Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Carnedd Wen

 

15.09.20  Beddau (SO 185 977, not Trimbled)  

Beddau (SO 185 977)

Since the 5-mile keep local restriction was lifted I’d been drawn to the land between Berriew, Llanfair Caereinion, Llanwyddelan and Bettws Cedewain.  I’d seldom visited this area and yet it is only a few miles south-west from where I live.  This is not surprising as with A roads to its north and south, the only reason for me to visit would be either to call in to see a friend (I have none in that area) or to bag a hill, of which there are many. 

It was this area of land that Alex Cameron sent me a screen grab of, with the summits of 23 hills highlighted.  Alex hadn’t visited any of these hills, whilst I had pre and post the 5-mile keep local restriction.  With map in hand and Alex’s screen grab I devised a route around 13 of them, which also gave the option for calling at some farms to make place-name enquiries and for me to sit out three of the hills that I’d recently surveyed. 

We met at Welshpool Railway Station at 7.48am.  It was good to see Alex again, although it had only been a short while since meeting him, Dusty and Tony to re-paint the trig pillar on top of Corndon.  We’d come prepared with a multitude of food goodies, all necessary maps and prior permission to visit one of the hills from the local farmer. 

The first hill on the day’s schedule is named Beddau, this is positioned about one mile south-west of Garthmyl and this was the only hill out of the 23 on Alex’s screengrab that is positioned south of the A483.  I’d visited Beddau once before in June 2011 as part of my training for the impending TMS surveys in the Fisherfield Forest.  During that visit I’d walked on the canal towpath from my home, visited Beddau and headed back; this amounted to 15 miles, which took me five hours.  Having done little research beforehand I was, on that occasion, surprised to find a chalet complex in the wood, a near golf course, a few dotted small lakes and a field of lamas.  Today was simpler, as we drove to within a few metres of its summit! 

Prior to this visit I’d LIDARed the hill and it is this result for both summit and bwlch that is given below.  Beddau is not a high hill, with LIDAR analysis giving it as 126.0m in height.  With the upper hill wooded, it seems to disappear in the landscape and merges inconsequently in to pastured fields and the surroundings rising ground. 

LIDAR image of Beddau

We approached from a sign posted turn to the Penllwyn Lodges and I continued driving up on a concrete road swinging around the northerly part of the hill.  This took us to a small parking area close to what looked like the reception. 

All was quiet as we left the car, with the summit of the hill only a few metres to the right of the continuation of the road.  It only took a couple of minutes between us leaving the car and topping out at the summit, and I had just enough time to take a photo of Alex walking up the road toward the high point. 

Alex heading for the summit

I’d switched the Trimble on when leaving the car and checked the grid co-ordinates against those produced by LIDAR; they matched, so we were at the right spot.  Although Beddau is swamped by concrete roads and chalets it retains attractiveness and this early in the morning also peacefulness, to its surrounds. 

As Alex stood a few metres away I set the Trimble up and waited for the 0.1m accuracy level to be attained before data should be logged.  Its position did not give much hope for this to happen as it was enclosed by trees.  After a few minutes I checked what I hoped would be its downward ebb to the required accuracy level, and as it was still on 2.0m, I closed it down, took a couple of photos and packed it away. 

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 set-up position at the summit of Beddau

I had hoped to gather Trimble data, but LIDAR will suffice, and with another 12 hills on our schedule we headed back to the car and down the concrete road sweeping around the upper southern part of Beddau and back to the main road for our next hill of the day. 

 

Survey Result:

 

Beddau  

Summit Height:  126.0m (LIDAR) (significant height revision)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 18549 97771 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  87.9m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 18841 98344 (LIDAR)

Drop:  38.1m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  30.24% (LIDAR)

For details on the 2nd visit to this hill 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet