19.10.18 Pendinas (SN 584 802)
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| Pendinas (SN 584 802) |
Pendinas stands as a
landmark for those who live and work in the area surrounding Aberystwyth, as it
can be seen from afar due to the robust and tall monument placed on its summit.
The hill is positioned
on the south-western fringe of the town and for its relatively modest height it
is still a prominent hill with over 70% dominance. It is situated between the sea to its
immediate west and the Afon Ystwyth to its south and the Afon Rheidol to its
north, but it is the monument on its summit that draws the eye.
The monument is a
memorial to the Duke of Wellington and was constructed in approximately 1858
and resembles an upended cannon, and is 18m tall. It was struck by lightning in 1997, with the
resulting repairs completed in 1999.
Although I had looked
out toward this hill and its 18m high monument many times I had, until today,
never visited. As my time in Aberystwyth
was limited I opted for what is probably the easiest approach and parked close
to the start of a public footpath that ascends from the top of Parc Dinas,
which is a part of a large housing estate to the east of the summit.
The weather was
glorious, albeit overly warm as I arrived wearing my autumnal fleece and
proceeded to overheat for the hour or so when on the hill. The footpath started as a gravelled track and
once through a gate quickly turned in to a path with copious amounts of gorse
out of harm’s way on either side of its narrow confines.
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| The path leading to the summit of Pendinas |
As height was gained the
tower dominated as it rose skyward, a robust edifice to the men of war. I often wonder about such memorials as it
strikes me that one to the world peace keepers would be better for the human psyche.
The path soon led to the
top, and as a welcome breeze blew in from the great sweep of sea I set the
Trimble up on top of my rucksack to give it elevation above its immediate
surrounds, measured the offset between its internal antenna and the ground at
its base and settled in for the allotted ten minutes of data collection.
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| The tower and Trimble |
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| Gathering data at the summit of Pendinas |
During this time I
mainly stood behind the tower out of sight of the Trimble, but occasionally
flexed my legs by walking down the continuation of the path to the north.
During my time at the
summit two walkers approached, one a second year student at the university
studying geography, and another who had caught a bus and lived close to
Llanfair Caereinion, otherwise I was left to my own devises when on the summit.
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| The Trimble set-up position at the summit of Pendinas |
Once ten minutes of data
were gathered and stored I closed the Trimble down, packed it away and retraced
my inward route back to my awaiting car, before heading over to my brother’s
workplace to pick him up and take him north back home to Nantlle; via childhood
memories in Barmouth and a very steep street in Harlech.
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| LIDAR image of Pendinas |
Survey Result:
Pendinas
Summit Height: 126.1m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 58424 80212 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)
Bwlch Height: 34.5m (LIDAR)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 59140 80094 (LIDAR)
Drop: 91.6m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)
(Subhump status confirmed)
Dominance: 72.65% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)
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