Monday 30 March 2020

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Moel y Gamelin


18.12.19  Bryn Gwyn (SJ 213 617) and Moel Findeg (SJ 209 611)  

Moel Findeg (SJ 209 611)

Having visited the summit of Mynydd Du (SJ 214 571) I drove the short distance north and parked beside a farm between the two hills of Bryn Gwyn to the north, and Moel Findeg to the south.  Closing the car door I noted a public footpath leading toward the latter hill and then called at the farm to ask permission to park, this was duly granted.

The early morning clag was breaking which gave an occasional glimpse of the world beyond the greyed immediate scene.  A track a few metres back down the road led up the westward side of my next hill; Bryn Gwyn.  I soon left the track and followed vehicle tracks up a field which took me around the east side of the upper part of the hill.

Mist and murk still clung at this height with shapes of gorse patches and trees forever springing up in to view and gently disappearing again.  I’d read reports on the Hill Bagging website that the summit of Bryn Gwyn is immersed in gorse and I wondered if it could be Trimbled.  I was soon below the gorse which extended across the upper part of the hill which consists of an attractive knolled ridge.  My second attempt at getting to the summit succeeded having given up on my first which led me to a high 10ft wall of gorse which looked forbidding.

Having found a way through the gorse I crested the upper ridge at the summit which steeply fell away a few metres on its eastern side.  Thankfully the high point was free of gorse and therefore positioning the Trimble at the summit atop my rucksack was relatively easy, and within a few minutes it was quietly beeping away gathering data as I stood below it amongst gorse waiting patiently for the allotted data to be stored.

Gathering data at the summit of Bryn Gwyn

Once data gathering were completed I packed the equipment away and followed another vehicle track on the western side of the gorse laden upper part of the hill back to my inward route, and then followed this down to the minor road and the public footpath sign close to where my car was parked.

The public footpath led up a track to grazing fields and more gloomed murk with nearing silhouettes of steep sided summits springing in to view as I followed the path upward.  This route brought me quickly to the base of the upper part of Moel Findeg which consists of an attractive steep sided crag with the continuation of the path leading up grass to its high point.

I placed the Trimble on the ground with its internal antenna aligned to the highest bit of the hill and stood below and to the west of it, as it gathered its allotted data.  By now the early morning breeze was as forecast, as its strength increased.  As the Trimble gathered data I looked west and the clag had been pierced with the higher Clwydian hills emerging from out of their murk, but still to the east the low clag hung in a dense grey murk.

Gathering data at the summit of Moel Findeg

The Trimble set-up position at the summit of Moel Findeg

After packing the equipment away I took a few photos and made my way down the path and looked back on the upper crag.  Moel Findeg is a fine small heighted hill and one that was saved by the local community who purchased the hill saving it from the ravages of impending quarrying.  Once back at the car I watched as two chickens squawked their way toward me, I said my hello’s and hoped they had moved as I slowly drove away toward my last hill of the day; Hafod Mountain (SJ 211 630). 



Survey Result:



Bryn Gwyn 

Summit Height:  338.6m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) (significant height revision)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 21352 61727 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  c 302m (interpolation)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 21258 61471 (interpolation)

Drop:  c 37m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)

Dominance:  10.82% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)





Moel Findeg 

Summit Height:  365.0m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 20955 61181 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  c 309m (interpolation)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 20691 60689 (interpolation)

Drop:  c 56m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)

Dominance:  15.35% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and interpolated bwlch)





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