Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Moel y Gamelin

 

16.09.21  Waun Fawr (SJ 227 537) 

Waun Fawr (SJ 227 537)

To the south-west of the small community of Rhydtalog lies an open and expansive upland of heather moor with its high point named Moel Garegog.  To the north of this moorland hills are scattered between numerous narrow lanes, whilst to the south the Llandegla Forest rises upward to higher 500m peaks. 

The summit of Moel Garegog; a 413.1m high hill surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 in August 2014, joins with Waun Fawr; a 385m map heighted heather clad hill to its north-east.  These two summits are positioned to the south of the A5104 road and between each hill is a shooting range, so although combining these hills is feasible, one would have to be careful as the shooting range is popular and today firing was continuous for a number of hours. 

Prior to visiting this hill I had examined it via LIDAR.  The summit is not yet covered, but the bwlch is.  Having built up contours using LIDAR I noted the height and position of the bwlch and this can now be used in conjunction with the summit height and position that I was about to obtain with the Trimble from this hill’s high point. 

LIDAR bwlch image of Waun Fawr

I approached from Rhydtalog having parked my car at the start of a minor road heading north-eastward out of the village.  By now the day’s heat was building and I found it a slow plod up the A5104 road, standing on the grass verge as cars whizzed past.  Thankfully the road section was not long and soon the gate giving access to a good track heading up the hill over the moor appeared.  This track leads almost to the top of the hill. 

The start of the track

When listing the original Welsh P30s I acquired the newly published Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer maps.  The map taking in this hill is number 256 and on my map the track leading almost to the summit of this hill is not marked, it only appears on later editions and now it can also be followed toward the summit via online aerial maps. 

In places the track was water logged, but bi-passing any wet ground was always easy.  All around the heather moor shone back purpled with early autumnal colours just making their appearance, with bracken turning a succulent bronze and Rowan trees showcasing their bright red berries with their leafs just starting to turn.  This time of year can be wonderful and especially so on a heather clad hill. 

The track leading toward the summit of Waun Fawr

Away in the distance I could see the chimney adjoined to the old lead mine on the eastern upper flank of the hill.  The track heads toward it, cresting the hill’s easterly facing summit ridge as it does so.  I was tempted to strike out for the summit from here, but aerial maps indicate the track veers northward and almost reaches the high point of the hill, therefore I continued on it. 

The chimney adjoined to the old lead mine

Except for the sound of firing from the shooting range and a hummed call from traffic on the A road, all else was at peace.  This hill felt subdued, a quiet outlier of something higher. 

I followed the track to its high point and left it to head through heather toward the summit.  Today the summit was beautiful with it consisting of a number of large rocks scattered across its upper ridge.  Its heathered realm was interspersed with bracken which added that luxuriant early autumnal colour to the scene.  

The summit of Waun Fawr

I wandered through the heather and bracken and stood on top of four or five rocks, each time looking back and ahead to the next until I reached one that I deemed the highest.  I then continued to the next and looked back, happy with where I judged the summit to be positioned I then wandered back and positioned the Trimble on top of my rucksack aligned over the high point of the rock.  Before setting the equipment to gather data I took the measurement offset between its internal antenna and the ground at its base and waited until the 0.1m accuracy level appeared before data should be logged.  I then activated the equipment and retreated a safe distance so as not to get in the way of satellite reception. 

Gathering data at the summit of Waun Fawr

During data collection I sat below the Trimble on a rock and enjoyed being on the summit.  I’d often looked at this hill on the map and it was proving an enjoyable experience visiting it, just me, a slight breeze, and the sound of rifle shots over my shoulder and beautiful early autumnal colour. 

The way back

Once five minutes of data were gathered and stored I closed the equipment down, packed it away and reversed my inward route, enjoying the track through the heather as I did so. 

 

Survey Result: 

 

Waun Fawr (significant name change)

Summit Height:  385.4m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 22715 53774 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  348.9m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 22115 52838 (LIDAR)

Drop:  36.5m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  9.46% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet