Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Beacon Hill

17.07.21  Stonewall Hill (SO 318 696) 

Stonewall Hill (SO 318 696)

Stonewall Hill was the second National Top that Aled and I planned on visiting and surveying during the day.  We had just visited the first; the Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge (SO 246 557) and duly surveyed it.  

The border hereabouts follows the course of a narrow lane with the summit of The Warren (SO 318 685) which is classified as an English Sub-Four, just to its east, whilst the summit of Stonewall Hill is just in Wales.  The concept of National Tops is explained in a separate post and for the lists co-authored with Aled Williams, this status affects just these two hills. 

If wanting, the narrow road that follows the border before veering eastward gives opportunity for a quick ascent of The Warren and the National Top of Stonewall Hill.  I’d previously visited The Warren so waited beside my car as Aled walked to its high point.  Once Aled had returned I drove the short distance on the continuation of the narrow road and pulled in beside the gate that gives access to a public footpath leading through the mixed wood to the summit of Stonewall Hill. 

By now the heat was becoming increasingly uncomfortable and especially so if doing any form of excursive.  As I got my camera, map and rucksack out of the car and then locked it, I could hear a good deal of bashing going on, this came from the undergrowth on the opposing side of the gate; Aled was submerged in the public footpath that doesn’t seem to be used very often as summer growth had formed a jungle around its narrow confines. 

By the time I joined Aled a path of sorts was emerging through the undergrowth aided by a branch that was being used to swat the long grass, nettles and any other form of greenery that had swamped the path.  I was glad it was Aled doing this and not me as all I wanted was the easiest route and as little uphill as possible, even following in Aled’s footsteps was tiring. 

On the path through the wood

Eventually the undergrowth gave way to easier conditions through the mixed wood and led us to a mound which had a stunted tree near its high point; leading to it was a sea of green fern.  This was the summit of the newly acclaimed Nation Top of Stonewall Hill.  Considering the conditions we had walked through, the summit was relatively open which gave good opportunity for the Trimble to log on to orbiting satellites. 

Approaching the summit of Stonewall Hill

Once at the top Aled assessed the lay of land and we decided to take two data sets, about one metre apart.  During data collection Aled sat below the equipment to its immediate south and I scribbled all necessary detail in my surveying notebook. 

Gathering data at the summit of Stonewall Hill

Adjacent to the summit of Stonewall Hill was a ploughed field, between the summit and the field’s easy underfoot conditions was a barb wired fence, and beyond the field the narrow road.  This looked an easier route back when compared to retracing our inward trek, and once the Trimble had gathered and stored its second data set I closed it down, packed it away and in to the field we went.  From here it was only a short walk back to the car. 

The two National Tops had now been visited and surveyed and their newly acquired classifications confirmed.  It had been a good morning on the hill, but one hill still remained to visit; Farrington Bank (SO 305 699).

 

Survey Result: 

 

Stonewall Hill

Summit Height:  400.1m (converted to OSGM15, from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey) (400m Sub-Pedwar addition under National Top status) (significant height revision)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 31823 69655 (from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)   

Bwlch Height:  376.4m (converted to OSGM15, from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 31273 70279 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Drop:  23.8m

Dominance:  5.95%

For details on the 2nd survey of Stonewall Hill 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet