Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Yr Eifl

 

17.09.22  Mynydd Mawr (SH 140 258) 

Mynydd Mawr (SH 140 258) from a previous visit to the hill

As a child my family holidayed at Morfa Nefyn and Edern.  I have a distant memory that during one of these holidays we headed to the end of Pen Llŷn and drove up the concrete road that leads to the summit of Mynydd Mawr.  We could have done this more than once, but my memory only retains small segments from my childhood and even these only give me the semblance of one distant childhood visit. 

For many years we spent our holidays in this house in Morfa Nefyn

It would be many years later when I next visited this hill and since then I have been back to survey its summit and visited again with my brother.  This time I was with my aunt, cousin and brother.  We were staying in Nantlle and a road trip taking in the beauty of the Llŷn had been suggested. 

The view from the coast at Nefyn

It is all too easy to accept the land one lives in; after all it is the land one is used to.  However, heading from Welshpool to Nantlle my aunt and cousin both marvelled at the beauty of the land we were travelling through.  I had done this journey countless times over many years and although I would like to think my eye is still appreciative of this land, there is no doubt an acceptance on my part, as for me it is a constant.  Seeing it with new eyes through the experience of my aunt and cousin gave me added appreciation of just how beautiful this land is and by that fact, how fortunate I am to live where I do.

On our way down Pen Llŷn we visited the old houses where we holidayed, reminiscing on times now long gone.  A multitude of narrowing lanes lead west down the Llŷn toward the paved road that starts its way up Mynydd Mawr, this soon turns in to a concrete road ending at the top of the hill, where a levelled section gives adequate parking for a number of cars.  We weren’t the only ones heading up this hill, there were a few walkers on the manicured green paths, but in the main it was the convenience of a car that brought people here. 

Looking inland toward the high Eryri peaks

Having parked I sauntered off to stand on the high point and before joining Bryn, Shirley and Julie I took a few minutes to look inland toward the higher peaks of Eryri which were framed by a sweeping coastline.  It was a stunning view, whilst behind the great swathe of the Irish Sea dominated, following this around and the bulk of Ynys Enlli looked back as a darkened silhouette, whilst to its right a slight greyed outline of the distant Wicklow hills, south of Dublin could just be picked out.

Leaving the summit I joined Bryn, Shirl and Julie on the series of steps leading down with the distant Ynys Enlli ahead.  We followed these for a while before stopping, all round was the expanse of sea, a huge blue mass stretching to the horizon. 

Looking out toward Ynys Enlli

We stayed looking out to sea for quite some time and once heading back up the steps we veered rightward to join one of the paths leading up the hill toward the top, this soon led us back to the car.  It’s always good to visit this summit, be it by foot or car.  It signifies an end of land and if the weather conditions are favourable, as they were today, it can give a dramatic element to this beautiful land that we live in. 

 

Survey Result:

 

Mynydd Mawr

Summit Height:  160.0m (converted to OSGM15, from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 14021 25869 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Height:  64m (spot height)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 14952 26292 (spot height)

Drop:  96m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and spot height bwlch)

Dominance:  60.00% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and spot height bwlch)

 

 

For details on the survey of Mynydd Mawr

For details on the 2^nd visit to Mynydd Mawr

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet