Myrddyn Phillips - Mapping Mountains: Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys

Tuesday 13 April 2021

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Carnedd Wen

10.02.21 Y Figyn (SJ 175 085), Y Golfa (SJ 173 073, previously Trimbled) and Y Golfa (SJ 182 070, previously Trimbled)

Y Golfa (SJ 182 070)

A light dusting of snow covered the ground as I left my bungalow. The air was chilled and parts of the canal were frozen. Above blue sky promised a good day ahead whilst toward the east the sun crested a small cloud bank hugging the sky line above Cefn Digoll and gave a slight warmed feel to the morning’s chill. It promised to be another good day on the hill.

I met Linda at The Raven and we were walking up the Cefnyspin Lane by just after 9.00am. Today we planned on combining Y Golfa with another hill; Y Figyn, which I had visited once before, in November 2004 when on a 20 mile walk which involved the scattering of my father’s ashes.

Heading up the Cefnyspin Lane

Today would no doubt be a less emotional affair and I was looking forward to it. The Cefnyspin Lane bisects the Frochas Lane and from here we had two options; an interesting route initially losing height and then using public footpaths following the steam valley up toward Y Figyn. The other a simpler route following the Frochas Lane before diverting toward Y Figyn on another lane, we opted for the latter.

The slight dusting of snow added to the landscape, with it accentuating and adding colour balance to the greened pasture. Snow is also fun to walk in, and any significant patches were aimed for, either to trample through or kick it up into the air. It was just good to be out again and have snow, however light the dusting.

Snow and blue sky - what isn't there to enjoy!

The lane leading toward Y Figyn proved a delightful way to approach the hill, and especially today with the succulent blues cascading from the sky. Until now the fierce bitingly cold easterly wind that had blown for the last few days had fortunately relented, but as height was gained a chilled easterly breeze skirted with the upper part of the hill.

The lane leading to Y Figyn

Prior to our visit I had LIDARed this hill. LIDAR does not cover its summit, but its connecting bwlch does have coverage. With the height and position of its bwlch determined all that was now needed was to Trimble its summit.

LIDAR bwlch image of Y Figyn

The high point of Y Figyn was easy to determine and as I set the Trimble up Linda sat out of the breeze and sorted out two warmed coffees. I stood and looked out across miles of land, much of it white with snow and frost, all of it looked inviting. The Y Berwyn looked particularly impressive with a good coating of snow, whilst the Aran and Cadair Idris also gleamed back at us. Nearer home the Breiddin seemingly floated above the Severn Valley and Shropshire Plain, rising out of the flat bedded river valley.

Gathering data at the summit of Y Figyn

Once the Trimble was packed away we followed public footpaths across descending fields toward a farm. On our way we encountered a bog beside a stream. I almost got stuck as my wellies became sucktioned in to the black slime. I fell at one point and lay sheepishly in the mud, smiling at my predicament. We then diverted from a field of cows and found the lane where the continuation of our route took us toward the Golf Club close to the summit of Y Golfa.

Descending from Y Figyn

Before a welcome rest outside the Golf Club we saw the season’s first lambs, had our onward route blocked by a pool across the track we were on, we then found an unfortunate sheep carcass directly below a stile which took us on to an old green track leading pleasantly up to the brackened slopes of Y Golfa. This soon led up to the manicured greens and a comforting twenty minutes sitting on a bench talking to George the Golf Club cat.

The snow-clad Y Berwyn

Between us and the high point of Y Golfa is a sub hill which I wanted to visit. I surveyed this hill in August 2014, but until now had not revisited its summit. It proved a wonderful viewpoint before losing height to the final climb of the day; to the trig pillar atop Y Golfa.

Y Figyn from Y Golfa

Nearing the summit of Y Golfa

This hill is proving an excellent companion during the current lock down. I’ve been drawn back to it on a number of occasions. It has never disappointed. Today the view leapt out. It was good to be back.

Heading down from the summit of Y Golfa with the Breiddin and Cefn Digoll in the distance

Our downward route followed its easterly ridge, on the way we met Caroline; an old work colleague who was heading up the hill. When we arrived back at The Raven we headed toward Christ Church to use a tap to wash our wellies, meeting another old work colleague on the way; Dave, who many years ago I’d done Wainwrights Coast to Coast with, as well as many hill walks, including the Three Peaks, it was good to see him and Liz again.