14.03.16
Bryn Glas (SH 735 420), Pt. 483.6m (SH 735 428), Pt. 474.4m (SH 732 429) and
Craig y Garreg Lwyd (SH 730 427)
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| Pt. 483.6m (SH 735 428) |
Occasionally the
serenity of landscape and in particular the hills therein, give wonderment when
colour and form merge in a harmonious beauty that can leave a numbness of
feeling. For me, this occasionally
happens when the hills are quiet places, seemingly untrodden except for my own
presence. Today was such a day, a quiet
sun drenched day amongst a compact group of hills whose summits I’d only
visited once before. They have a special
presence as a similar feeling also enriched me on my only other visit. These hills are positioned to the east of
Llan Ffestiniog and rise above the waters of Llyn Morwynion.
I’d wanted to re-visit these
hills for a number of years and with a forecast predicting the easterly March
murk to break giving early spring sunshine by late morning, I took my
opportunity and headed west. The cloud
murk broke as I travelled over the Berwyn and all land to the west shone under
blue sky.
As I walked the few
metres down the road to the gate giving access to the southern shore of Llyn
Morwynion, a brisk easterly breeze blew in, refreshing the land and anyone who
walked through it, and this remained with me for the rest of the day and
chilled proceedings when the sunshine would normally have warmed.
My objectives for the
day took in a number of surveys, with the Sub-Pedwar of Bryn Glas and numerous
bumps at the summit of the highest hill of the day positioned above Llyn y Drum
being the priority.
As I surveyed the first
of many points for the critical bwlch of Bryn Glas the waters of Llyn Morwynion
dazzled a radiant blue. Leaving the
Trimble atop my rucksack quietly beeping away as its allotted 300 data points
were gathered, I walked toward the lake and looked out on a pair of Canada
geese wagh-onking their distinctive voice into the easterly breeze as it
rippled against the blue watered tide.
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| Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Bryn Glas |
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| Canada geese on Llyn Morwynion |
I knew that there may be
many surveys to conduct during the day as there are four small contour rings at
the summit which nestles above Llyn y Drum and a few other bumps that also
needed Trimbling, but I didn’t realise that I would also survey four separate
points for the critical bwlch position of Bryn Glas. When on my own and if the weather and daylight
hours are favourable this does not concern me, the pleasure of being out on the
hill and standing, waiting, and looking, and thinking, is enough for me,
pressure ebbs away and a single minded resolve to enjoy and to gather data sets
is fulfilment enough.
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| Bryn Glas (SH 735 420) |
After surveying the
summit of Bryn Gas I walked down to the shore of the lake and gathered data
sets on two dams, the first larger and more robust than the second. Each time I waited and almost trance like looked
out across the waters to the cliff topped summits of Y Garnedd and Carreg y
Foel Gron, each looked down on the scene with sublime shape of formation.
The vantage point of the
bwlch opened up the view to the north-west, this land was bathed in bleached
early spring sunshine, whilst away to the east the distinctive high Arennig shone
grey and white with pockets of snow clinging on against the onset of spring’s
warmth.
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| Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Pt. 483.6m |
To my immediate west was
the summit area of a Pedwar whose summit position was previously listed due to
a 486m spot height on Harvey maps. This
summit position had officially moved from this point to another near bump after
a visual inspection by Aled. I planned
to get Trimble data at each point and the two other 480m ring contours in the
vicinity and anything else that looked as if it needed a good Trimbling, little
did I know that this would consist of nine data sets, and this was boosted to
eleven with the inclusion of a bwlch and summit of a potential new 400m Sub-Pedwar.
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| Gathering data at the first of nine surveys for the summit position of Pt. 483.6m. The Trimble is positioned on the old summit where the 486m spot height appears on Harvey maps and which was Trimbled as being 482.7m (converted to OSGM15) high. The highest point of the hill and the new summit is almost directly above the Trimble and just to the left |
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| This point proved to be the second highest on Pt. 483.6m and was Trimbled as being 483.507m (converted to OSGM15) |
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| Gathering data at the new summit of Pt. 483.6m and which was Trimbled as being 483.574m (converted to OSGM15) |
During the process of
surveying all of these points I stood with my back to the easterly wind and
tried not to get too chilled, only resorting once to putting my fleece hood on and
which just as quickly flapped back down from over my head as the wind whipped
at it. Part of this time was spent
contentedly watching as the shadow of my hair danced on the grass and rock at
my feet as the easterly wind blew in.
These surveys took over
two hours to complete, the distance from one to the other was almost negligible
and sometimes involved only a minute’s walk from one bump to the next. The highlight was the vertical cliff face of
the summit that is given a 479m spot height on current Ordnance Survey
maps. This sprang up in welcome surprise
and although I considered scrambling up it I chose a more circumspect route
taking a downward slant before the upward part could begin.
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| Snow capped Yr Wyddfa |
All of these eleven surveys
centred round the small mountain lake of Llyn y Drum which squatted penned into
the landscape almost forgotten amongst the crags and bumps. Having completed these surveys I lost height
heading toward the last hill of the day; Craig y Garreg Lwyd which had been on
the horizon standing rounded and beckoning for an age, its bwlch proved a boggy
affair which had a stunning backdrop as compensation.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Craig y Garreg Lwyd |
My walk out was back to
the connecting bwlch and downward following a vehicle track on the moor to my
inward route next to the shore of Llyn Morwynion. Looking back up toward where I had been, standing
still like, waiting against wind, chilled and happy, looking and mind
wandering, I felt a contentment of self, happy in the knowledge that the hills
at given again, as they often do, ever majestic they stand whilst we pass
through. It had been another good day.
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| Y Garnedd and Carreg y Foel Gron above the waters of Llyn Morwynion |
Survey Result:
Bryn Glas
Summit Height: 415.6m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 73505 42086
Bwlch Height: 393.9m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 73647 42052
Pt. 483.6m
Bwlch Height: 449.2m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 73778 42825
Drop: 34.4m (Pedwar status confirmed)
Dominance: 7.12%
Pt. 474.4m
Summit Height: 474.4m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 73258 42938
Bwlch Height: 460.6m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 73295 42889
Drop: 13.8m
Dominance: 2.90%
Craig y Garreg Lwyd
Summit Grid Reference: SH 73044 42742 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) SH 73047 42746 (Leica GS15)
Bwlch Height: 443.5m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) 443.6m (converted to OSGM15, Leica GS15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 73222 42804 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) SH 73224 42803 (Leica GS15)
For further details please
consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet click {here}
