Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Carnedd Wen

 

15.09.20  Caer Wedyn (SJ 095 047) 

Caer Wedyn (SJ 095 047)

Re-visiting hills can trigger memories that transport you back in time.  When repeating multiple ascents of the Welsh 2,000ft’ers I was left with a strong feeling of the hills being there like old friends.  This is a feeling also commonly expressed by other people.  However, the strong bond formed from multiple ascents is different compared to a hill visited on just two or three occasions.  The memory of ascent route and view is strongly imprinted from a hill that has been visited on numerous occasions, whilst an imprint still exists from a hill that may have only been visited once before, but this imprint is by no means as strong.  However, it is still there, lingering almost as an afterthought.  And for the next hill on our day’s schedule this was the exact feeling triggered when we left the car and walked toward the gate that gave access to an old track leading to what is now the ruin of Tŷ-bwnc. 

I’d visited this hill once before in October 2011 and remember the ascent vividly.  Perhaps it was because of the deep blue sky that pervaded the scene on that occasion, and this.  Then I was on my own, now I was in the good company of Alex, but even with company, the triggered memory flooded back.  

Alex heading up the old track

I could remember the earthen and rutted track leading toward the old house, now ruined and overgrown.  The track then wound its way past the ruin of Tŷ-bwnc toward the summit of the hill, and even though I now knew that a covered reservoir compound was near the high point, the surprise of finding this on my first visit was shared with the surprise on this visit for how high and protected the compound is. 

The remains of Tŷ-bwnc; now ruined and overgrown

Prior to our visit I’d LIDARed this hill’s bwlch, but relied upon judgement for its summit position as LIDAR does not yet cover its high point.  This high point is just to the west of the compound, placed amongst fern with mature trees close by.  It is a beautiful scene, albeit one that is shared with the intervention of the high protected fence of the compound.  Such summits, with their peaceful scenes are to be savoured, and again the memories from my previous visit were triggered, and although the details from this visit nine years ago were distant, the lingering afterthought was still there. 

LIDAR bwlch image for Caer Wedyn

As the Trimble did its stuff gathering its allotted data, I sat with Alex and soaked in the view to the north-west.  Once data were gathered and stored I closed the equipment down, had one last look at the summit and re-joined Alex just as the motorised sound of a quad bike wafted up the hill from the field to our north.  This progressively got louder until the quad bike appeared and headed toward an adjacent field with me running after it.  It didn’t stop, and I thought the chance to make place-name enquiries with someone who was obviously a local farmer had been missed.  However, as we walked toward the compound the quad bike reappeared and I dashed off to flag it down. 

Gathering data at the summit of Caer Wedyn

The local farmer on the quad bike was Glyn Evans and we chatted for ten minutes or so.  Glyn told me that the hill doesn’t have an individual name, but the upper field where the summit is situated is known as Caer Wedyn after the name of the old landowning farm. 

Glyn Evans

Once I’d written all the information Glyn had given me, I thanked him and we waved our goodbyes.  Alex and I then sauntered down the remainder of the old track back to the access gate and the lane leading to my car.  This was the sixth hill of the morning, but with seven remaining to visit we couldn’t linger too long as another hill beckoned. 

 

Survey Result:

 

Caer Wedyn (significant name change)

Summit Height:  318.9m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 09555 04796 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  274.0m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 07037 04695 (LIDAR)

Drop:  44.9m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  14.08% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet