Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Stiperstones

 

06.10.25  Corndon (SO 305 969, previously Trimbled) and Lan Fawr (SO 297 967, previously Trimbled) 

Corndon (SO 305 969) on left and Lan Fawr (SO 297 967) on right

The passing of seasons is emphasised amongst the hills, with colour and temperature change.  When the greenness of summer subtly changes to those rusted autumnal colours and summer warmth giving way to chilled temperatures when extra layers of clothing give comfort.

It seemed the summer still lingered as I headed up the narrow road leading to the small community of Priest Weston, with greened grasing fields and iridescent blue sky heralding what would no doubt be a chilled evening ahead.

We had a plan, we being me and Abi.  Abi was soon leaving the mid Wales countryside for a job in inner city Manchester and having not seen one another for awhile we arranged to meet on the hill for a catch up.  As Abi finished work at 5.00pm meeting on a local hill was a necessity and Corndon was ideal, with the added bonus of Lan Fawr being close and on our planned route.  It also gave me an opportunity to start before Abi and gain height at a leisurely pace before the quickness of youth caught me up.

Although the weather bode well for our walk, the forecast gave high cloud to push in from the west as dusk darkened.  Therefore, the forecast stilled that enthusiasm for the prospect of a beautiful sunset.  But that wasn’t the priority, it was just good to be out on the hill with the prospect of seeing Abi and catching up with life and related stuff.

Corndon can be quickly ascended via its broad western flank following a fence line that is unrelenting in steepness.  This was our preferred route and I hoped that setting off at 5.00pm would give me a good 30 minutes start on Abi before she was expected to arrive and follow me up with Jake the dog.

I parked just off the narrow road at the start of the track that heads up to the bwlch between Corndon and Lan Fawr.  I’d used this route on a number of occasions and knew it could be a lung buster, with stops on route during the steep bit advisable. 

Corndon from the track

Walking up the track I peered up toward the fence line leading to the summit of Corndon, it seemed no one else was on the hill.  I always enjoy meeting people on the hill, but solitude gives quietness and time to reflect, both on life and also on surroundings.  There’s a quality to hill walking that is hard to define, it gives time for thought, and as I wandered up the track my mind did likewise, not concentrating on any particular thing but opening up to the beauty and simple things close by.  For me this on many occasions can be the radiance of colour, and late afternoon sunlight at this time of year can give a wealth of beauty, from enhanced greens and blues to those subtle grey hues as wisps of cloud gently enhance a deepening colored sky. 

Lan Fawr

By now I was at the gate leading toward the steep bit.  This consists of three sections; the first up open hill to the corner of woodland.  The second section is beside the forestry and the last is beyond the trees to the summit.  Reaching the end of each gives a point to aim for and that all wanted rest.  It also gave time to look back down to the rack and try and spot any sign of Abi and Jake the dog. 

The gate leading to the steep bit

As I neared the summit wisps of cloud slowly danced above the elongated landmass of Cefn Digoll.  Their colour delighted.  To the west the giants of Cadair Idris, the Aran and Berwyn were obscured by murk, so no dramatic sunset was going to be savoured, but as the sun disappeared behind high cloud tinges of golds interspersed amongst the customary whites and greys gave an appealing scene.

The view down the steep bit

 

Wisps of cloud above Cefn Digoll

By now a small figure had appeared beside the fence making their way up in my direction.  The next time I stopped and looked down I spotted they had a dog with them.  It was Abi, and our timing was perfect, as when I reached the trig point on the summit I just had enough time to put my fleece coat on, take a photo of the cairn and trig and make my way back to the top of the fence and there they were; Jake happily leading Abi up the last section toward the summit of Corndon. 

The summit of Corndon

Abi and Jake nearing the summit

It was good to see Abi and especially so on a hill.  One quick hug and lots of catch up and we were soon debating what path to follow for the descent.  Abi suggested the path leading south-eastward toward an ancient cairn that we could see off into the gathering dusk.  From the summit I usually follow a fence that at one time indicated the perimeter of the forestry that for many years obstructed the summit view.  Thankfully this section of forest has now been felled, this route led steeply down to the top of the track opposite the bulk of Lan Fawr, Abi’s suggested route arrived at the same spot, but was much gentler on the knees and proved ideal.  It also gave opportunity to remain high on the hill for another five to ten minutes.  By the time we accessed our onward route through a gate the sun had disappeared and the calming beauty of dusk quickly took the land. 

The last lingering sunlight

The route beyond the gate followed a wide green path leading us down to the continuation of our incoming track.  On our way we chatted about all manner of things.  Arriving at the track the gate leading to Lan Fawr was locked, which it has been on all my previous visits.  Abi decided to take Jake further down the track to find an easier way for him to cross, leaving me to clamber over the gate and slowly head up Lan Fawr. 

Moon rise

My walks usually take place in the morning, gaining height before the heat of the day.  Therefore, I am seldom on the hill at dusk.  However, being here at this moment was both novel and immensely rewarding, with the darkening silhouette of Lan Fawr ahead and glimmers of lights off in the distance my only companions.  It all felt rather mesmerising.

Nearing the top two friendly faces suddenly appeared looking back down on me.  Abi and Jake had beaten me to the summit having found where the perimeter fence ends giving them a direct route to the top.  We only lingered for a few minutes before reversing our inward routes, Abi came partly down the hill toward the gate before vanishing with Jake into the darkness heading back to the end of the fence, whilst I continued and waited for her on the track beside the gate.  Soon I heard the quiet rhythmic sound of gathering footsteps on the graveled track; these soon neared and out of the darkened dusk Abi and Jake reappeared.

