Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Arenig

 

27.09.20  Foel Bodrenig (SH 840 396) 

Foel Bodrenig (SH 840 396)

Foel Bodrenig is another of those hills that I’d looked across to on countless occasions, wanted to visit, but until today had not.  It looks out across Llyn Celyn and is dwarfed by its higher neighbours and rises above one or two houses to its south and deciduous woodland to its north. 

Access to the hill is an easy affair from its south from where a narrow lane contours the hill beside the remains of the old railway that connected Trawsfynydd to Y Bala.  From here a public footpath crosses the hill on its western flank and it is only a short walk from here to its summit. 

Today, a herd of cattle lay in the field where the public footpath crosses, lazily munching in the late morning sunshine.  Not wanting to disturb the cattle I veered away from them toward the higher part of the hill.  A few collapsed stone walls cross its upper part, with gaps signifying the preferred route up. 

Lazing in the sunshine

Prior to my visit I’d examined the details for this hill via LIDAR.  This is now customary for all walks I plan.  LIDAR analysis is time consuming, but highly beneficial and especially so for bylchau.  The image produced for this hill from LIDAR analysis is given below. 

LIDAR image of Foel Bodrenig

Arriving at the summit a small rock outcrop crowned its high point and soon the Trimble was in place beeping away gathering its allotted data.  During data collection I stood below the equipment to its east looking out across the near lake.  This lake could easily be thought of as natural, but its construction was highly contentious and the ramifications are still remembered to this day. 

Gathering data at the summit of Foel Bodrenig

The view east from Foel Bodrenig with Llyn Celyn in the foreground

Once the allotted data were gathered and stored, I closed the equipment down, packed it away and retraced my inward route back past the lazing cattle to my car.  The walk and survey had taken just over 35 minutes, I had one walk remaining to do before heading home and that was to a hill positioned above Y Bala. 

 

Survey Result: 

 

Foel Bodrenig  

Summit Height:  387.0m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 84009 39667 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  338.2m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 83908 39483 (LIDAR)

Drop:  48.7m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  12.59% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet