Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – 200m Twmpau

Pen Llys (SN 998 584) – 200m Sub-Twmpau reclassified to 200m Twmpau

There has been confirmation of a reclassification to the list of 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis and a subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Pen Llys (SN 998 584)

The criteria for the list that this reclassification applies to are: 

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The 200m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

The name the hill is listed by is Pen Llys and it is adjoined to the Elenydd group of hills, which are situated in the central part of the Mid and West Wales Region (Region B, Sub-Region B2), and it is positioned with minor roads to its north-west, east and north-east, the B4358 road to its south-east and the A470 road farther to its north-east, and has the village of Newbridge-on-Wye towards the east. 

When the original 200m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was included in the Hills to be surveyed sub list that accompanied the main P30 list, as it was considered not to meet the criteria then used for the main P30 category. 

When the sub list was standardised, and interpolated heights and drop values also included the details for this hill were re-assessed and it was listed with an estimated c 30m of drop, based on the 292m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated c 262m bwlch height, based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 260m – 270m that appear on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

The details for this hill were re-assessed when the Ordnance Survey Vector Map Local hosted on the Geograph website and which was entitled the Interactive Coverage Map became available online.  This mapping had many spot heights not on other publicly available Ordnance Survey maps and for this hill it had a 262m spot height on the area of the bwlch, and when coupled with the 292m summit spot height these values gave this hill 30m of drop. 

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales. 

The result produced by LIDAR analysis gives this hill a 291.5m summit height, and as the summit has now been surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 it is this result that is being prioritised for listing purposes.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Pen Llys

Therefore, the confirmation of the reclassification of this hill to 200m Twmpau status is due to LIDAR analysis and a subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey, resulting in a 291.8m summit height and a 261.3m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill 30.6m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a 200m Twmpau. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Elenydd 

Name:  Pen Llys 

OS 1:50,000 map:  147

Summit Height:  291.8m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 99830 58439 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

Bwlch Height:  261.3m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 99569 58593 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  30.6m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2021)

 

  

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

 

Y Gyrn (SH 641 359) – Sub-Trichant addition

There has been an addition to the list of Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from detail on contemporary maps produced from Ordnance Survey data. 

The criteria for the list that this addition applies to are: 

Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales – Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Sub-Trichant, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips, with the Introduction to the list and the renaming of it appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017. 

Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The name the hill is listed by is Y Gyrn, and it is adjoined to the Rhinogydd group of hills, which are situated in the western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it is positioned with a minor road to its north-west and the A496 road to its west, and has the village of Harlech towards the south-west. 

When the original 300m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was not included in the Hills to be surveyed sub list, as it was considered not to meet the criteria then used for this sub category. 

When the sub list was standardised, and interpolated heights and drop values also included the details for this hill were re-evaluated and it was listed with an estimated c 21m of drop, based on the 349m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated c 328m bwlch height, based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 320m – 330m that appear on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

The details for this hill were subsequently re-assessed against the mapping on the OS Maps website.  This is the replacement for OS Get-a-map and until recent times had contours at 5m intervals which were proving consistently more accurate compared to the 5m contours that sometimes appear on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and used to appear on the online Vector Map Local.  This mapping had bwlch contouring between 325m – 330m, with interpolation giving an estimated bwlch height of c 327m.  This re-assessment resulted in the drop value being amended to an estimated c 22m. 

Therefore, the addition of this hill to Sub-Trichant status is due to detail on contemporary maps produced from Ordnance Survey data , resulting in a 349m summit height and an estimated c 327m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill an estimated c 22m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a Sub-Trichant. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Rhinogydd 

Name:  Y Gyrn 

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Height:  349m (spot height)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 64172 35969 (spot height) 

Bwlch Height:  c 327m (interpolation) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 64353 35812 (interpolation) 

Drop:  c 22m (spot height summit and interpolated bwlch) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2021)

 

 

 

 

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

 

Garth (SN 946 504) 

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Garth (SN 946 504)

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are: 

Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales.  Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Sub-Trichant with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips, with the Introduction to the list and the renaming of it appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017. 

Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is adjoined to the Elenydd group of hills, which are situated in the central part of the Mid and West Wales Region (Region B, Sub-Region B2), and it is positioned with the B4358 road to its north-west, the A483 road to its south-west and a minor road to its east, and has the village of Beulah towards the west north-west. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

When the original 300m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was listed under the name of Garth Bank, which is the name given the hill on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map.

Garth Bank

301m

SN947505

147

188

Clem/Yeaman. Trig pillar

 

Since publication of these P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of Ordnance Survey maps made available online, some of these are historic such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the Vector Map Local that was hosted on the Geograph website and which was entitled the Interactive Coverage Map and the interactive mapping on the Magic Maps and WalkLakes websites.  Two of the historic maps now available are the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map which formed the basis for the first publicly available Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, and it is these maps that form the basis for the change in the listed name of this hill. 

The Draft Surveyors maps consist of the preliminary drawings made by Ordnance Survey surveyors between the 1780s and 1840 and formed the basis for the first publicly available One-Inch map.  They were drawn at scales of six inches to the mile for areas considered of particular military significance and down to two inches to the mile for other areas.  Fair copies were then produced from these preliminary drawings to one inch to the mile and then copper plates were prepared for printing.  The Draft Surveyors maps for the whole of Wales are now available online and they form an important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names as they bridge the time frame between the late 18^th century and the mid-19^th century when the Ordnance Survey produced their first One-Inch maps, and importantly for this hill and its listed name, it is this map that gives the originating Welsh name for this hill. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map

The One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map was the first map that Ordnance Survey produced, and their publication culminated from the whole of Britain being surveyed between 1791 and 1874 and the detail gathered therein produced at a scale of one inch to the mile and published in sheet format between 1805 and 1874.  The One-Inch ‘Old Series’ maps for the whole of Wales are now available online; they are also available in map format as enlarged and re-projected versions to match the scale and dimensions of the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger series and are published by Cassini.  This series of maps form another important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names and bridge the timeframe leading up to the production of the Ordnance Survey base map of the Six-Inch series, and again, it is this map that gives the originating Welsh name for this hill. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey One-Inch 'Old Series' map

The intricacies of language and prioritising one in favour of another for listing a hill is fraught with complication, with originating Cymraeg names being anglicised and also originating English names being cymricised, examples such as these are more common in border country and especially so for anglicised forms.  There is no steadfast rule that fits all, but as a standard a name that has its origins in the Welsh language should be prioritised in favour of a contemporary anglicised or English version of the name, and ideally for this to be substantiated by either historic documentation and / or contemporary usage.  Likewise, if a name exists where an element of it is in English and if this name applies to a hill that is situated in a Welsh speaking part of Wales it is standard practice to use a full Welsh term for the name.  It is also standard practice to use a Welsh name for a hill if another name exists that has originated in a different language. 

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales is Garth, and this was derived from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map and the One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, with the Welsh name for this hill prioritised over its part English counterpart, which for listing purposes is standard practice. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Elenydd 

Name:  Garth 

Previously Listed Name:  Garth Bank 

OS 1:50,000 map:  147

Summit Height:  301.2m (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 94677 50495 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  203.6m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 95257 51303 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  97.6m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2021)

 

 

 

 

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

Moel Caws (SH 846 278) – Sub-Trichant addition

There has been confirmation of an addition to the list of Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Moel Caws (SH 846 278)

The criteria for the list that this addition applies to are: 

Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales – Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Sub-Trichant, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips, with the Introduction to the list and the renaming of it appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017. 

Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The name the hill is listed by is Moel Caws, and it is adjoined to the Arenig group of hills, which are situated in the central part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it is positioned with the A494 road to its east, and has the town of Y Bala towards the north-east. 

When the original 300m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was not included in the Hills to be surveyed sub list, as it was considered not to meet the criteria then used for this sub category. 

When the sub list was standardised, and interpolated heights and drop values also included the details for this hill were re-evaluated and it was listed with an estimated c 23m of drop, based on the 367m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated c 344m bwlch height, based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 340m – 350m that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales. 

Therefore, the confirmation of the addition of this hill to Sub-Trichant status is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 365.1m summit height and a 340.9m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill 24.2m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a Sub-Trichant. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Arenig 

Name:  Moel Caws 

OS 1:50,000 map:  124, 125

Summit Height:  365.1m (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 84619 27866 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  340.9m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 84438 27876 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  24.2m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2021)

 

 

 

  

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

Erw’r Felyn (SN 896 507) 

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Erw'r Felyn (SN 896 507)

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are: 

Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales.  Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Sub-Trichant with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips, with the Introduction to the list and the renaming of it appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017. 

Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is adjoined to the Elenydd group of hills, which are situated in the central part of the Mid and West Wales Region (Region B, Sub-Region B2), and it is positioned with a minor road to its south-west and the A483 road to its south-east, and has the village of Beulah towards the east north-east. 

When the original 300m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was listed under the transposed name of Tir-garw, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the East.

Tir-garw

316m

SN896507

147

187

Name from buildings to the East

 

During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance transpose the name of a farm and use it for that of the hill.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

As the summit of this hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales. 

Extract from the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 87 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Erw’r Felyn, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llangamarch and in the county named as Brecon. 

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales is Erw’r Felyn and this was derived from the Tithe map. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Elenydd 

Name:  Erw’r Felyn 

Previously Listed Name:  Tir-garw 

OS 1:50,000 map:  147

Summit Height:  316.9m (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 89677 50743 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  284.0m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 89357 50837 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  32.9m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2021)

 

 

 

 

  

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

 

Allt y Gwine (SH 834 253) – Sub-Trichant addition

There has been confirmation of an addition to the list of Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Allt y Gwine (SH 834 253)

The criteria for the list that this addition applies to are: 

Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales – Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Sub-Trichant, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips, with the Introduction to the list and the renaming of it appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017. 

Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The name the hill is listed by is Allt y Gwine, and it is adjoined to the Arenig group of hills, which are situated in the central part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it is positioned with the A494 road to its south-east, and has the town of Y Bala towards the north-east. 

When the original 300m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was not included in the Hills to be surveyed sub list, as it was considered not to meet the criteria then used for this sub category. 

When the sub list was standardised, and interpolated heights and drop values also included the details for this hill were re-evaluated and it was listed with an estimated c 22m of drop, based on the 376m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated c 354m bwlch height, based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 350m – 360m that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales. 

Therefore, the confirmation of the addition of this hill to Sub-Trichant status is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 375.6m summit height and a 351.5m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill 24.1m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a Sub-Trichant. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Arenig 

Name:  Allt y Gwine 

OS 1:50,000 map:  124, 125

Summit Height:  375.6m (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 83445 25393 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  351.5m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 83776 25877 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  24.1m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2021)