All that remained was a contented walk back down the track to our awaiting cars.  Our eyes had by now become adjusted to the dark and although we had torches the descent on the track was ideal at this time of day, reaching my car at 7.40pm, saying bi bi to Abi and waving her off in to the darkness. 

 

Survey Result: 

 

Corndon  

Summit Height:  513.6m (converted to OSGM15, average of two previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 surveys)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 30599 96922 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Height:  310.5m (converted to OSGM15, from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 32519 99517 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Drop:  203.0m

Dominance:  39.54%

 

 

Lan Fawr  

Summit Height:  426.1m (converted to OSGM15, from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 29711 96759 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey) 

Bwlch Height:  392.6m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 29966 96784 (LIDAR)

Drop:  33.5m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  7.86% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

For details on the bwlch survey of Corndon

 

For details on the 1^st summit survey of Corndon and the survey of Lan Fawr

 

For details on the 2^nd visit to Lan Fawr

 

For details on the 2^nd summit survey of Corndon and the 3^rd visit to Lan Fawr

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Moelwyn Mawr

23.03.19  Cnicht (SH 645 466) and Pt. 690.2m (SH 647 468)

Cnicht (SH 645 466)

Cnicht is rightly considered one of the iconic mountains of Wales; it rises above the small community of Croesor in a steep pyramidal and eloquent shape.  However, this view hides its extended north-eastern ridge that descends in grassed slopes toward the tranquil surrounds of Llyn yr Adar.

Many years ago it seemed as if I almost lived on this hill having visited it already on a number of occasions, as when its north-easterly top was promoted to Nuttall status in spring 1997 it meant many more visits to its ever appealing summit to bring my Welsh Nuttall total up-to-date.  However, those times are now long gone, and it has been nine years since I last visited.

Four of us set out from the car park in Croesor and with a forecast of dry conditions with hazy sunshine the day ahead was one to enjoy.  Two of our party; Abi and Ann-Marie had Mountain Leadership qualification so any semblance of navigational skill that I may possess was happily put to one side for the day.

Heading toward the hill

As height was gained the profile of Cnicht was forever in view, with tiny figures of people on its upper slopes and summit adding perspective to the scene.  We had a number of stops enjoying the intermittent sunshine and early spring warmth, during which I took the opportunity to set off ahead slowly plodding my way up the ridge knowing that Jude, Abi and Ann-Marie would catch me up before the summit, and so they did, just before the last steep section.

The summit of Cnicht consists of a number of up thrust small rocks with the central of three our candidate for the highest and within a few minutes of arriving on the summit the Trimble was aligned with the highest bit of rock and quietly beeping away collecting its individual datum points.

Gathering data at the summit of Cnicht

During data collection the girls sat just below the summit with Ann-Marie seemingly seated on the edge of the world from the vantage point I stood at, once the last of the allotted data were gathered and stored I closed the equipment down and we headed on the continuation of the ridge to the bwlch between the main and subsidiary peak of Cnicht.

Ann-Marie perched on the edge of the world

Ann-Marie, Jude and Abi at the summit of Cnicht

This bwlch is easily identified and the Trimble was soon positioned on top of my rucksack and the offset between its internal antenna and the ground below measured and noted.  It remained there for six minutes gathering its all-important data.

The Trimble set-up position at the bwlch of the subsidiary peak of Cnicht

Moelwyn Mawr

Gathering data at the bwlch for the subsidiary peak of Cnicht

The ridge path continues north-eastward and bisects at the base of the next top, with one branch bi-passing the uphill section, whilst the other climbs through rock toward the summit of this next hill.

Jude heading toward the summit of the second hill of the day

This hill has an untidy flattish cairn signifying its summit, these few rocks were soon removed and with the ground below now exposed we could determine its very highest point, which proved to be about 0.75 of a metre from where the untidy cairn had obliterated and messed an otherwise natural scene.

Again the Trimble was placed with its internal antenna aligned with the summit and it remained in place for the next eleven minutes gathering data as the four of us sat and chatted.  During this a few people walked the ridge from Cnicht and none visited the point where the Trimble beeped away gathering its third data set of the day.

Gathering data at the subsidiary peak of Cnicht

The last survey of the day was the critical bwlch of Cnicht which is placed overlooking Llyn yr Adar.  The broad north-eastern ridge descending from Cnicht soon turns in to moor grass and its path leads direct down to this bwlch.

Within a few minutes the Trimble was placed on top of my rucksack and it was gathering its last data set of the day.  As I stood away from the equipment Canada geese skimmed across the near lake giving a backdrop with their wagh-onk call piecing an otherwise quiet scene.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Cnicht

All that remained was the walk back via a boggy path leading down to the abandoned workings of the Rhosydd Quarry and the continuation below the Croesor Quarry to the valley below.  Once back at the car and changed we headed south toward Cross Foxes where Ann-Marie’s husband; Mark joined us for a good meal before heading home, a great way to end the day. 

        

Survey Result:

Cnicht

Summit Height:  690.7m (converted to OSGM15) (significant height revision)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 64545 46613

Bwlch Height:  585.7m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 65589 47707

Drop:  105.0m

Dominance:  15.20%

Pt. 690.2m

Summit Height:  690.2m (converted to OSGM15) (significant height revision)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 64799 46864

Bwlch Height:  670.9m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 64681 46742

Drop:  19.3m

Dominance:  2.79%

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet