Friday, 30 July 2021

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Fforest Glud

 

01.06.21  Nyth Grug (SO 170 606) and Mynd (SO 181 592) 

Nyth Grug (SO 170 606)

These two hills are positioned to the south of Great Rhos and if so desired can be combined with their higher neighbour.  However, as the summit of Great Rhos was Trimbled five days ago it was just Nyth Grug and Mynd that were on the day’s surveying agenda, and as our planned route took us over the bwlch of Crin Fynydd I hoped to also gather data from this point if the near conifers permitted. 

I was out with Linda today, my old lockdown, keep local walking buddy.  My memories of walking with Linda consisted of ear warmers, balaclavas, wellies and full winter gear visiting the delights of Yr Allt and Y Golfa and its adjacent hills.  Today was an utter contrast to those winter walks as summer had arrived giving warm temperatures on the hills. 

We were walking on the forested path beside the Water-breaks-its-neck waterfall by 9.00am, following dappled light up beneath the canopy of blues and greens.  The path led over a footbridge at the top of the waterfall and then continued downward, we left it at this point and joined a narrower path that led to a public footpath close to Warren House. 

Heading up the path leading to the top of Water-breaks-its-neck

Conditions were warm on this section of the walk and especially so as we headed beside the near conifer plantation up a field where two horses stood in the morning sunshine; one on our path bolt still, the other inquisitively roaming over to investigate the two new arrivals.  Beyond the field we entered forestry. 

Linda emerges out of the wood with Mynd in the background

The path through the forest was a delight and gave shade to the morning’s proceedings.  We stopped at the bwlch of Crin Fynydd, with its summit immersed in conifers just to our south.  It was pointless trying to gather Trimble data from its summit, but I hoped bwlch data could be gathered. 

On the path leading to the bwlch of Crin Fynydd

Whilst I assessed the lay of land Linda chose a spot and bedded down in the sun, she’d worked a 17 hour shift two days ago and deserved a good rest whilst on the hill.  We spent about 30 minutes at this bwlch, I positioned the Trimble facing in three different directions, but every time the 0.1m accuracy level before data should be logged was not attained, and therefore I eventually closed it down without any data having been collected. 

A well earned rest after a 17-hour shift

The bwlch of Crin Fynydd

Our route continued, now on the periphery of the forestry following a good track up valley with the stream feeding the waterfall down on our left.  We left the main track and followed a narrower path that exited the last of the conifers and gained open hillside.  From here to the bwlch of Nyth Grug was beautiful with open hill, few fences, blue sky, roaming sheep, circling Red Kites, a cooling breeze and not another person in sight. 

At the bwlch Linda again lay in the sun without a seeming care in the world.  The critical point of the bwlch was relatively easy to pinpoint and soon the Trimble was set up gathering its allotted data. 

Gathering data at the bwlch of Nyth Grug

Ahead of us lay the greened grazing slopes of Nyth Grug; our high point of the day.  These we followed ever upward, joining the fence that follows the broad ridge until we spotted the trig pillar and then made a direct beeline toward it. 

Having chosen the spot for Trimble placement and set the equipment to gather data I sat with Linda beside a fence looking down to a single wind turbine lazing in the sun.  It was good to be here, the conditions on the lower parts of the hills were proving warm, but on the tops a breeze blew which helped, otherwise the whole day may have been uncomfortably hot. 

Gathering data at the summit of Nyth Grug

Once the allotted data were gathered and stored we headed down the southerly ridge of Nyth Grug helping two lambs on the way, one that had got itself wedged behind a gate and the other whose head was stuck through a part of a wired fence.  I grabbed each by their fleeced coat and lifted them free and watched them shoot off to their mothers, the first jumping in the air as it did so. 

Trapped behind a gate without the knowledge of a reverse gear

The connecting bwlch between Nyth Grug and Mynd was positioned just beyond a ploughed field in another patch of greened grazing land.  Having followed the remnants of the small stream up from the east I positioned the Trimble atop my rucksack, measured and noted the offset between its internal antenna and the ground at its base and sat on the near bank as it quietly beeped away gathering its all-important data. 

Heading toward the connecting bwlch with Mynd

Gathering data at the bwlch of Mynd

Leaving the bwlch we headed uphill toward a track leading to a gate before veering left and aiming for the higher ground, soon we were on the summit of Mynd.  This summit had been LIDARed, therefore the ten figure grid reference led me toward its high point.  As the Trimble gathered data I sat with Linda chatting away with a bag of crisps in hand.

Gathering data at the summit of Mynd

Our route down led toward a descending fence line that connected with a path beside the southerly corner of the conifer plantation that spreads itself northward up valley.  We were now just a steep field away from the car. 

Before heading to Maesyfed (New Radnor) to visit its old castle, I drove the short distance on the continuation of the rough track that leads toward the visitor car park for the Water-breaks-its-neck waterfall.  Having parked we walked downhill to the stream and then followed a good path beside it to the base of the waterfall. 

Water-breaks-its-neck

I’d only been here once before, many years ago.  Then the waterfall was somewhat of a disappointment as the water was no more than a trickle.  Today it was much more impressive.  It wasn’t roaring down the cliff, but it was beautiful with the greened vegetation of ferns and mosses adding succulent colour to the scene.

 

Survey Result:

 

Nyth Grug  

Summit Height:  538.3m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 17050 60690

Bwlch Height:  449.0m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 17391 61800

Drop:  89.3m

Dominance:  16.59%


 

 

Mynd  

Summit Height:  478.7m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 18111 59264

Bwlch Height:  410.3m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 17772 59659

Drop:  68.4m

Dominance:  14.28%


 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet

 

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