29.10.19 Corun y Ffridd (SH 873 018), Bryn Du (SH 866
014), Nyrs Fawr (SH 867 008) and Pen Rhiw Mwyn (SH 868 002)
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| Corun y Ffridd (SH 873 018) |
Having recently visited
hills in the lower northerly part of the Pumlumon range, this area drew me back
and with Suzanne as patient companion for the day, we set off having parked
beside the B4518 as it approaches the small community of Llanbrynmair.
I had a number of
surveying objectives planned for the day, with confirming the higher summit
between Corun y Ffridd (371m on the map) and Bryn Du (370m on the map) being
the main objective. However, all results
would be of interest as LIDAR does not cover these hills.
We followed a track
leading to Cringoed farm, which now houses itself behind a high security
gate. I had hoped to make place-name
enquiries at this farm, but the gate was securely locked and so we followed a
public footpath through an adjoining field and joined a track that wound its
way through autumnal woodland up toward the higher part of the easterly ridge
of Corun y Ffridd; our first summit of the day.
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| The way to the hill |
The skyline away to our east
and north was covered in a mass of cloud with signs of blue sky above. However, it was the cold northerly strong
breeze that made an impact the higher we got.
This chilled any exposed fingers and although I found it refreshing
after summer’s warmth my surveying companion ended up clad in six layers of
clothes to combat its effect.
The summit of Corun y
Ffridd is positioned on a grassed embankment.
As the Trimble gathered data I scribbled all necessary detail in my
notepad, whist Suzanne hunkered down trying forlornly to get out of the chill
wind.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Corun y Ffridd |
Toward the west another
top vies for the higher summit on this ridge; this is being listed as Bryn Du
after detail on the Tithe map. Before
visiting its summit I took data from the bwlch between it and Corun y
Ffridd. During data collection Suzanne
headed upward and by the time I’d reached the summit she was exploring the
continuing route down to the bwlch leading to our next hill; Nyrs Fawr.
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| Gathering data at the bwlch of Bryn Du |
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| Gathering data at the summit of Bryn Du |
I surveyed two points
for the summit position of Bryn Du, both on grassed embankments which resembled
those associated with ancient hill forts, although none are shown on Ordnance
Survey maps.
By the time we had
reached the next bwlch, which is the critical bwlch adjoined to Coryn y Ffridd,
sunlight was piercing the land giving flashes of colour to what had been a
dulled landscape predominated by massed autumnal cloud. The bwlch consisted of a watery bog with
large clumps of tussock grass thrown in for good measure. After spending an inordinate amount of time
assessing the lay of land I chose a position for the Trimble and proceeded to
gather the customary five minutes of data.
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| Gathering data at the bwlch of Corun y Ffridd |
Conifer plantation now
predominated to our east, thankfully the planting has left open hillside
following the ridge toward the remaining summits on our planned walk. One outcome of this massed and regimented
forest is the shielding from any easterly wind, and this proved welcome after
its chilled affects over the last two hours or so.
Between us and the
summit of our next hill; Nyrs Fawr, was a contented herd of grazing cows. They all stood in the brightening conditions
with the higher westerly hills as backdrop.
As Suzanne is freaked by these creatures we made our way up beside the
intervening forest boundary fence, and keeping the fence between us and them. However, they were docile and only moved when
we gently and quietly approached. Once
beyond the cows we continued following the ridge until the knolled summit of
Nyrs Fawr came in to view. This was soon
Trimbled.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Nyrs Fawr |
At each point to survey
Suzanne would either head off to discover the next, or hunker down out of the
strong breeze. The mass of cloud had now
broken and blue sky met us as we headed down toward the two positions vying for
the bwlch of Nyrs Fawr which connects with the highest summit of the day; Pen
Rhiw Mwyn.
Both of these points
were surveyed and both were positioned beside a fence and collapsed wall. Only one survey remained and that was the
summit of Pen Rhiw Mwyn which had looked out at us during the walk, almost
forgotten except for its massed easterly flank showing a dulled and darkened
green where conifers had now taken over.
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| Gathering data at the bwlch of Nyrs Fawr |
By the time I reached
the summit the sun glinted over the conifer tops leaving its high point in
shade. This consists of a small knoll
positioned on the forested side of the boundary fence in an enclosed position. Because of this it took the Trimble over 10
minutes to attain its 0.1m accuracy level before data should be logged. Once this appeared on the screen I pressed
‘Log’ and scampered down beside the boundary fence to stand in welcomed
sunlight and look out across to distant hills.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Pen Rhiw Mwyn |
During my long wait at
the summit Suzanne had made her way back down to the previous bwlch where a
public footpath entered the forest, this would be our way off the hill. By the time I packed the equipment away and followed
the fence line to the bwlch I found her hunkered down with her back to the
chilled wind, comatose like she sat almost in a ball, seemingly content in her
six layered protection.
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| Suzanne hunkered down out of the wind |
Our route down was
blissful with first the gentle and quiet surrounds of a good path through the
woodland and then low sunlight casting beautiful colour accentuating the
pastured greens and autumnal browns and yellows. The wooded path led out on to the
north-easterly ridge of Pen Rhiw Mwyn where it continued amongst bracken and
eventually on to open steep grazing fields.
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| The way down |
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| Long shadows |
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| Trees |
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| Autumn colours |
By now the surrounding
hills were a-light in colour, with the wind turbines atop Bryn Amlwg a foreign
occupier on what must have been a marvellously wild hill. Autumn is in utter contrast to the preceding
summer months and brings a radiancy to the hills, with the dulled late greens
and warmth replaced by a changing, with the last flashes of colour and chilled
air heralding the impending onset of winter.
It is a special time of the year amongst the hills and is one to be
savoured.
Survey Result:
C0run y Ffridd
Summit Height: 371.0m (converted to OSGM15) (confirmed as
higher than Bryn Du [SH 86623 01433])
Summit Grid Reference: SH 87306 01812
Bwlch Height: 330.8m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 86588 01208
Drop: 40.1m
Dominance: 10.81%
Summit Height: 368.4m (converted to OSGM15) (confirmed as
lower than Corun y Ffridd [SH 87306 01812])
Summit Grid Reference: SH 86623 01433
Bwlch Height: 352.1m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 86831 01543
Drop: 16.3m
Dominance: 4.43%
Nyrs Fawr
Summit Height: 363.8m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 86771 00895
Bwlch Height: 340.9m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 86860 00561
Dominance: 6.29%
Pen Rhiw Mwyn
Summit Height: 388.0m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 86884 00247 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)
Bwlch Height: 303m (spot height)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 86606 99241 (spot height)
Drop: 85m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and spot height bwlch)
Dominance: 21.92% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and spot height bwlch)
