Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Pendle

21.10.24  Hoof Stones Height (SD 914 290) 

Having visited Thieveley Pike (SD 871 271) we now headed north-eastward, with John driving and navigating the way to the county boundary between Lancashire and Yorkshire, where a convenient parking spot on a minor road gave access to our second hill of the day; Hoof Stones Height.  This hill was not on the original bagging agenda, as Mark had previously visited, but this is where we found ourselves and it proved a fine hill to visit. 

Heading for the hill

The minor road was to the south of the summit with a boggy path leading northward from the confines of the moor, which was bisected by the narrow strip of tarmac as it headed southward toward the Calder valley.

By now the sun glinted through high cloud, giving tranquility to the scene, which the lessening of breeze only emphasised.  Beside the bog laden path heather predominated, which was at contrast to our first hill of the afternoon.  The grasses of the moor, with their bronzed tips cast gentle colour in the late afternoon light.  It felt good to be out on the hill. 

Mark on the large boulders near the path

Our route up the hill led toward large boulders, which were just to the east of the path.  Mark went to investigate, whilst John and I continued our plod uphill through increasing bog. 

The open moor

I looked back as Mark rejoined the path, the moorland surrounds stretched for miles.  With rough grass, heather and no doubt more bog disappearing in to the distance.  The majority of which seemed unenclosed, with few fences hereabouts. 

John beside the trig pillar

It was now only a short distance to the trig pillar, which forlornly stood beside a puddled bog.  We debated the high point, with John indicating a grassy knoll a few metres away to be the summit.  The Trimble was soon placed on top of it gathering data.  This proved a delightful top, with weathered rock under the highest grassed patch of earth. 

Gathering data at the summit of Hoof Stones Height

As the Trimble gathered its customary five minutes of data, I stood with Mark and John a suitable distance away from the equipment so as not to interfere with satellite reception, scribbling all necessary detail in my surveying note book, before scampering back to the equipment to turn it off, take a few photographs, pack it away and rejoin my colleagues for our downward route. 

Heading down the hill

I followed John down, with Mark behind.  The late afternoon autumnal light, with delicately blue hued silvered cloud stretching across the horizon as the sun sank deeper in the sky proved a fine end to a gentle, albeit boggy afternoon on the hill. 

 

Survey Result:

 

Hoof Stones Height                  

Summit Height:  479.3m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SD 91475 29092 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Col Height:  379.7m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference:  SD 91128 31461 (LIDAR)

Drop:  99.6m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR col)

Dominance:  20.79% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR col)  

 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet