this trend as the
great depths of sea gave a blue tinged backdrop to many of these hills.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Penmaen Bach (SH 748 780) |
Leaving this third of my
planned six summits of the day, I followed a narrow path toward my next hill;
Allt Wen, and considered gathering data from the connecting bwlch, but as this
lay in another grazing field with access to it over a high wall and barb wired
fence I decided that caution was the order of the day and pressed on toward
Allt Wen via a bed of water unnamed on the map, which gave a beautied
foreground to the hills I had just visited.
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| Mynydd y Dref (SH 759 777) |
The summit of Allt Wen
was crowned by a small up thrust of rock and the view from its top was stunning,
with again the sea as backdrop and Foel Lus conically shaped across the
intervening valley with heathered slopes and straight edged paths leading up
its broad bulk.
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| Foel Lus from Allt Wen |
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| Penmaen Bach (SH 750 777) from Allt Wen |
By now I was captivated
by these hills, they are only relatively small in height but they have an
appeal to them beyond just height and classification. I descended the eastern ridge of Allt Fawr
toward its connecting bwlch which is next to a solid stone wall and as I sat on
a near rock a few metres from the track that headed down to the road pass,
eating a sandwich and enjoying the autumnal warmth and tranquillity, the
Trimble quietly beeped away gathering a ten minute data set.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Allt Wen |
The track leading down
to the road pass is also the connecting track to Pen-pyra farm, in its steepest
sections it is paved and clings on to the hillside in a rather precarious
fashion. As I descended it the colour
bounced off Allt Wen as blue sky and flouting high slender cloud accentuated
the scene, it was glorious.
To connect with my next
hill; Cogwrn, I chose the road route, which instantly contrasted with my
morning’s journey as much of it was enclosed, an almost funnelled environment
that enhanced the openness of hill and land.
This led to a track and a small parking area, with an onward path
leading up the north-west ridge of Cogwrn.
This hill is another
crowned by a small up thrust of rock and as the Trimble gathered its allotted
data two people walked up close to the summit, they came over as I was closing
the equipment down; Rhianna and Clio Spencer are sisters and we chatted for
quite some time, each are nannies based in Seattle in America, and were back in
Wales visiting friends and family for two weeks, their youthful exuberance and
friendliness was a delight. Before
heading down I took a few photos of them sitting on the summit and then it was
onward down the pathed southern ridge to its connecting bwlch for another
Trimble data set.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Cogwrn |
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| Rhianna and Clio at the summit of Cogwrn |
I now wanted to make
place-name enquiries as the hill I had just visited is unnamed on the map,
therefore I visited one of a number of houses beside the narrow lane to the
east of the hill and was told that the hill is known as Cogwrn after the farm
of the same name that nestles in to its hillside and which was only a short walk
down the road from the house that I had called at.
I then used a public
footpath toward my last hill of the day; Bryn Mawr, passing Rhianna and Clio as
they wandered down the road heading home.
The footpath was initially enclosed and then opened out and led across
fields. I considered surveying the
critical bwlch of this last hill, but as LIDAR had been analysed and produced
an accurate result and as the bwlch was positioned in a field overlooked by a
large house, I decided to carry on toward Bryn Mawr instead of risking the
wrath of a local.
I accessed Bryn Mawr
through the adjacent Coed Hendre and quietly made progress toward the
hill. This entailed a number of
stretches over barb wired fences, but soon I was through a gate in to its
wooded domain and eventually at its summit.
As the Trimble gathered the last of its ten data sets of the day I stood
beside a mass of gorse and relaxed in the afternoon sunshine.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Bryn Mawr |
Once the Trimble was
packed away I headed toward a near track, passing the remains of a small round
shaped building and a neatly stacked arrangement of empty beer bottles from
what looked like a number of hillside gatherings.
I only stayed on the
track for a short distance and then opted for a direct route down to the
connecting lane, this was my route back to my awaiting car and it passed a
number of extremely large and resplendent houses, all tucked away with many
proclaiming that their land is private.
It seems odd to me that the larger the house the more barricaded a
person’s mind-set becomes, whereas the smaller the dwelling usually brings a
welcomed hospitality.
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| Oakwood Park Hall - strictly private |
It had been another good
day on the hill and with ten surveys completed and six hills visited, with five
being P30s, I arrived back at my car content and looking forward to the drive
home.
Survey Result:
Mynydd y Dref
Summit Height: 246.1m (converted to OSGM15) (significant height revision) (confirmed as higher than Penmaen Bach [SH 74852 78004])
Summit Grid Reference: SH 75981 77799
Bwlch Height: 186.7m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 75246 77548
Drop: 59.4m
Dominance: 24.14%
Penmaen Bach
Summit Height: 235.4m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 75005 77770
Bwlch Height: 208.3m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 74888 77897
Drop: 27.1m (200m Sub-Twmpau addition confirmed)
Dominance: 11.51%
Penmaen Bach
Summit Height: 243.2m (converted to OSGM15) (confirmed as lower
than Mynydd y Dref [SH 75981 77799])
Summit Grid Reference: SH 74852 78004
Bwlch Height: 187.4m (LIDAR)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 74741 77621 (LIDAR)
Drop: 55.8m
Dominance: 22.94%
Allt Wen
Summit Height: 252.3m (converted to OSGM15) (significant height revision)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 74546 77264
Bwlch Height: 160.2m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 74855 77154
Drop: 92.1m (Subhump status confirmed)
Dominance: 36.51% (Lesser Dominant status confirmed)
Cogwrn
Summit Height: 204.2m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 75659 76786
Bwlch Height: 165.0m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 75728 76562
Drop: 39.3m
Dominance: 19.23%
Bryn Mawr
Summit Height: 144.0m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 76562 76669
Bwlch Height: 110.7m (LIDAR)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 76263 76359 (LIDAR)
Dominance: 23.12%
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