Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Carnedd Wen

 

15.09.20  Square Field (SJ 070 031, previously Trimbled) 

Square Field (SJ 070 031)

I’d visited the summit of this hill five weeks ago whilst doing a circular walk having set off early in the morning to beat the forecast warm and humid conditions predicted for later in the morning and afternoon.  By the time I had reached the track that runs from the narrow road to the north-east of the summit and ends at a farm, the heat was battering me and I stood looking at the continuation of the track as it swept steeply down to the farm and wondered if I could make it back up if I visited the farm to make place-name enquiries.  With two hills remaining to visit and a few miles before arriving back at my car, I decided the farm could wait, and so I continued to the hill’s high point which was situated in the grazing field just to the south of the track and only two metres from an intervening fence. 

Today, this hill was on our schedule as Alex had not visited it and it was conveniently placed between our last hill; Top Field (SJ 070 055) and our next hill; Pen y Gaer (SJ 067 014).  Whilst on the summit of Top Field a greyed sky pushed in from the west, smothering the sunshine and blue skies of the morning.  It looked as if it heralded rain, which was a surprise as this was not forecast, and by the time Alex navigated us to the track and I parked the car and we strode out over the fence and stood on the summit, the grey sky pre-dominated. 

I quickly took two photos of Alex on the summit with the car no more than a few metres behind him, and wondered whether anyone would ever write rules to ethical bagging.  I hope not, as little adventures like this all add fun to the game. 

One of the easier hills to bag; Alex at the summit of Square Field

Soon we were parked in the farmyard and having knocked on the front door of the farm, John Watkins answered.  As I introduced myself and explained the reason for calling the first few spots of rain started to fall.  It looked as if I was going to get wet; however John kindly invited me in, where I spent ten minutes or so talking with him. 

John, like the vast majority of the farming community who I have met over the years, was a delight to meet.  He told me the hill doesn’t have an individual name so we concentrated on the field name.  I drew a diagram of his farm, the track and the paved road with appropriate field boundaries.  He told me that the field where the summit of the hill is situated is known as the Square Field and that this used to be made of two fields, with the other known as the Clover Field, and the field to the south-west where the 300m spot height appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map is known as the Meadow. 

John Watkins

Thanking John I headed back to Alex, who had patiently waited in the car.  The rain had now stopped, but the greyness of the sky above showed signs that more rain was not too far away, next stop; Pen y Gaer (SJ 067 014). 

 

Survey Result: 

 

Square Field (significant name change)

Summit Height:  299.4m (converted to OSGM15, from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey) (Trichant reclassified to 200m Twmpau)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 07034 03161 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Height:  253.6m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 06533 03161 (LIDAR)

Drop:  45.8m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  15.29% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

For details on the Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey of this hill

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet