Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Moel y Gamelin

22.08.14  Moel Garegog (SJ 211 523) and Moel Garegog (SJ 216 525)

Moel Garegog (SJ 216 525)

Squeezed in to a corner of land between the A525 and A5104 sits the rather pleasant and seemingly seldom visited hill of Moel Garegog, I’d only visited once before in September 2003 when I approached from the south-east, today I wanted to include the 404m bump to the west of Moel Garegog and survey it for possible 400m Sub-Pedwar status, as well as survey the two summits of Moel Garegog as both Mark and Aled had reported that they looked of similar height.

I also hoped to do another three walks after visiting Moel Garegog, the last two in the company of Mark, who I was meeting after he finished work, at 5.30pm in the Morrisons café in Denbigh.  There couldn’t be any delay and I was away from Welshpool by 10.15am and booted up and walking by 11.30am.

I opted to approach these hills from the west and parked on a narrow lane beside a house and followed a bulldozed track up and around the hillside.  Although the forecast was for a dry afternoon and evening the showers prior to setting off were frequent and as I gained height there was a mass of deep grey cloud heading my way from all directions.  Thankfully I’d come equipped with an umbrella, one of those golfing types that are huge, in my recollection this was the first time I’d ever gone hill walking with such an implement, I was very thankful that I brought it along as by the time I had left the track and clambered up through heather and fern to the summit of the 404m hill at SJ 211 523, the first drops of rain were being spent along from the west and north as all surrounding hills got a good drenching.

Just before the rain swept in I had enough time to set the Trimble up on a rock, measure the offset to the ground, set it to log data, scribble all necessary details in my small surveying log book and shield myself, all my camera gear and rucksack behind the huge umbrella as the rain cast down upon me.  I had to smile as I remained dry behind the umbrella as the thought of struggling with over trousers, Goretex outer shell and trying to keep my camera gear dry was laughable when compared to the convenience and simplicity of an umbrella!

Gathering data at the 404.1m (converted to OSGM15) summit at SJ 211 523 as the rain heads in from the west

Once data were stored I set off through the heather to the hill’s connecting bwlch with its higher neighbour, the critical bwlch proved relatively easy to pinpoint, again the Trimble was placed in the appropriate position and as it gathered five minutes of data I looked out to the north as the next mass of grey shower cloud quickly approached.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of the prospective new 400m Sub-Pedwar

And the rain clouds mass to the north

Next stop was the westerly of the two tops of Moel Garegog, this one has a small cairn on it and a wind shelter, I placed one of the rocks from the shelter on the high point and positioned the Trimble on top of the rock so it was now above the heather, I measured and noted the offset between the position of the Trimble’s internal antenna and the ground at the base of the rock which would be taken off the processed result, and once the 0.1m accuracy had been achieved, I pressed ‘Log’ and retreated  behind the shelter and aimed the umbrella in the direction of the rain and stood behind its protective shell as the sky turned an ominous deep grey. 

Moel Garegog has two tops, which one is higher is hard to distinguish by eye, this top is positioned at SJ 21539 52548 and came to 413.031m (converted to OSGM15)

Once the rain had stopped and the data collected I proceeded up to the top that has the 404m map spot height on it.  This proved relatively flat; I assessed this summit from various angles and chose my spot, this time erecting the Trimble on its improvised tripod to again position it above the near heather.

This is the top of Moel Garegog that has the 413m Ordnance Survey map spot height, this top is positioned at SJ 21646 52520 and came to 413.075m (converted to OSGM15).  The wind shelter atop the opposing summit is in the background

As the Trimble was packed away the sun came out, I retraced my steps back toward the first hill I had surveyed with it resembling a patch-work quilt with greens and purples on show as I headed down to the connecting bwlch.  Beyond the heathery expanse of this hill I decided to try a track amongst the heather and see if it led down towards my car, the track soon disappeared to be replaced by a narrow sheep track that went straight down the ridge toward the lane where I had parked the car.

A patchwork of greens and purples

Before heading toward Denbigh I wanted to investigate the critical bwlch for Moel Garegog, this is placed in the vicinity of a 324m map spot height that appears on the A525 at SJ 235 526.  A convenient gravelled car park is situated just off this road adjacent to the area of the bwlch, it is also home to a laser firing range and as I pulled up there was a plethora of young children all hiding behind built-up obstacles occasionally emerging to shoot their compatriots.

I took data from two positions, the second one beside the car park with the Trimble placed on the top of a wooden post, and again the offset was measured and will be taken off the processed result.  The area of the bwlch is infested with man-made constructions, with the A525 and conifer forestry to its immediate north, a slightly raised and gravelled car park for the laser shooters and forestry beyond to the east.  The second placement was beside what I deemed to be man-made construct and therefore I dismissed it, however, a slightly higher placement may be found in the adjacent easterly forestry, and although I looked in to the woodland I thought this to be terra formed so again I dismissed it.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Moel Garegog

Once the Trimble had gathered its customary five minutes of data I packed it away, sorted out my gear and headed toward Denbigh and my second survey of the day; Castell Dinbych.

Survey Result:

Moel Garegog

Summit Height:  404.1m (converted to OSGM15)  

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 21125 52312

Bwlch Height:  385.7m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 21416 52442

Drop:  18.4m

Dominance:  4.55%

Moel Garegog

Summit Height:  413.1m (converted to OSGM15)

 

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 21646 52520

Bwlch Height:  323.0m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 23482 52605

Drop:  90.1m  (Subhump addition)

Dominance:  21.81%

For further details please consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet click {here}