Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Beacon Hill

04.04.21  Thirteen Acres (SO 161 725), Fron Hir (SO 138 730), Caergynan Bank (SO 132 710), Warren Bank (SO 138 703), Maelienydd (SO 143 713) and Mount Aire (SO 162 707) 

Warren Bank (SO 138 703)

Yesterday I opened the Explorer map number 214 to Llanidloes & Newtown, as I unfolded it the first hill I saw marked on the map I had not been up.  The hill was positioned in the Radnorshire area, which can give wonderful walking in quiet surrounds.  As I examined the area around the hill there were another two adjacent P30s that again I hadn’t visited, near these were three P20s that I had also not been up.  All could easily be combined in a good circular walk.  I rarely open a map and decide to visit the first hill I look at as my hill walking is usually based on more of an agenda.  With this circuit taking in six hills I spent an inordinate amount of time checking each against LIDAR for numerical detail and the Tithe map for the most appropriate name for those hills unnamed on contemporary maps.  With ten figure grid references and names noted I gathered all necessary equipment; set my alarm for 6.30am and the following morning headed to the hills east of Llanbister. 

LIDAR image of Warren Bank (SO 138 703)

I was parked and walking by 8.30am with a definite chilled feeling in the air.  My car thermometer recorded – 3° degrees passing over the Dolfor between Newtown and Llandrindod and vestiges of frost still clung to the ground as I made my way up the paved access road to Park Farm. 

Looking back at my car from the access road to Park Farm

Nearing Park Farm I heard voices and therefore I called out, three young children soon appeared and I asked if their Mum or Dad were in.  They went to get their Dad; when Matthew Williams arrived we chatted in the beautiful early morning sunshine for 15 minutes or so.  I explained my interest in upland place-names and he told me the field where the high point of my first hill of the day is situated is known as Thirteen Acres, he then gave me further directions and permission to visit and survey it. 

Matthew Williams of Park Farm

I left Matthew and followed the course of a public footpath through a series of gates until arriving at an old track.  Turning right on the track brought the high point of the first hill within easy access on my right.  I was soon at the summit with the Trimble positioned on the natural high point quietly beeping away gathering data. 

The way to the hill

To my south the sound of a quad bike became ever more distinct and there was Matthew out in an adjacent field dropping feed off for the sheep.  As I packed the Trimble away he had progressed to the upper field, I waved over and he did likewise.  As I left the field two other quad bikes came zooming over, one of his young daughters and his younger son were heading my way, they looked rather funny as the quad bikes were so small and yet they drove them with obvious confidence, they said ‘hi’ and zoomed off back to their Dad. 

Gathering data at the summit of Thirteen Acres

The Williams family out feeding the sheep

Now back on the old track I followed this west and down toward a ford.  Before losing height I picked out my next hill; Fron Hir directly in front of me away in the distance, its upper section devoid of grass as it had recently been seeded.  Arriving at the ford I found a scattering of seven dead sheep strewn either side of the stream.  A great shame in such a beautiful setting, if they had been discarded once dead it was unwarranted, if dying of natural courses it was worrying.  Be it encountering this or a lack of adherence to the map I do not know, but instead of following the public footpath on the continuation of the track upward, I followed a track to the left which contoured its way toward Lower Cantel farm where I was met with mud and slurry.  I quickly realised I was on the wrong route but pressed on and eventually arrived on the narrow paved lane at its low point as it makes its way from Crossways toward the north over the eastern flank of Maelienydd toward the south. 

Fron Hir (SO 138 730)

Spring time

It proved a slow plod up the lane, but I was in no rush, the morning’s chilled start had been replaced by warming conditions with slight heat haze and unadulterated blue sky.  I left the lane to make my way over fields toward the summit of Fron Hir and once at its high point set the Trimble up to gather its allotted data. 

Approaching the summit of Fron Hir

Away to my south a distinctive clump of fir trees stared back at me, this was the summit of Warren Bank which would be my fourth hill of the day, it looked quite a distance away and between me and it was another hill; Caergynan Bank. 

Gathering data at the summit of Fron Hir

I headed directly south from the summit of Fron Hir and descended straight on to the paved road beside Fron Ganllwyd farm, where I flagged down Tom Lewis who was in his tractor.  We chatted in the sunshine for quite some time.  He kindly directed me through his farmyard toward the track and then over the wilds of the Maelienydd; a remnant of common land that was at odds with much of the green pastored fields hereabout. 

Tom Lewis of Fron Ganllwyd

Leaving Tom I followed his directions and headed toward a thin group of conifers keeping to a track that wound its way up to a small disused quarry.  From here a green path led over the Maelienydd, as this continued it began to peter out to no more than a sheep path.  The going underfoot was never problematic, the clumps of moor grass were not yet green and in prime and although there were patches of wetness no substantial bog was encountered. 

I was soon over the moor and emerged on to another narrow paved road and quickly headed for a wide green path that headed up toward the top of Caergynan Bank.  Looking back at the moor it looked a wild and inhospitable place.  I met four people near the summit of Caergynan Bank having a picnic with two on trail bikes.  I stopped and chatted.  The ten figure grid reference produced from LIDAR analysis zeroed me in to the high point of the hill and I was soon standing away from the survey equipment as it gathered its third data set of the day. 

Gathering data at the summit of Caergynan Bank

Leaving the summit I waved over at the picnickers and headed south-east following a green path down to the narrow road.  I followed this to where it became a track; ahead of me was a quad bike which had just buzzed its way down the field that I planned on walking up.  This was obviously the local farmer, but by the time I had walked up the track to the gate leading in to the field he was now buzzing around a lower adjacent field. 

Walking up the field to a gate giving access to the next field the sound of the quad bike became louder and as I looked around it was heading my way.  I sauntered back to the gate and chatted with Steve Nicholls; the farmer from Mere House.  Steve was out with his son and was extremely helpful and kindly let me continue toward the high point of the hill to survey it. 

Steve Nicholls and son of Mere House

The summit of Warren Bank consists of manicured grass close to the south-easterly of two fir tree plantations that Steve told me his father had planted many years ago.  To my east I could see my car, a small white dot parked beside the entrance drive to Park Farm; it looked a long way away.  By now the breeze had strengthened, which was forecast, thankfully this never hampered the surveying and gave comfort in the warming conditions. 

Gathering data at the summit of Warren Bank

Once the Trimble had gathered summit data I retraced my inward route back to the narrow paved road and followed this eastward to where a vehicle track headed north up the moored southern flank of Maelienydd.  This brought me close to its summit which is crowned by a small cairn.  It was good to be on this summit; this hill is easily distinguished by its moorland surrounds and stands out amongst its near and adjacent hills. 

The moorland surrounds of Maelienydd

I savoured having a rest as the Trimble gathered data, standing in the sunshine looking back on my route and ahead toward the last hill of the day whose summit was relatively close to where I had parked my car. 

Gathering data at the summit of Maelienydd

I contemplated heading back down the vehicle track across the moor to gain the paved road, but decided to follow the continuation of the track across the eastern part of the hill, this proved a lovely route down and soon brought me to the road.  By now the afternoon colour was aglow with vestiges of high wisped clouds in the sky.  It was wonderful to be on these hills; meeting farmers, listening to Skylarks, looking up at Red Kites as they gracefully used rising thermals to then glide across the sky.  Wales amazes me with its diversity of upland landscape, over the last few walks I’d experienced the gentleness of the hills near my home, the rocky surrounds of the hills above Ffestiniog and the open landscape of Radnorshire, all are wonderful places to visit that keep pulling me back time after time. 

A startling tree on the way down the narrow road from Maelienyd toward Mount Aire

The narrow paved road led down to the River Aran before reclaiming its lost height and continuing uphill, I left the road to slowly walk up a steep path on the near hillside that crested the rise between where my car was parked and another narrow road that led toward the last hill of the day. 

Once on the next road I then followed another greened path that led to the concrete access track to Upper Pentre farm, here I met Hywel Rees who was heading out on his quad bike.  We chatted for quite some time; he kindly gave me permission to visit and survey the high field which was just behind us.  The Tithe names this upper field as Wheat Piece, Hywel told me that it is now known as Mount Aire, a wonderful name. 

Hywel Rees of Upper Pentre

I was soon at the summit of Mount Aire with the ten figure grid reference produced via LIDAR leading me to its high point.  As the Trimble gathered its sixth and last data set of the day I marched off a safe distance from it so as not to disturb satellite reception and lay on the manicured grass looking up at an iridescent blue sky as the sun sparkled overhead and a Red Kite circled above me.  I watched the Red Kite for a number of minutes, mesmerised by its beauty and ease of passage across the sky. 

Gathering data at the summit of Mount Aire

Once the Trimble was packed away I used a lower gate to access the concrete track leading to Upper Pentre and followed this back to the paved road, soon leaving it for a sheep path heading over the small lump between me and my car, which was only a few minutes walking distance away.  I arrived back at the car at 3.30pm; it had been a seven hour walk taking in six hills with each summit surveyed and two new names catalogued, and all in wonderful sunshine meeting some lovey people on the way. 

 

Survey Result: 

 

Thirteen Acres (significant name change)

Summit Height:  381.4m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 16129 72592 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

Bwlch Height:  c 319m (interpolation)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 17072 72823 (interpolation)

Drop:  c 62m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)

Dominance: 16.37% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)

 

 

Fron Hir

Summit Height:  393.1m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 13807 73013 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)   

Bwlch Height:  324.0m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 14609 74350 (LIDAR)

Drop:  69.1m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  17.58% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

Caergynan Bank (significant name change)

Summit Height:  349.8m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 13239 71026 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)   

Bwlch Height:  326.7m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 13128 70875 (LIDAR)

Drop:  23.1m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  6.59% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

Warren Bank

Summit Height:  348.5m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 13803 70384 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)   

Bwlch Height:  325.5m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 13603 70747 (LIDAR)

Drop:  23.0m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch) (Sub-Trichant addition)

Dominance:  6.60% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

Maelienydd (significant name change)

Summit Height:  361.4m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 14373 71358 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)   

Bwlch Height:  320.9m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 13757 71419 (LIDAR)

Drop:  40.5m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  11.20% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

Mount Aire (significant name change)

Summit Height:  336.1m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 16235 70786 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)   

Bwlch Height:  308.8m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 16253 71635 (LIDAR)

Drop:  27.2m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  8.10% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet