Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Drygarn Fawr

01.07.23  Esgair Gerwyn (SN 788 586) 

Esgair Gerwyn (SN 788 586)

Having just visited a felled forested top positioned at SN 817 554, I drove further on the mountain road that heads from Beulah in the east toward Tregaron in the west.  This is a road that Aled and I had used to access hills a few weeks ago and it is one that I used a number of years ago when bagging the Deweys.  The land either side of the narrow road is open and wild, however much of the western section is planted in regimented conifers.  Even with the imposition of these trees, it is still a marvellous experience to drive on this road as it winds its way through the landscape.

My last objective of the day was Esgair Gerwyn, this is one of two remaining hills situated in this forestry that had stared back at me from the map for many years.  Forested summits are not my favourite and I’m prone to leave them toward the end of any list completion, purely as my enjoyment and interest is better served when visiting an open and unencumbered hill.  However, forested summits can add a perverse enjoyment to the hill bagging experience, and Esgair Gerwyn fitted this description perfectly. 

A good parking place for Esgair Gerwyn if the swing gate is open at the start of the track

For those wishing easier access to the summit of this hill there are a number of forest tracks that lead toward its high point.  Two of these tracks start from the mountain road we were now driving on.  We opted for the farther west of these tracks which started higher and also looked as if it was in better condition.  The swing gate near its start was open and therefore up I drove.  We quickly gained height and soon swung leftward where the lower of the two access tracks met the main forest track.  Soon Aled said; ‘we’re here’, indicating that it was time to find a parking place, which was easy to do as another minor track intersected with the main forest track enabling me to pull over to the side leaving room for any vehicle to pass, not that we expected many vehicles to come this way during what would be a relatively quick ascent. 

The fire break leading toward the summit of Esgair Gerwyn

Backtracking on the forest track for a few metres soon brought us to the fire break which was our access point to the higher part of the hill.  Entering the forest was like venturing in to another world where green predominated with mosses covering the ground and near trees, a sign of mature forestry and one that is usually wet! 

The battle through and over (and under) the wind blown trees is just about to commence

Before entering the forested section, I activated the Trimble and we waited until it logged on to the required five minimum satellites and Aled then used this as a hand-held device as we headed up the fire break toward where the summit loomed ahead.  However, between us and it were a mass of felled trees, all casualties of wind, these formed a moss encrusted wet obstacle course.  We unsuccessfully tried veering away from the fallen trees by heading further in to the still upright and mature trees, but passage was barred wherever we went.  However, with patience we slowly made progress, and the summit which was only 200 metres from our access point in to the forest was forever getting nearer. 

Nearing the summit

Eventually the co-ordinates on the screen of the Trimble matched those produced by LIDAR.  We looked around for higher ground, little vied for the accolade.  We were at the summit. 

Aled at the summit of Esgair Gerwyn

Before leaving the high point of Esgair Gerwyn we took the customary summit photographs and then tried to find an easier way out of the forest.  It is debateable if we succeeded as wind-blown tree debris seemed to be all around.  But again in these circumstances progress is usually made and for this hill thankfully the distance back to the forest track was not great. 

Trying to find an easier way down

Once back at the car the midges attacked us which made for a quick retreat driving back down the forest track on to the relative safety of the mountain road.  Another Welsh Highland P15 visited, just five more to go. 

 

Survey Result:

 

Esgair Gerwyn                          

Summit Height:  503.3m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 78815 58685 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  487.8m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 78519 58774 (LIDAR)

Drop:  15.5m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  3.09% (LIDAR)

 

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet