14.04.15 Esgair Dderw
(SN 943 700), Penrhiw Wen (SN 925 709), Esgair Perfedd (SN 917 700), Crugyn Ci
(SN 926 687) and Coed y Cefn (SN 950 682)
Esgair Dderw (SN 943 700) |
I’d almost forgotten the
tranquility and spacious solitude that the Elenydd can offer, this area is
special throughout the year but autumnal months give a blaze of colour when the
moor grass reaches a bronzed intensity, but spring months when warmth heralds
new life and the Skylark is a constant companion and the wide open spaces give
big skies of blue radiating against the bleached colours of the land is also quite
magical.
Today I wanted to visit
Esgair Dderw, a Pedwar with just 30m of drop according to Ordnance Survey maps
and a hill that only entered the list during evaluation for publishing on
Europeaklist. I’d devised a circuit that
would also take in Coed y Cefn which is a Sub-Hump with only 90m of drop, both
hills were new for me as I had not visited them before, between the two is a
large expanse of emptiness with Penrhiw Wen, Esgair Perfedd and Crugyn Ci
rising out of the extended moor, smooth shaped and desolate. I’d visited Penrhiw Wen and Esgair Perfedd twice
before in 2000 and 2009 and Crugyn Ci three times before with the extra visit
in January 2001 with Eryl, Rita, Ed and John and Anne Nuttall after we’d
celebrated my 40th birthday the night before in Llanidloes.
I parked at SN 952 688
where the width of tarmac had been extended, this is opposite the footpath I
aimed to use and which rises eastward next to a deciduous wood before angling
back on itself when it reaches open hillside.
As I gained height a brisk westerly wind blew and I put my gloves on
which remained firmly in place until later in the morning when the warmth
cascading out of the sky burned the high cloud cover and replaced it with deep
blues.
The view beyond the beauty of the Elenydd |
Once beyond the
deciduous wood a multitude of paths, some green tracks and others off-road
vehicle tracks consisting of stone and rock made their way upward toward the
high point of Esgair Dderw. As I
approached the summit intermittent busts of sunshine would illuminate the land
before disappearing and replacing the colour with a dull ache of sameness.
I gathered data from
three potential high points at the summit area of Esgair Dderw and then stood
beside Maen-serth, an outlying 8ft tall ancient standing stone looking over the
upper Gwynllyn valley. This stone’s
antiquity is disputed as it is probably placed as a way marker. One local name for it is the ‘Prince’s Stone’
which relates to a dispute over land between the Norman ‘Marcher’ Lord; Roger
Mortimer, and the Welsh chieftains; Rhys ap Gruffydd and two brothers;
Cadwallon and Einon Clud. It is said
that it was on this spot, beside Maen-serth that Mortimer ambushed and killed
Einon and later did the same to his brother; Cadwallon.
Gathering data from one of the three points surveyed at the summit area of Esgair Dderw |
Maen-serth stands as a way marker looking out toward Crugyn Ci and Esgair Perfedd |
A short distance beyond
the summit of Esgair Dderw is its critical bwlch, this area has a wooden fence
enclosure similar to a small paddock, within its confines are reed grass and a
dried up muddy puddle. I took data from
where I judged the critical bwlch to be positioned and then checked the
positioning of the 433m spot height which appears on the Ordnance Survey
enlarged Geograph map and which gives this hill its Pedwar status. The ten figure grid reference for this spot
height took me to land which is positioned on the upward part of the hill to
hill traverse.
One of the options for
the easterly ascent of Esgair Dderw is on a good vehicle track which starts
from a country lane and continues beyond the summit of Penrhiw Wen where it
emerges onto the mountain road from Rhaeadr (Rhayader). After surveying the bwlch I joined this track
and walked on it to near its high point before heading north upto the summit
area of Penrhiw Wen. I took data from two
potential high points and looked out as light and shade played on the landscape
with the high cloud now slowly breaking and with the chill early morning breeze
being replaced by late morning warmth.
Light and shade upon the lonely Elenydd landscape |
I now had a choice,
either continue from Penrhiw Wen across the moor toward the bwlch between this
hill and Esgair Perfedd or too loose around 55m of height to investigate the
critical bwlch of Crugyn Ci, I opted for the latter and joined the minor road
and walked downhill away from the continuation of my planned walk. I soon left the road and found a sheep track
amongst the Elenydd tussocks which took me down to a quiet pool amongst a
morass of bog. Thankfully conditions
were relatively dry and as the Trimble gathered its data I watched the
occasional car pass on the minor road, wondering if the people inside the cars
were wondering what a forlorn figure was doing standing in a bog!
Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Crugyn Ci |
Once data were gathered
I re-joined the sheep track but soon diverted toward the minor road and then
opted for the continuation of the moor toward the next bwlch, below was the
slender watery thread of the Graig Goch Reservoir framed against miles of
desolate land. When I arrived at the
next bwlch it proved to be extensive and wet, with reed grass stretching off
into the distance, I opted to place the Trimble beside a large pool and settled
in for a few minutes wait until the required 0.1m accuracy is attained before
data can be logged.
Looking down and past the Graig Goch Reservoir |
Mmmmmmmmmm yummy, yummy, another bog! Gathering data at the bwlch of Esgair Perfedd |
By now I’d removed by
gloves as the breeze was warmer than first thing this morning, ahead lay the
504m map heighted summit of Esgair Perfedd, I started toward this hill in a
direct route but soon back-tracked and tried to gain height around an
intervening morass of bog, in land like this a sheep track can be a god-send
and once I fund one I followed it toward a series of small boundary stones
placed across the moor, in time I arrived at the quiet summit of Esgair Perfedd
and proceeded to take data from two points.
Miles of naute! Gathering data from one of the two surveyed positions at the summit area of Esgair Perfedd |
The high cloud had now
been replaced by a clearing blue mass of sky which gave a refreshing feel to
the landscape, this stretched out in a continuous pattern of moorland with
rolling hill after rolling hill giving way to the horizon.
I followed boundary
stones and an adjacent small path down to the next connecting bwlch, this
proved extensive, the largest of the day, it stretched out in a flatness of bog
and moor grass, I took data from two points on the valley to valley traverse
and gave a relatively large margin of uncertainty for the height placement.
More miles of naute! Wandering in another bog, this time at the critical bwlch of Penrhiw Wen |
As I packed the Trimble
away and walked through the bog to the relatively dry slopes of Crugyn Ci I
took my one-skin summer jacket off as I was now over heating in the afternoon
sun. The path leading up from the bwlch
soon gave way to a small sheep track that in time brought me out close to this
hill’s trig pillar. Again, two points
were Trimbled and whilst it gathered data I sat and rested, happy in the
knowledge that the wilder part of the walk was now almost over.
Gathering data at the summit of Crugyn Ci |
Blue skies above the trig pillar on Crugyn Ci |
Gathering data beside the trig pillar on Crugyn Ci |
Once I had packed the
Trimble away I looked out from the trig as a Red Kite soared above, just one of
many that I had seen during the day, once a sighting would have been a rarity,
now it is common, but their majestic flight has not altered, still they glide
with forked tail and slender body.
Red Kite - always majestic in flight |
The summit of Crugyn Ci
is perched above an attractive small rock outcrop which gives authority to its
position amongst the miles of slowly undulating moor. Just below this rock outcrop is a good track
that crosses over the hills from the Penygarreg Reservoir to the minor road
that I had walked on earlier in the day.
Diverting from this good track is a path that heads eastward down to the
valley, once I had found this path I stayed on it as it slowly lost height before
plunging down through steep ground toward the critical bwlch of Coed y Cefn,
which was my last hill of the day.
This path was a delight
as it passed the remains of an old house with the customary wind break of
mature trees next to it. I often wonder when
I come across the remains of such houses who lived here and when. It must have been a gentle and probably
sometimes hard life in such a place, this may have once been a Hafod, a summer dwelling for a shepherd,
one that was boarded up for the dark winter months when the flock tends itself
on lower pastures.
The remains of an old house in the hills |
I slipped over on my way
down the sleep rock path as I approached the valley, I’d already broken the
lens cap to my camera when on the summit of Crugyn Ci and would shortly tear my
map case and my legs on a ‘footpath’ that is not recommended.
Coed y Cefn from the approach toward its critical bwlch |
As I approached the
critical bwlch of Coed y Cefn it was evident that it was placed either in or
just beside another bog. Once I placed
the Trimble down at the allotted spot I sat under small trees in the dappled
light and looked up as branches gave way to blue sky, I checked on the
Trimble’s downward progress on a couple of occasions and contentedly waited
until I pressed ‘Log’ and then sat down again.
The critical bwlch where I was now at is beside a footpath that looked
like a track on the map. Once the
Trimble was packed away I remained in the field beyond the bog as the footpath
was old and enclosed and particularly wet.
I should have remained in the fields and used gates to gain access onto
the lane at the base of the wood that gives Coed y Cefn its name; rather
stupidly I opted to join the enclosed path even though I could see that it was
full to busting with sapling trees. Once
I started on my ‘safari’ I reached a point where I couldn’t be bothered back-tracking
and continued through the mayhem, either side was a hawthorn hedge and I was
now in a gully full of prickly stuff and to make matters worse the further into
the stuff I plodded the more wet, muddy and oozy the underfoot conditions
became. As my legs started to be torn
and bloodied I decided that I had to try and get through the adjacent hedge, as
I stumbled my way up the slippery bank, through the hedge and over the adjacent
barbed wire fence I tore my map case, which seems to be compulsory if bagging
smaller hills.
Beside another bog, this time at the critical bwlch of Coed y Cefn |
I was now knackered,
hot, sweaty, bloodied and disheveled.
Once in the field I plodded up to a gate and the safety of a narrow lane
which led to two end houses at the western base of Coed y Cefn. Beyond the last house a path led south-eastward
around the base of the wooded hill, I left this path and puffed my way up
through the stunted oaks toward the top.
By now I had to take a few rests on the uphill part, as I did so I
watched a multitude of ants scampering on the small path which made its way up
through the trees. I soon came across
one of two large ant nests and stopped to take some photos, as I crouched down
to zoom in I listened to the hum and quiet crackle as the thousands of ants hurriedly
went this way and that, a hive of activity in the afternoon’s sunshine and
perched in a seldom visited wood.
The ascent of Coed y Cefn is easy and attractive past stunted oak and small rock outcrops, the
summit is crowned by one of these attractive outcrops beside a few small
trees. Just under the high point of the
summit outcrop is a wooden board with the following inscribed on it ‘up, way up
to the stars above’. I thought this
rather wonderful and quite unexpected.
An unexpected and welcome addition to the summit of Coed y Cefn |
I sighted with my small
spirit level across the upper part of this highest rock outcrop as there are
three positions vying for the summit, once I had decided which was just highest
I placed the Trimble on the rock and gathered the allotted five minutes of
data.
Perched on the high point of Coed y Cefn the Trimble gathers its last summit data of the day |
The outcrop of rock at the summit of Coed y Cefn |
All that remained was to
re-trace my steps back down through the trees onto the lane and then follow
footpaths down to a stream crossing and a slow plod back up a field to my
car. It had been a wonderful day spent
in the tranquility of the Elenydd, easily one of the best landscapes in the
whole of Wales.
Survey Result:
Esgair Dderw
Summit Height: 462.8m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 94362 70013
Bwlch Height: 431.6m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 93879 69951
Drop: 31.2m (Pedwar status confirmed)
Dominance: 6.74%
Dominance: 6.74%
Penrhiw Wen
Summit Height: 510.1m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 92511 70917
Bwlch Height: 476.3m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 91946 69612
Drop: 33.9m
Dominance: 6.64%
Dominance: 6.64%
Esgair Perfedd
Summit Height: 503.5m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 91702 70082
Bwlch Height: 479.8m (LIDAR)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 91387 70686 (LIDAR)
Drop: 23.7m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)
Dominance: 4.71% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)
Dominance: 4.71% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)
Crugyn Ci
Summit Height: 532.6m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 92627 68799
Bwlch Height: 432.3m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 91485 71676
Drop: 100.3m (Hump status confirmed)
Dominance: 18.84%
Dominance: 18.84%
Coed y Cefn (significant name change)
Summit Height: 342.2m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 95076 68217
Bwlch Height: 251.3m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 94349 68432
For further details please
consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet click {here}
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