Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Moel y Gamelin

18.09.19  Cyrn y Brain (SJ 208 488, only bwlch surveyed)

And what a fun day today was.  This was the ninth and last roadside bwlch survey, and all had been researched either by LIDAR analysis initially conducted by Aled Williams, or looked at with 5m contouring on the OS Maps website and also compared against the digitised image from a Google car.  The latter was also used to find convenient parking places.  The main purpose, outside of bwlch surveying, was to get out and partake in a road trip whilst the weather remained dry and gloriously sunny.

Cyrn y Brain (SJ 208 488)

The last bwlch survey of the day is adjoined to Cyrn y Brain which rises in a great lump of heather on the eastern side of Bwlch Oernant; otherwise known as the Horseshoe Pass.  I’d surveyed this bwlch once before and also the summit on a separate outing, but as Aled’s LIDAR analysis indicated that my bwlch placement was an approximate ten metres from the critical point I wanted to re-visit and compare the first Trimble placement to where LIDAR gives the position of the bwlch.  From experience the latter will be the most accurate on this kind of terrain.

Having just surveyed the bwlch of Moel Fama which is situated in the valley to the north of Bwlch Oernant, it was only a short drive up the continuation of the A542 road to its high point were the delights of the Ponderosa Café beckoned.  Whenever I pass this place I am reminded of a meeting held in the Ponderosa with two ex-colleagues when one of them tried to ban me from all future Scottish surveys.  A surprising stance considering I had just given permission for them to use Trimble data in their database and to have nothing offered in return except for banishment was a surprise to say the least.   Even more surprising when one considers that I thought the person who was trying to ban me was a good friend.

The bwlch of Cyrn y Brain

I pulled in to the car park at the Ponderosa and found a quiet spot to leave my car, looked over at those unfortunate memories from five years ago, turned my back to the Café and walked toward a gate which gave access to the heather beyond.

The ten figure grid reference produced by Aled’s LIDAR analysis led me to the critical point of the bwlch.  This was beside a slither of water with heather and moor grass giving backdrop on to the rising mass of Cyrn y Brain.

It felt good to be here, even though those memories still make me shudder with the sheer gall of the man.  Once the allotted data were gathered and stored I closed the Trimble down, took a few photos with Cyrn y Brain as backdrop and walked the short distance back to my car. 

Gathering data at the bwlch of Cyrn y Brain

Nine roadside bwlch surveys for the day were now complete, with another six completed six days ago.  A good tally with some important results to look forward to, all that remained was the drive back home after another excellent day.

Survey Result:

Cyrn y Brain

Summit Height:  564.6m (converted to OSGM15, from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 20820 48875 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Height:  400.7m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 19348 48168

Drop:  163.9m

Dominance:  29.02%

  

For details on the summit survey of Cyrn y Brain

For details on the 1st bwlch survey of Cyrn y Brain

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Moel y Gamelin

07.07.14  Cyrn y Brain (SJ  208 488)

Cyrn y Brain (SJ 208 488)

Early mornings when the world seems asleep and gentleness pervades the landscape can be a refreshing and cathartic experience.  Such mornings can give a welcome opportunity for unencumbered thought.  The stillness of such mornings and the beauty of our landscape are inherent in giving this opportunity a foundation to flourish.  The hours after sunrise atop Bwlch Oernant in the hills of Bryniau Clwyd was such a morning, I hoped the pleasantness of surrounding and the stillness of beauty would afford me time to reflect upon life’s direction.

To the west of this bwlch is a ridge culminating at its highest point atop Moel y Gamelin, a fine hill of shape and view and one I had visited twice this year.  To the east of this bwlch are hills whose access is initially easy but thereafter the continuation toward Mynydd Eglwyseg is through pathless moor of heather, a beauty all unto itself but one only experienced once before, and that was enough for me!

As I set off from the car park opposite the Ponderosa Café it was with a slight heavy heart, unknowing what the next few hours had in store as a planned meeting had been arranged between friends of many years, the outcome of which may mean a parting of the ways or continued progress to the future.  I hoped for the latter but was unsure if this was attainable.

Melancholy can be an interesting emotive state to find oneself; it can be rather fulfilling but does have its draw backs if its departure becomes overdue.  As I followed the narrow path amongst undergrowth radiant with grass and heather toward a gravel track that would gain height toward the summit of Cyrn y Brain, I let my mind disappear in thought and welcomed the release of burden.  Away to the north rose Moel Fama, a seemingly singular hill, proud and aloof, a still outline in the morning’s sun.  To my west above the bwlch was Moel y Faen, another fine hill, last visited only three weeks ago where I stood with a good friend and watched as evening’s light overtook a sinking sun and myriad colours aplenty lit up a darkened sky.

Moel Fama, the northern sentinel of Bryniau Clwyd

Moel y Faen rising above Bwlch Oernant

As I gained height I found another large furry caterpillar, the species unknown to me, but one that is frequently seen on hills in Wales this time of year.  Its colours and individual hairs shone with a diffused light as I knelt and took its photo.  Now trapped in pixels I bade its farewell and continued toward the summit.

A large furry caterpillar

Although I’ve gained knowledge and had fun with the Trimble it does seem to have coursed a re-balancing of a dynamic that is yet to settle.  This is unfortunate but is not unexpected, my contentful but melancholic state was due to this situation and another that overlook me 18 months ago.  A life spent scrambling for balance, happiness, fulfilment and a shared goal can sometimes take you on a journey of wonder, at other times life’s journey can be full of unwelcome surprises and heartache.  I suppose not knowing from one day to the next is part of the fun.

As I placed the Trimble on its improvised Tupperware and draughts board tripod I contented myself with capturing its image and storing it neatly on the memory card next to the furry caterpillar and the view of Moel Fama and that of Moel y Faen, all residing within memory and soon to be reduced in size and re-captioned in dimension.  These to be positioned next to text and loaded as an entry on a blog, a diary of events of life’s great tapestry.

Gathering data at the summit of Cyrn y Brain

The upward route was soon reversed and as I approached the bwlch I thought about the additions to a seemingly stable relationship that can sometimes have consequences that are not fully unexpected, but nonetheless they can be hard to deal with and lead to new chapters in that ever joyous experience that is life. 

After arriving back at the car I met Richard Edwards who was just setting out to round up his sheep

Survey Result:

Cyrn y Brain

Summit Height:  564.6m (converted to OSGM15)

 

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 20820 48875

Bwlch Height:  400.7m (converted to OSGM15, from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 19348 48168 (from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Drop:  163.9m

Dominance:  29.02%

For details on the 1st bwlch survey of Cyrn y Brain

For details on the 2nd bwlch survey of Cyrn y Brain 

For further details please consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet click {here}

  

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Moel y Gamelin

18.06.14  Pt. 420.9m (SJ 189 456) and Cyrn y Brain (SJ 208 488, only bwlch surveyed)

Pt. 420.9m, SJ 189 456

This evening’s walk was suggested by Mark and planned for a few weeks ago, then the weather was foul, now it was sunny and hot and the plan was to meet at the top of Bwlch Oernant (Horseshoe Pass) outside the Ponderosa café at SJ 192 480.  I arrived earlier than our planned meeting time as I wanted to gather data from the bwlch of Cyrn y Brain (summit SJ 208 488) which is conveniently situated behind the café.  Once I’d picked my spot and gathered five minutes of data I headed back to the car and waited for Mark to arrive.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the back of the Ponderosa Cafe at the bwlch of Cyrn y Brain

Mark had driven direct from work and suggested eaties before the walk; this seems to be a quickly developing routine on the walks we do together, one which I’m all in favour of.  We left one car at the top of the road pass and drove south toward Llangollen for an early evening meal sitting outside the Abbey Grange pub, soaking up the sun and catching up with news.

The plan was to visit a Pedwar first, this is listed as Pt. c 422m in Y Pedwarau and Aled had already hoped that we would bump in to a local farmer whilst on the hill, which would enable enquiries relating to the locally known name for the hill.  Even though we had an option for setting off up the Pedwar from a bend high on the A542, Mark suggested setting off much lower, from a point where there were houses marked on the map, I could then saunter off and knock on a few doors hopefully finding someone that had lived in the area all their lives and who knew a name for the hill.

We parked at SJ 188 449 where one or two cars can be squeezed to one side of the narrow lane, as Mark got his boots on I visited the first house and met David and Elen Morris; a lovely couple, aged 89 and 87 respectively.  I practiced an odd Welsh word with them, which brought a smile to David’s face.  They were both extremely helpful and with a name given for the hill I thanked them and re-joined Mark.  The name of the hill still appears under the Pt. notation in this blog post as we are awaiting the second edition of Y Pedwarau to be published where all updated information; place-name and numerical, will appear.

We set off at 6.40pm on a footpath that gained height around the southern flank of our first hill, it was still scorchio and I suffered a bit as the path soon turned in to the vestiges of a vehicle track amongst the copious amounts of grass and low growing gorse.

On the path that crests the southern flank of the Pedwar

Mark approaching the summit of the Pedwar with the rocks of Mynydd Eglwyseg in the background

About an hour after setting out we were on the first of three planned summits.  The highest point was easily identifiable and as the Trimble gathered its customary ten minutes of data we enjoyed the rest (well I did, I was absolutely knackered!) and looked out across the Vale of Llangollen to the high Berwyn beyond.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of the Pedwar

The view west from the summit of the Pedwar

Soon we were at the bwlch picking our spot for Trimble placement in a small clearing amongst a mass of fern.  After five minutes of data had been gathered the Trimble was packed away for the day as the next two summits had been previously Trimbled whilst doing a ridge walk with Aled earlier in the year.

The continuation from the Pedwar at SJ 189 456 to the next summit; Moel y Gamelin (SJ 176 465) was on a narrow path that gained height toward the disused Berwyn Quarry, beyond the quarry the hillside steepened, by now we were in shade as the evening’s sun sank lower in the western horizon.

I seldom hill walk in the evening as I would prefer an early start to gain height before the heat of the day hits, therefore I am rarely on the hill in the light of late day, sometimes an extended winter walk gives late afternoon light to be savoured, but I was looking forward to this evening’s walk with the prospect of watching the sun set.

By the time we arrived at the summit cairn atop Moel y Gamelin the late evening’s light was aglow, we stopped for a few minutes, looked out toward the higher Eryri peaks all lined up from the Carneddau giants in the north to the Glyderau and Yr Wyddfa with its distinct profile when viewed from the east.

Mark beside the summit cairn on Moel y Gamelin (SJ 176 465)

The continuation on the ridge toward our third and last summit of the evening; Moel y Faen (SJ 184 475) was on the badly eroded and broad path that takes in many of the summits above Bwlch Oernant.

Moel y Faen (SJ 184 475)

Mark on the final bit of up hill towards the summit of Moel y Faen

We stood at the top of Moel y Faen and waited for the sun to set with it casting its many varied hues in to a subtly coloured sky.  The smoothness of blue greyed hill outline blended in to the shaded green of pasture as the sun sank ever lower.  Orange merged with red as yellow and magenta mixed.  However beautiful the scene it was also mightily chilly, so much so that we laughed at the thought of two walkers being treated for hypothermia on one of the hottest days of the year.

Watching the sun set from the summit of Moel y Faen

L-R; Yr Wyddfa, Glyderau and the Carneddau

The walk down to the awaiting car beside the Ponderosa only took a few minutes; the sky was now darkened with slender tinged pink slithers of colour as the silhouetted shape of Moel Fama cast down on the ground below. 

Moel Fama bathed in evening light

The view from beside the car at Bwlch Oernant

We arrived back at the car at 10.05pm for boots off and the drive home happy in the knowledge that a Pedwar had now got a listed name and an accurate height to supersede an estimated one, great walk and really good to see Mark again.

Survey Result:

Cyrn y Brain

Summit Height:  564.6m (converted to OSGM15, from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 20820 48875 (from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Height:  400.7m (converted to OSGM15, from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 19348 48168 (from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Drop:  163.9m (from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Dominance:  29.02% (from subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey) 

Pt. 420.9m

Summit Height:  420.9m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 18921 45682

Bwlch Height:  386.5m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 18965 45880

Drop:  34.4m

Dominance:  8.18%

For details on the summit survey of Cyrn y Brain

For details on the 2nd bwlch survey of Cyrn y Brain 

For further details please consult the Trimble survey spreadsheet click {here}