Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Carnedd Wen

25.03.21  Cefn Cyfronydd (SJ 144 082), Cae’r Block (SJ 115 067) and Cae Coch (SJ 137 066)

Cae Coch (SJ 137 066)

I met some lovely people today.  Colin; who was tending new born lambs and kindly gave me permission to use a rack to access the first hill of the day, Gail; who cared for her mother and was out walking a friend’s dog on the delightful old green lane leading to Llanfair Caereinion, the woman from Gelli-gason who I’m afraid I didn’t note her name, she came out and we talked about my second hill of the day and she kindly gave directions toward Clyniarth where I met Anya and Eric and Carl the plasterer.  I stopped here for quite some time talking with Anya and Eric, who moved here 13 years ago and set up the Strawberry Skys Yurts business.  They then directed me onward toward Bryn Heolog where I met Meirion Davies; again we stopped and chatted for 20 minutes or so, such a lovely person, as indeed they all are.  To me, especially so in the times of Covid, human contact when on a hill walk can be a welcoming experience, and today on quiet tracts and forgotten footpaths each encounter was savoured. 

Today’s walk was planned the previous evening and as is the norm each hill was examined via LIDAR resulting in ten figure grid references for each summit and connecting bwlch with accurate heights also ascertained.  I’d visited these hills before, but these were quick hill bagging expeditions.  Today I wanted to explore the land combining each hill and in the process investigate some of the footpaths above Cyfronydd. 

LIDAR image of Cae'r Block (SJ 115 067)

I parked beside the A458 adjacent to the B4392 road heading toward Guilsfield.  From where I had parked, my first hill of the day; Cefn Cyfronydd was hidden from view but as I made steady progress up the B road its steepening slopes rose initially in manicured green pasture where lambs frisked in the morning sunshine and then brackened higher slopes with stunted woodland interspersed. 

When I’d previously visited this hill I asked a farmer if I could visit the summit and if so where would be best to park, he directed me up the access track to a house that sits just below the summit, telling me that the hill is known as Cefn Cyfronydd, which is also the name of a farm.  This hill has two tops vying for its high point and from where I had parked it took me nine minutes to visit both and arrive back at my car.  Today was a more leisurely experience. 

I contemplated accessing the hill from the same track which heads westward from the B road, but as I rounded a corner I decided to call in at Garth Vaughan farm where I met Colin Owen.  He was in a large barn looking after newly born lambs and we chatted for a number of minutes, I asked if I could use the track which shot straight up toward the higher part of the hill from the side of the barn and a few minutes later I was steadily plodding uphill. 

According to LIDAR the high point of Cefn Cyfronydd is positioned in its south-westerly 200m small ring contour, however LIDAR also gives the summit as just below this height.  I’ll have to wait for the Trimble result to confirm whether this hill is a 200m or a 100m Twmpau.  By the time I arrived at the high point a brisk breeze blew across its upper slopes.  I’d converted my walking trousers to shorts prior to setting out but was glad that I hadn’t discarded my spring fleece.  The summit overlooks a house which is the property at the end of the westerly heading access track.  As I set the Trimble up to gather data wafts of music from a radio slowly meandered across the hill with a workman outside the property, I didn’t want to disturb him or the occupant so stood downhill of the Trimble as its allotted data were gathered and stored. 

Gathering data at the summit of Cefn Cyfronydd

Having retraced my inward route back to Garth Vaughan I called over to Colin who confirmed the name of the hill and invited me in to the barn to see the lambs.  He had 800 ewes lambing and this morning one gave birth to four lambs, the second to do so during this season.  It was a pleasure meeting Colin ad I had to drag myself away as the walk had only just started and I had a few more miles to cover and two other hills to visit. 

Colin Owen

My next hill lay south-westward and I used footpaths and quiet country lanes to reach its lower slopes.  Each proved a delight, especially the footpaths, these wandered across greened fields, over trickling brooks, following an occasional old track and always connecting the land from one point to another.  Many are probably rarely used nowadays, but the stories they could tell from times long gone can only be imagined. 

I left the lane at the start of an old green track that headed up at a steady gradient.  I was later told that this track was a part of the old drover road between Llanfair and Welshpool.  It was slightly sunken and hemmed in by avenues of stunted trees.  It was a pleasure to be on it.  Sunshine, blue skies, distant views and solitude make a heady concoction and today whilst on this old green lane I mesmerised at its beauty. 

Looking down the old green lane

I met Gail and her friendly dog that she was walking for a friend toward the higher part of the old green lane.  We stopped and chatted for ten – fifteen minutes.  Away in the distance the Aran and Y Berwyn dominated the horizon whilst the intervening land rolled in ridges and valleys.  Before parting Gail stuck out her hand and I shook it.  This was the most natural thing to do and I did it without a thought of the last year and the encouragement not to do so.  It was only the second handshake that I had had in the last year. 

The high point of this hill, which the Tithe names the nearest enclosed field as Cae’r Block, is on the green lane.  As the Trimble gathered its allotted data I stood beside a tree and just enjoyed being there.  Life can become enriched my simple things and again blue skies, solitude, a friendly breeze and a hill can give comfort and contentedness beyond measure. 

Gathering data at the summit of Cae'r Block

From the summit of Cae’r Block I could simplify things and head for the near B road and use this toward the last hill of the day, but a number of footpaths led across country and these would no doubt be more pleasurable.  Therefore, I headed away from the summit on an earthen track leading down to the large house of Gelli-gason where I met the occupant.  We chatted outside for ten minutes or so, unfortunately she couldn’t help me with either a name for the hill or confirm its highest field name; ‘Glyn’s your man, he’s the farmer, he may know’ she said.  I left with more directions toward a track and a gate as I set off toward the Yurts at Clyniarth. 

The track leading down to Gelli-gason

Old public footpaths can become interesting things to try and follow and the onward route toward Clyniarth proved fun with a number of barb wired fences blocking any semblance of notion of a remaining public footpath.  However, with a little map study and field boundaries and hedges to use as indicators I eventually found my way to the gate giving access to Clyniarth. 

Cae'r Block from the footpath leading to Clyniarth

As I closed the gate I could hear a lot of knocking from inside the old house, I called out a few ‘hello’s’ and out came Anya, she was as surprised to see a walker as I was glad to see her and have another lovely conversation.  She was amazed that someone had tried to follow the footpaths from Gelli-gason telling me that in the 13 years that her and her husband; Eric, had been there she had only known of one other person who had used them. 

We were soon joined by two dogs and a cat and Carl the plasterer, we chatted about all manner of things.  It was a pleasure to just converse and enjoy the time spent with people, however fleeting. 

Anya and Carl the plasterer

Anya walked with me beyond Cryniarth to where the footpath continued toward Bryn Heulog and the upper field where Eric was building the foundation for another Yurt.  Anya and Eric had moved from London 13 years ago and set up Strawberry Skys Yurts.  The Yurts were placed in a beautiful place, amongst silver birch and other mixed trees.  Covid had struck the business severely as it has for all hospitality and tourism, but they are fully booked for when the current restrictions are lifted. 

I left Anya and Eric with directions to a gate which gave an onward route toward Bryn Heulog where I met Meirion Davies who was reversing his Landranger in the farm yard when I arrived.  He stopped, got out and we chatted.  He touched upon the history of Bryn Heolog and the adjacent Upper Bryn-Elen before we talked about the farm of Hafod Seller, where Meirion was born.  I could have stopped and chatted with Meirion forever, but I still had one last hill to visit and as I walked through the farm yard and up the adjacent lane, Meirion drove up and waited for me, parked and opened the near gate to direct me toward a stile and the continuation of my walk. 

Meirion Davies

By now I was in a contented state.  I’d met and chatted with so many people.  All were unexpected encounters, and all were delightful.  My onward route took me past a small deciduous wood with sheep scampering across the blazed green fields with the dark silhouetted profile of my last hill; Cae Coch rising impressively to my east. 

The darkened silhouette of Cae Coch

I veered right just before Rhos Fawr, this was advised me by Meirion who said that the route from this farm now had a section with barb wire over it.  Rhos Fawr is where my descendants used to farm from; with Richard Phillips, my Great Great Great Grandfather there at the time of the Tithe. 

My Great Great Great Grandfather; Richard Phillips, farming from Rhos Fawr at the time of the Tithe

In time I made it onto an access track which led toward the B4385.  I was glad I hadn’t followed this from the summit of Cae’r Block.  I slowly plodded my way on its tarmac before skirting left up a steepening road which led to Pen-yr-herber and Hafod Seller. 

The lane was steep and I rested occasionally and whilst doing so savoured the spring warmth and colour.  Bi-passing Pen-yr-herber I followed what my Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map gives as a yellow road indicating it to be paved, when in fact it is now no more than a track. 

Approaching Cae Coch

Accessing the upper slopes of Cae Coch through a gate I headed up with the old wood beside this hill’s higher slopes looking invitingly proud in the afternoon sunshine.  Cresting the edge of the wood the summit was just over a fence, by now the breeze was almost fierce as it skimmed across the upper hill.  This was invitingly welcome, it added intensity to an otherwise slumbered scene. 

The wood adjacent to the summit of Cae Coch

The Trimble was soon quietly beeping away collecting its data.  I stood beside the fence, checked my downward route on the map, took photographs and stared down at the buildings of Hafod Seller which were just below this part of the hill.  Once I closed the Trimble down and packed it away I stood and took more photos with high whitened cloud skidding across an otherwise blue sky.  It was a marvellous spot to be on such a day. 

Gathering data at the summit of Cae Coch

Leaving the summit I sauntered down the hill’s southern slopes and used a gate instead of the fence to gain access into the field which took me down to my initial access gate.  Once back on the track I followed this down to where it became paved and shortly left it to use footpaths across fields and the railway track to rejoin this morning’s inward route. 

 

Survey Result: 

 

Cefn Cyfronydd (significant name change)

Summit Height:  199.1m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) (200m Twmpau reclassified to 100m Twmpau) 

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 14459 08297 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) (summit relocation confirmed) 

Bwlch Height:  150.6m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 14997 08587 (LIDAR)

Drop:  48.5m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  24.37% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

Cae’r Block (significant name change)

Summit Height:  232.6m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 11567 06755 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

Bwlch Height:  199.0m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 11283 06315 (LIDAR)

Drop:  33.6m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  14.43% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

Cae Coch (significant name change)

Summit Height:  263.3m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 13715 06610 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

Bwlch Height:  193.7m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 13757 06183 (LIDAR)

Drop:  69.6m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  26.44% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet