Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Moel y Gamelin

16.09.21  Pt. 395.9m (SJ 215 543) 

Pt. 395.9m (SJ 215 543)

This hill is positioned in the Red Grouse Country Park and forms land associated with the Lake Hill Fishery with Llyn Cyfynwy providing the fishing.  The bulk of the hill consists of heather moor; however access is relatively easy, either from the convenience of the car park adjoined to the fishery café which is positioned just to the east of the summit or from a minor road to its north.  I chose the latter approach. 

Prior to visiting this hill I had a number of things to do in Oswestry and therefore my usual early morning start was delayed somewhat.  I drove north as morning cloud started to break and with a settled forecast for afternoon sunshine and light winds it was ideal for visiting hills and surveying. 

Driving through the small community of Rhydtalog, I then connected with the minor road heading westward to the north of this hill and parked close to a gate that gave access across two fields toward the heather moor. 

The summit cone of the hill rose heathered in the near distance, a dark silhouette when I approached toward the lake as late morning sun flickered behind cloud.  A second gate gave access to the good vehicle track, come path that circles the waters of Llyn Cyfynwy. 

Llyn Cyfynwy with the 395.9m heighted hill in the background

I wanted to walk around the lake and call at the fishery/café after visiting the summit to make place-name enquiries and therefore opted for the path on the westerly side of the lake for my ascent.  The path is good and took me to within easy striking distance of the hill’s high point which is crowned by a triangulation pillar. 

During the walk a continuous tata-tat-tat was emanating from the shooting range to the south of this hill.  The shooting range is adjoined to a 385m map heighted hill which I wanted to visit afterward and which is situated just to the south of the A5104 road which makes its way between these two hills. 

Approaching the summit

The last few metres to the summit was steeper than any on the approach and has a knotted rope in place, secured around the base of the trig for those wanting an aid to the high point.  As I stood beside the trig the firing range was in view, it was obviously popular as there were many cars parked there and any approach to the 385m map heighted hill from that direction would be off limits and potentially hazardous. 

The high point of my first hill of the day was easy to identify and consists of an embedded rock near the base of the trig pillar.  I secured the Trimble in place with the aid of its bag which I placed under one side of it, by doing so its internal antenna was aligned to the highest part of the summit rock and it was now neatly sitting in place, instead of at an angle. 

Gathering data at the summit of Pt. 395.9m

During data collection I kneeled behind the trig and scribbled all necessary detail in my surveying notebook.  After five minutes of data were gathered and stored I closed the equipment down, packed it away, took a few photographs and reversed my inward route back toward the lake and then headed on the path toward the fishery. 

Pt. 395.9m from near the shore of Llyn Cyfynwy

At the cabin close to the café I called out my ‘hello’s’ and the owner then emerged.  We talked for five minutes or so, he told me he just refers to the hill as trig point and didn’t know of a name for it.  I thanked him for his time and continued on the path around the eastern side of the lake.  It was only a short distance back to my car.  This hill was an ideal first walk of the day, and I hoped to do another two or three before heading home before a section of the A483 road was closed off in the evening. 

 

Survey Result:

 

Pt. 395.9m (significant name change)

Summit Height:  395.9m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 21508 54329 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  c 341m (interpolation)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 22252 54249 (interpolation)

Drop:  c 55m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)

Dominance:  13.87% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)

 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet