Mapping Mountains – Summit Relocations – The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales

The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales – Summit Relocations

The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales are the English, Welsh and Manx hills at or above 500m and below 609.6m (2,000ft) in height that have a minimum drop of 30m.  The list is affectionately known as The Deweys.

The list is authored by Michael Dewey and the posts that have appeared on Mapping Mountains detailing the summit relocations to the list appear below presented chronologically in receding order.

Postscript:  Michael Dewey died on the 5^th November 2022.  His wife; Gillian wished for this list to be carried on and made provision for it to be co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips.  Michael will always be the compiler and originator, it’s just that he’s now got a co-author to safeguard and carry this list on.  Hopefully this list will retain the name of the Deweys; an affectionate moniker given it by hill baggers, as this is an appropriate testament to what Michael created and a legacy to remember Michael by.  

Mapping Mountains - Summit Relocations - The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales

Mynydd Trawsnant (SN 824 485) - 3rd summit relocation

 

There has been a Summit Relocation to a hill that is listed in the The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales, with the summit height, col height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Aled Williams. 

LIDAR image of Mynydd Trawsnant (SN 824 485)

The criteria for the list that this summit relocation applies to are:

The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales are affectionately known after their hill list compiler; Michael Dewey.  This list mixes metric and imperial height in its criteria to bookend up to the 2000ft height band and takes in all hills in England, Isle of Man and Wales that are 500m and above and below 2000ft (609.6m) in height that have 30m minimum drop. 

Mountain tables by Michael Dewey

Michael Dewey died on the 5^th November 2022.  His wife; Gillian wished for this list to be carried on and made provision for it to be co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips.  Michael will always be the compiler and originator, it’s just that he’s now got a co-author to safeguard and carry this list on. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

The name the hill is listed by is Mynydd Trawsnant and it is adjoined to the Drygarn Fawr group of hills, which are situated in the northern part of South Wales, and it is positioned with a minor road to its north-west and the A483 road to its south-east, and has the town of Llanwrtyd towards the east south-east. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger map

When the original list of Deweys appeared in the Mountain tables book published by Constable in 1995, this hill was listed with a summit height of 517m, based on the spot height positioned at SN 821 484 that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map.

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales.

LIDAR summit image of Mynydd Trawsnant (SN 824 485)

The details ascertained from LIDAR for the new and old summit position are given below, but as the upper section of this hill is forested the accuracy of LIDAR modelling may be compromised.  However, the pre-forestry levelled height on the Ordnance Survey series of Six-Inch maps substantiates the new LIDAR position. 

 

New summit:  516.559m at SN 82452 48564 

Old summit:  516.489m at SN 82162 48430 

 

The above detail compared to the summit position previously given comes within the parameters of the Summit Relocations used within this page heading, these parameters are: 

The term Summit Relocations applies to when the high point is positioned in a different field, to a different feature such as a conifer plantation, within a different map contour, a different point where a number of potential summit positions are within close proximity, when natural ground or the natural and intact summit is confirmed compared to a higher point such as a raised field boundary or covered reservoir that is considered a relatively recent man-made construct, or a relocation of approximately 100 metres or more in distance from either the position of a map spot height or from where the summit of the hill was previously thought to exist. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey series of Six-Inch maps

Therefore, the summit height produced by LIDAR analysis is 516.6m and this is positioned at SN 82452 48564.  This position is not given a spot height on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map, but is close to where the 517m spot height appears on the contemporary 1:50,000 Landranger map and is approximately 320 metres north-eastward from where the previously listed summit is positioned. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Drygarn Fawr 

Name:  Mynydd Trawsnant 

OS 1:50,000 map:  147

OS 1:25,000:  187 

Summit Height:  516.6m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference (new position):  SN 82452 48564 (LIDAR)  

Bwlch Height:  378.3m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 82781 50423 (LIDAR)

Drop:  138.3m (LIDAR)

 

Myrddyn Phillips (August 2023)

 

Mapping Mountains - Summit Relocations - The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales

Dead Man’s Hill (SE 056 783) - 2nd summit relocation

Survey post for Dead Man's Hill

 

There has been a Summit Relocation to a hill that is listed in the The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales, with the summit height, col height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Dead Man's Hill (SE 056 783)

The criteria for the list that this summit relocation applies to are:

The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales are affectionately known after their hill list compiler; Michael Dewey.  This list mixes metric and imperial height in its criteria to bookend up to the 2000ft height band and takes in all hills in England, Isle of Man and Wales that are 500m and above and below 2000ft (609.6m) in height that have 30m minimum drop. 

Mountain tables by Michael Dewey

Michael Dewey died on the 5^th November 2022.  His wife; Gillian wished for this list to be carried on and made provision for it to be co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips.  Michael will always be the compiler and originator, it’s just that he’s now got a co-author to safeguard and carry this list on.

The name the hill is listed by is Dead Man’s Hill, and it is adjoined to the Whernside group of hills, which are situated in the central Pennines, and it is positioned with minor roads to its north-west and south-east and the B6160 road to its west, and has the village of West Scrafton towards the north.

When the original list of Deweys appeared in the Mountain tables book published by Constable in 1995, this hill was listed with a summit height of 546m, based on the spot height positioned at SE 058 783 that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

This hill was subsequently surveyed with a Trimble GeoXH 6000 by Myrddyn Phillips on the 04.01.14, resulting in a 545.2m height positioned at SE 05813 78297.

The Trimble set-up position on the summit area of Dead Man's Hill 

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the Trimble set-up position for the summit of this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales. 

LIDAR summit image of Dead Man's Hill

LIDAR close up summit image of Dead Man's Hill

The height produced by LIDAR analysis to the summit of this hill is 545.4m positioned at SE 05674 78329, as opposed to the Trimble set-up position which gave 545.2m positioned at SE 05813 78297.  These results and the highest ground LIDAR gives close to the Trimble set-up position appear below:

 

Trimble GeoXH 6000:  545.161m at SE 05813 78297 

LIDAR summit:  545.405m at SE 05674 78329 

LIDAR close to Trimble set-up position:  545.267m at SE 05791 78308 

 

The LIDAR result comes within the parameters of the Summit Relocations used within this page heading, these parameters are: 

The term Summit Relocations applies when the high point of the hill is found to be positioned; in a different field, to a different feature such as in a conifer plantation,  within a different map contour, to a different point where a number of potential summit positions are within close proximity, when natural ground or the natural and intact summit of a hill is confirmed compared to a higher point such as a raised field boundary or covered reservoir that is judged to be a relatively recent man-made construct, or a relocation of approximately 100 metres or more in distance from either the position of a map spot height or from where the summit of the hill was previously thought to exist. 

Therefore, the summit height produced by LIDAR analysis is 545.4m and this is positioned at SE 05674 78329, this position is not given a spot height on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map, and is positioned approximately 150 metres westward from where the originally listed summit is positioned. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Whernside 

Name:  Dead Man’s Hill 

OS 1:50,000 map:  98

OS 1:25,000:  30, 298 

Summit Height:  545.4m (LIDAR) 

Summit Grid Reference (New Position):  SE 05674 78329 (LIDAR) 

Col Height:  483.3m (LIDAR) 

Col Grid Reference:  SE 04417 78278 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  62.1m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2023)

Mapping Mountains - Summit Relocations - The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales

Esgair Greolen (SN 835 920) - 1st summit relocation

First survey post for Esgair Greolen

Second survey post for Esgair Greolen


Michael Dewey has confirmed that the summit of Bryn yr Ŵyn (SN 83919 92571) is relocated to the higher summit of Esgair Greolen (SN 83574 92022) and therefore replaces Bryn yr Ŵyn as the hill listed in his 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales, which is affectionately known as the Deweys.

My word you’ve been busy in the Pumlumon area. Excellent work and I know it’s going to be appreciated by the people doing the Five-hundreds.  I’m pleased to accept the summit relocations of Bryn yr Ŵyn at grid reference SN 83919 9257 and Esgair Greolen at SN 83574 92022.

Michael Dewey (May 2016)

Esgair Greolen (SN 835 920) centre left of photo and Bryn yr Ŵyn (SN 839 925) on right of photo

The listing to The 500-Metre Tops of England and Wales appeared in Michael’s Mountain tables book which was published by Constable in 1995.  Since that date there have only been a few summit relocations which have resulted in replacement summits being confirmed, those affecting Wales include:

Pen y Bedw East Top (SH 784 470) replaces Pen y Bedw West Top (SH 779 469)

Cerrig Llwydion (SN 909 731) replaces Sychnentydd (SN 909 724)

Esgair Greolen (SN 835 920) replaces Bryn yr Ŵyn (SN 839 925)

Mountain tables by Michael Dewey

This summit relocation and replacement summit was confirmed by a survey conducted over two days; 05.05.16 and 13.05.16 with the Trimble GeoXH 6000.  In all five data sets were taken from the summit of Bryn yr Ŵyn and four from the summit of Esgair Greolen.  Each summit height has been averaged from these combined surveys:

Esgair Greolen 501.4m (converted to OSGM15) summit at SN 83574 92022

Bryn yr Ŵyn 499.9m (converted to OSGM15) summit at SN 83919 92571

Gathering data from the summit of Bryn yr Ŵyn

Gathering data from the summit of Esgair Greolen

If wanting more detail please consult the blog post for the 1^st Trimble survey and the 2nd Trimble survey of these summits.  All details relating to each data set taken during the two days which took in these surveys are given in the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet.

Myrddyn Phillips (May 2016)