28.10.18 Mynydd Bach (SH 389 767)
Visiting the summit of this
hill seemed an easy affair, as logged ascents on the Hill Bagging website
mainly used the access track to the north-west that leads to the two high masts
and covered reservoir positioned on the summit area of the hill. As well as giving an easy and convenient
ascent it was also a short one, as it only involved a couple of hundred metres to
the top.
However, as I drove up
the narrow lane and arrived at the start of the track I found a high metal
fence barring access, where the fence ended each side was well protected with
brambles and unforgiving amounts of unsavoury undergrowth. I parked my car for a good inspection and did
consider trying to climb the locked fence, but smiled at the thought as I knew
I would not be able to do this, even if wanting so, which by the way, I didn’t.
Having walked a short
distance on the lane either side of the metalled fence I realised I would not
be gaining access to the hill from this direction and therefore drove the short
distance back down the lane to the small community of Gwalchmai and then drove
north up another narrow lane which brought me to the east of the hill. I found parking beside a gate that gave
access to another track leading toward the hill, I decided to investigate.
The track led through a
paddock where three horses were standing in the morning sun, one showed
particular interest in me as I quietly headed up toward a mass of gorse,
bracken and brambles with the summit just beyond. This form of undergrowth is prevalent on many
of the lower hills on Ynys Môn, and all that I have encountered can
either be bi-passed or bashed through, but summer ascents wearing shorts is
definitely not recommended!
The high ground of the
paddock led me to two gates which gave access to an old stone wall and the mass
of unsavoury undergrowth on the other side, but as the masts and the summit of
the hill were now within reach there was only one thing for it, and within a
minute or so I was over the remnants of the wall and heading through the gorse,
bracken and brambles. This conveniently
led directly to the natural high point of the hill which LIDAR analysis gives
as ground close to a small fenced compound where one of the masts is situated.
Within a few minutes I’d
assessed the ground, stomped on a few brambles and set the Trimble up to gather
data. As the set-up position was beside
the compound amongst lush vegetation I decided to gather a ten minute data set.
 |
| The Trimble set-up position at the summit of Mynydd Bach |
As the Trimble quietly
beeped away gathering its allotted data I roamed around the summit area,
climbing the outer steps to the fenced reservoir and looking back on the
Trimble which was hard to see through the mass of gorse and brambles.
Once data were gathered
and stored I closed the equipment down, packed it away and tried to remember my
inward route back through the unsavoury stuff.
Eventually I clambered over the old wall back on to greened land where
the friendly horse wandered my way and followed me as I headed back through the
paddock to my car. All that remained was
to make place-name enquiries as the hill remains unnamed on the map.
 |
| Gathering data at the summit of Mynydd Bach |
The first house I called
at was next to where my car was parked; the occupant was obviously in bed when
I knocked on the door as when he opened it he was bare chested and still doing
his trousers up, we talked for a number of minutes and he kindly directed me
down the lane to the first of two small houses where he said the elderly woman
would probably be able to help.
I walked down the lane
toward the house with the rough and rocky slopes of the hill on my left, as I
did so a man appeared and walked toward a plot of land where his daughter was
planning to live. Gwyn Thomas lived at
one of the houses I’d passed on the lane; the hill was on the other side of the
road to where his daughter was planning to live and was at the back of Gwyn’s
house. I introduced myself and explained
my interest in hill names and asked if he knew a name for the hill; he replied
immediately and told me its name is Mynydd Bach.
 |
| Gwyn Thomas with Mynydd Bach in the background |
We talked for a number
of minutes before I headed back up the lane after thanking Gwyn for his time. Mynydd Bach is a proper little mountain,
rough and rocky and with extensive views from its summit. I was glad to have visited, even though the
undergrowth had proven problematic, another hill bagged and just as important;
another name documented.
Survey Result:
Mynydd Bach (significant name change)
Summit Height: 96.5m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) (significant height revision)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 38964 76773 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)
Bwlch Height: c 64m (interpolation)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 40259 77918 (interpolation)
Drop: c 32m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)
Dominance: 33.66% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)
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