Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Gwaun Ceste

 

17.07.21  Hergest Ridge (SO 246 557), Hergest Ridge (SO 254 562, previously Trimbled) and Hanter Hill (SO 251 570, not Trimbled) 

The Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge (SO 246 557)

The main purpose of this walk was to visit and survey the Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge, which is now classified as a Pedwar under National Top status.  The concept of National Tops is explained in a separate post and for the lists co-authored with Aled Williams affects two hills, the other is Stonewall Hill (SO 318 696) which we visited and surveyed later in the day. 

This walk would also give opportunity to visit the English summit of Hergest Ridge and extend the walk across this hill’s broad summit ridge, to a point marked with a 417m spot height on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps and then also visit the Pedwar of Hanter Hill, with this and its higher neighbour separated at the connecting bwlch by the national border between Wales and England.  As the forecast gave for extremely warm conditions we needed a relatively early start to gain the majority of height before the heat of the day struck. 

We met in Caersŵs just before 8.00am and were parked and walking by 9.00am.  I had visited these hills once before in April 2015, on that occasion I had visited the higher English summit of Hergest Ridge, and not the Welsh summit, and although taking two data sets from the summit area of Hanter Hill, I failed to survey its actual summit, which we later found to be immersed in a mass of gorse. 

Approaching the hills from the west we followed a public footpath that starts as a track leading to Upper Hanter, which was once a farm.  It was already warm and any shaded area on the track proved a welcome relief from the conditions that would increase in ferocity as the day progressed. 

The public footpath leads past the front door of Upper Hanter before continuing as a green track through a gate and then onward through copious amounts of fern.  As we walked past the house we said our ‘hello’s’ to a woman sitting in shade reading.  We chatted for a few moments before waving our goodbyes and continuing up the hill. 

On the path leading to the bwlch between Hanter Hill and the English summit of Hergest Ridge

The greened path crept up hill giving good views of our first objective; the Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge, which from this viewpoint at this time of year shone green with upper slopes of fern, middle slopes consisting of grazing fields and mature trees as foreground, it looked a good hill and one which I had bi-passed when making an ascent from the south-west during my only other visit to the English summit of Hergest Ridge. 

The Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge

The green track eventually led to the connecting bwlch between Hanter Hill and Hergest Ridge; on one side of this bwlch is Wales and on the other, England.  On my previous visit a small conifer plantation was positioned just below the bwlch, this has now gone with the trees cut down. 

Hanter Hill from its connecting bwlch

The bwlch is also the meeting point of a number of tracks; we opted for the track leading to the English summit of Hergest Ridge, leaving Hanter Hill for later.  This ascent proved warm, with the left hand side of the track giving a semblance of shade.  Reaching a T-junction of tracks we then headed south-west loosing height as we did so, aiming for the Welsh summit and leaving the higher English summit until after. 

The new Pedwar is covered by LIDAR, which Aled and I had analysed.  The summit is close to a pool, which today was almost dry with just the last remaining vestiges of water giving some respite to the sheep who visited. 

LIDAR image of the Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge (SO 246 557)

The green track leads to within a few metres of this hill’s high point which consists of a small patch of gorse and fern.  The concept of National Tops was raised a few months ago and we had debated its merits and details on a number of occasions, having done so it was good to now be here standing on the Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge. 

Aled heading toward the Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge

We quickly assessed the lay of land and having decided its high point the Trimble was soon set-up gathering data.  During data collection Aled sat on the green track whilst I stood 50 or so metres away submerged in bracken.  Once allotted data were gathered and stored the equipment was closed down, packed away and I re-joined Aled on the green track and followed him back toward the higher English summit of Hergest Ridge. 

Gathering data at the Welsh summit of Hergest Ridge

The upper part of Hergest Ridge is open and any fences that exist are few and far between.  On a clear day the hill gives excellent walking on greened tracks with extensive views south to the distinctive profile of the Bannau Brycheiniog, east to the Clee Hills and Malvern Hills, and the higher Radnorshire hills to the west and north. 

It was a joy to be back on this hill; however conditions were decidedly warm and only on occasion did a welcome cooling breeze drift across its upper slopes.  We were soon on the higher summit which today had a number of horses beside it.  These slowly moved away as we made our way to the highest rock that constitutes the summit.  It was time for a rest and a bite to eat and the rocks proved an ideal place to sit and recuperate. 

The English summit of Hergest Ridge

We had no firm plan to visit the 417m map heighted top to the north-east, but as another track headed from close to its high point down to the connecting bwlch with Hanter Hill we decided to continue on the main ridge toward it. 

This top is crowned by nine monkey puzzle trees which are an unusual adornment for any summit at this altitude in this country.  Two benches are placed on their periphery and the larger gave another opportunity to sit and rest.  Just below the summit is the Whet Stone, which is marked on the map.  The stone is large, but is not Neolithic and in all likelihood found its way to its present position naturally. 

Monkey Puzzle trees at over 400m

From here it was only a short distance down the track to the bwlch between Hanter Hill and Hergest Ridge.  This bwlch has been Trimbled and LIDARed, therefore a second data set was unnecessary, however I hoped to take a data set from the true summit of Hanter Hill; something I failed to do on my previous visit. 

Hanter Hill from near the Whet Stone

The path leading up Hanter Hill proved a hot plod.  I watched as Aled quickly pulled ahead.  I paced myself going up, stopping once to take on water, look at the expanding view and to take a few photographs.  Soon I reached the hill’s summit area. 

On my previous visit I had taken two data sets from the summit area of Hanter Hill, neither of which matches the position of the summit produced by LIDAR.  This position is submerged in gorse.  As I recovered a modicum of breath I watched as Aled approached the gorse and headed in to it.  I soon followed but wearing shorts later emerged scratched and bloodied, with thorns still sticking in my legs. 

LIDAR image of Hanter Hill (SO 251 570)

When at the high point the gorse proved so dense that when I placed the Trimble on top of it, it remained in place.  Because of this I wondered about gathering data, but the thought of kneeling to take a measurement offset, coupled with four journeys in and out of the gorse waiting for the Trimble to achieve its 0.1m accuracy level before data should be locked and then waiting for allotted data to be gathered was enough to discourage me – LIDAR would suffice! 

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 at the summit of Hanter Hill

We now headed down to the bwlch and followed the green track of our ascent route back to Upper Hanter where the woman; Janet van der Linden, was still outside enjoying the morning’s shade.  We stopped and chatted, I joked that we had wondered if on our return we would be met with glasses of lemonade.  She smiled and went inside and brought out a jug of cold water with two glasses. 

A welcome sight; Janet with fresh chilled water

The water was refreshing and from a spring, it was very welcome.  We chatted about the old farm house and the route we had taken and where we were now heading.  This proved a much needed rest as even walking down hill in the increasing warmth proved tiring.  Having thanked Janet we headed down the continuation of the green track to the awaiting car and then headed northward toward Presteigne, where we stopped and replenished with goodies from the local Spar, before joining up with a narrow lane heading toward The Warren and Stonewall Hill, the latter our second Nation Top of the day. 

 

Postscript: 

Since the survey of these hills full LIDAR coverage is now available.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height and positional data that is now freely available for England and Wales.  Consequently the numerical details for these hills have been analysed using this technique, resulting in the LIDAR height and position for some of these hills being prioritised in preference to that produced by the Trimble GeoXH 6000.

Survey Result: 

 

Hergest Ridge

Summit Height:  401.0m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) (Pedwar addition under National Top status)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 24693 55769 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  269.5m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 22053 55707 (LIDAR)

Drop:  131.5m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  32.80% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

 

Hergest Ridge

Summit Height:  426.9m (converted to OSGM15, from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 25435 56259 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Col Height:  269.5m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference:  SO 22053 55707 (LIDAR)

Drop:  157.4m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR col)

Dominance:  36.88% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR col)

 

 

Hanter Hill

Summit Height:  415.0m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 25199 57096 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  346.9m (converted to OSGM15, from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 25392 56820 (from previous Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey)

Drop:  68.1m (LIDAR summit and Trimble GeoXH 6000 bwlch)

Dominance:  16.41% (LIDAR summit and Trimble GeoXH 6000 bwlch)

 

 

For details on the survey of the English summit of Hergest Ridge and the bwlch survey of Hanter Hill

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Gwaun Ceste

07.04.15  Hergest Ridge (SO 254 562), Hanter Hill (SO 251 570), Pt. 346.5m (SO 238 565) and Gobe Banks (SO 222 556)   

Hanter Hill (SO 251 570)

Quiet mornings when the chill warmth of spring and emerald new growth is set off against the ever present call of the Skylark is a therapeutic experience, one to be savoured and stored in memories eye.  The ascent of Hergest Ridge from Gladestry gave me all of these and more, it was a slow plod gaining 200m of height through a peaceful landscape of almost forgotten tranquillity.

I parked on the northern outskirts of the beautiful village of Gladestry where a number of cars can be left in an elongated add-on to the road just where the speed limit sign gives indication that the motorist is entering a built up area.  As I sorted my gear out the sun baked down from a succulent blue sky, with the clarity of colour enhanced by early growth with the young greens fresh and the earth almost dust-like with a crispness to the fallen winter leaves as they lay forlorn on the track that ascents the south-west ridge of Hergest Ridge.  This is a fine hill and one that I had not visited before, although I had visited its adjacent neighbour; Hanter Hill.

I’d made a mental note of eight points to survey during the day, four summits and four bylchau, well three bylchau and one col as the walk meandered through border country with the boundary firmly placed at the bwlch between Hergest Ridge and Hanter Hill.

As I gained height I picked out the grassed tops of the last two P30s of the day, one a hill that is listed as Weythel Common in some lists and the other named Gobe Banks, each looked attractively shaped, albeit dwarfed by some of their neighbouring hills.

The grassy hill in the centre of the photo is Pt. 346m

The grassy hill in centre of the photo is Gobe Banks

The ascent toward the summit of Hergest Ridge was a delight with expansive views; the hill seemed almost island like, bathed above all others.  Its summit is crowned by a copse of rocks, all neatly arranged in a haphazard way, attractively pointing up to the sky with a trig pillar some distance away toward the east.

Approaching the summit of Hergest Ridge

I balanced the Trimble on the highest rock and aligned its internal antenna with the very highest point of the rock and stood back and looked as the Trimble clung on almost vertically aligned against the sides of the rock, this was not ideal as one slip and it would topple off to the ground below.  I rummaged around the summit rocks and found a small rock that I balanced across the highest rock and which supported the Trimble so that it was sat horizontally instead of almost vertically, and once the required 0.1m accuracy had been attained I quickly pressed ‘Log’ and scampered off, hoping that the rock and hence the Trimble would not slip and fall to the ground below.  Thankfully there was hardly any breeze and once five minutes of data were collected I switched it off, took a few photos and packed it away with relief.

Gathering data at the summit of Hergest Ridge

The Trimble delicately positioned balanced on a balancing rock

A short distance below the summit rocks a sign post indicated the downward route toward the connecting bwlch with Hanter Hill.  There is now a conifer plantation near to this bwlch which looks regimented and out of place amongst the heathland.  As I assessed the bwlch from four different directions I still did not know if my chosen spot for the Trimble was at the exact critical bwlch, although the area was only small the land seemed to head off from the wanted route with slight undulations adding complexity to the land.

Hanter Hill on the descent from Hergest Ridge

As the Trimble slowly ebbed down to the 0.1m accuracy I stood in the shade made by the conifer wood and looked, thought and slowly cascaded into contentment, this was only broken with a number of visits to the Trimble to check on its downward progress, after 20 minutes of waiting the magical 0.1m appeared on its screen and I pressed ‘Log’ and waited another five minutes before switching it off and proceeding to enjoy the steep sun drenched path that led joyfully to the cairn on the summit area of Hanter Hill.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Hanter Hill

I took data from two points, one about five metres from the summit cairn and another about 50 metres away, both were crowned with small attractive rock outcrops.  Again I waited patiently as the data was collected from each as birdsong rang out serenading the hills with beauty.  Tis a wonderful place when happiness can be found through morning wanderings, I’m always amazed at the joy that hills can bring, it seems unfathomable to me, sometimes being able to find fitting words to summarise their beauty is difficult, but the hills seem extraordinary things with sublime offering of wonder in all weathers and environments, and todays offering was just so, a rather pleasant plod in sunshine on old tracks amongst the hills that led from one valley to another, a transportation hub long overshadowed by the arrival of the tarmac artilleries.

Gathering data from the first of two positions at the summit of Hanter Hill

Aligned with the high point of the second position with the summit cairn in the background

Gathering data from the second of two positions at the summit of Hanter Hill

As data were collected I walked to the northern part of the hill’s summit dome and peered across toward the remains of Old Radnor Hill and its adjacent hill, both now quarried away by the Gore and Dolyhir Quarries respectively.

This hill was once a P30

This hill was once a Hump

Beyond Hanter Hill lay two P30s that I had not visited, once back at the connecting bwlch I found the green track that led down to the B4594 and slowly walked up the road toward the critical bwlch of the next hill.  This lay in a field next to the road and close to the Wern Farm.  Once data had been collected I followed a footpath up toward the summit of the hill that overlooks the farm.

Pt. 346m on the descent from Hanter Hill

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Pt. 346m

This hill has an engraved memorial rock at or near to its high point, it commemorates Shiela Mary Watson and is a fine and unobtrusive reminder of someone’s loved one.

The memorial rock at the summit of Pt. 346m

Neatly engraved, the memorial rock overlooking the Wern Farm

The summit area of Pt. 346m

By now the sun was taking its toll and waiting atop the hill as the Trimble gathered data from two points was a welcome relief, over the intervening valley Hanter Hill rose conically shaped with the elongated heathland of Hergest Ridge stretching adjacent to the B road as it gathered its downward motion toward Gladestry.

Gathering data at the second of two points at the summit of Pt. 346m

Beyond this P30 lay my last hill of the day; Globe Banks, between me and it lay a roasting afternoon of sweat and slowly paced walking as I skirted a number of fields using gates as access before dropping down to the hill’s critical bwlch, this was duly Trimbled before I plodded wearily up another footpath toward the eloquently shaped Gobe Banks.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Gobe Banks

The footpath was old and enclosed with a teeming spirit of travel with it submerged in the countryside between young lambs lazing in the sunshine and the steepening slopes of Gobe Banks.  As I rested in the shade I heard a quad bike and waved across at the driver indicating for him to come my way.  The person on the quad bike was Joe Alman who farms from Gladestry Court and Upper Rabber.  Joe’s family had been in this area for 300 years and we chatted about the hills, family history and the route I had taken during the day.  It was lovely to meet Joe who was ever so friendly and pleasant, I asked if he’d mind me visiting the summit of Gobe Banks and he kindly encouraged me to do so, I explained what I was doing and told him that I was surveying each summit and connecting bwlch with the last bwlch of the day below where we stood to our north-west.

Joe Alman - friendly, hospitable and with a wealth of local knowledge

As Joe left to find one missing sheep which was ready to lamb, I slowly made my way up to the summit of Gobe Banks which is a wonderful spot with a curved closely cropped grassy ridge reaching to the summit knoll which overlooks Joe’s farm and the village of Gladestry beyond.  Once the summit was Trimbled I followed a descending path to the area of the last survey of the day, this was the connecting col of Hergest Ridge which was in a field close to the continuation of the enclosed and shaded path that I had previously been on, on my way toward Gobe Banks.

Gathering data at the summit of Gobe Banks

Gathering data at the col area of Hergest Ridge

All that was left was a steady and contented wander down the lane back to the village and my awaiting car, it had been a very enjoyable day spent in the beautiful Radnorshire countryside amongst its shapely and quiet hills. 

LIDAR col image of Hergest Ridge (summit at SO 254 562)

Postscript: 

Since the survey of these hills full LIDAR coverage is now available.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height and positional data that is now freely available for England and Wales.  Consequently the numerical details for these hills have been analysed using this technique, resulting in the LIDAR height and position for some of these hills being prioritised in preference to that produced by the Trimble GeoXH 6000.

Survey Result:

Hergest Ridge

Summit Height:  426.9m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 25435 56259 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Col Height:  269.5m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference:  SO 22053 55707 (LIDAR)

Drop:  157.4m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR col)

Dominance:  36.88% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR col)

Hanter Hill

Summit Height:  415.0m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 25199 57096 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  346.9m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 25392 56820 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Drop:  68.1m (LIDAR summit and Trimble GeoXH 6000 bwlch)

Dominance:  16.41% (LIDAR summit and Trimble GeoXH 6000 bwlch)

Pt. 346.5m

Summit Height:  346.5m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 23881 56524

Bwlch Height:  278.2m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 23998 55881

Drop:  68.3m

Dominance:  19.71%

Gobe Banks

Summit Height:  325.7m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 22243 55606

Bwlch Height:  279.1m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 22707 56059

Drop:  46.6m

Dominance:  14.30%

For details on the 2nd visit to Hergest Ridge and Hanter Hill

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