Grough Article - Creag na Caillich and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan

Grough have published an article on the survey of Creag na Caillich and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan conducted by G&J Surveys.  The original article and a link to it on the Grough website appear below.

These two hills were previously surveyed by Alan Dawson and our results confirmed his findings.  As a result the Scottish Mountaineering Club has amended the list of Munro Tops with Creag na Caillich taken out of the list and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan included as a new Munro Top.

One up, one down, as hills sleuths promote one munro top and demote another

Myrddyn Philips, Guest contributor
Friday 11 September 2015 09:11 AM GMT

Three amateur surveyors who use professional equipment to accurately measure the height of hills recently turned their attention to two munro tops that were close to the qualifying altitudes for the official tables.

There was good news for one pretender; less good news for one peak on the list.

Graham Jackson and John Barnard beside the Leica GS15 at the summit of Creag na Caillich which until their survey was classified as a Munro Top

When, in 1891, the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) published what is now known as Munro’s Tables, the Highlands of Scotland and their 3,000ft mountains were first listed.

This list comprised 538 hills and differentiated between separate mountains, with 283 listed, and their subsidiary tops, with 255 listed. These are known nowadays as munros and munro tops respectively.

Over subsequent years munro bagging has become very popular with more than 6,000 people now officially registered with the SMC as being ‘compleatists’, and probably many more that staunchly keep their compleation between themselves and good friends.

Our surveying in the Scottish Highlands has concentrated on The Munro Society’s (TMS) Heighting Project with many of the heights of marginal munros and high corbetts now having been measured accurately by us.

Since we invested in our Global Navigation Satellite System surveying equipment that is capable of height measurements to a precision of 5cm or better, the Scottish Highlands have also attracted the attention of Alan Dawson, who invested in similar GNSS equipment in 2012. Alan is well known as a hill list compiler with a multitude of prominence based lists to his credit, including the marilyns, and his surveys are focused on improving the accuracy of these lists.

It was the results from surveys of Creag na Caillich and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan that were conducted by Alan that interested us for our latest Highland adventure, since both these surveys also suggested status changes to the list of munro tops. The latter name of Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan was adopted by the SMC through local enquiry and map study, as the hill is unnamed on current Ordnance Survey maps. It has also been known as Carn na Caim South Top.

Creag na Caillich, once a Munro Top but now confirmed as being under 3,000ft high

Creag na Caillich (NN562 376), a munro top, is positioned at the western end of the Tarmachan Ridge and is easily accessible via a track that gains height around the southern part of the ridge. The day we ventured onto this hill proved almost ideal, as only an occasional shower materialised over the mountains and these were quickly pushed eastward by a brisk breeze.

We parked at the car park on the minor road close to the position of the now demolished Ben Lawyers visitor centre, and set off in a westerly direction along the excellent track. The route essentially traverses west under the southern flank of the Tarmachan Ridge before reaching an old quarry.

At this point it was a question of finding the most suitable route up the steep grassy flanks to reach the col and the summit ridge path to the east of our target. This was tough going with all the equipment, and we very much contributed to the already high humidity, but one could not avoid admiring this lush green corrie.

The summit of Creag na Caillich is quite pronounced and is an excellent viewpoint to look back along the ridge and also to admire the great scenery in this part of the Highlands. As we knew the measurement would be critical, we first used a level and staff to determine accurately the highest point before assembling our Leica GS15 over it. This now remained in place for the minimum two hour data collection period required by OS for them to verify the data.

The summit was surprisingly windy and we were pleased to be sheltered behind a small rock outcrop while the all important data were being collected. Once the job had been completed it was a return to the car by the same route and, with more time, a chance to admire some of the flora and fauna as well. A rare butterfly, called a mountain ringlet, was just one of the highlights.

The following day we had arranged to meet representatives from the SMC and members of TMS just off the A9 for an ascent and survey of Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan (NN 663 806) currently on OS maps with a height below 3,000feet. The SMC were represented by Rab Anderson and Andy Nisbet and TMS by a number of members including Iain Robertson who had instigated the Heighting Project for TMS.

Surveyors, SMC representatives and members of The Munro Society at the summit of Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan 

The ascent of this hill is straightforward as a vehicle track ascends one of the bulky westerly whaleback ridges to within a few metres of the summit; so it’s a question of heads down and go for it.

Many would agree that Drumochter is not the most scenic part of the Scottish Highlands, but the altitude of the A9 does mean fairly short ascents. Weather conditions on the summit were perfect with clear conditions and a light breeze. Again once the high point had been located accurately with level and staff, the Leica GS15 was set up for its two hour data collection.

During this time a number of the party took the opportunity to visit the parent munro of Carn na Caim, while we inspected the area of the bealach, or col if you are a Sassenach. A key factor for the SMC in deciding the status of a munro top is ‘topographical significance’, although the drop of a hill was something that Munro never took into account in the creation of his tables. Topographical significance was based by Munro on subjective judgment rather than any formulaic method. We also planned to confirm the drop from the summit to the bealach which Alan had previously measured to be over 30m.

The bealach consists of an unsavoury looking peat bog, which although sticky in places and messy on our footwear, never proved too difficult to negotiate, and nobody disappeared into it. Once our initial inspection was complete we returned to the summit and waited the few remaining minutes for the two hours of data to be collected before taking the surveying equipment back down to the bealach.

Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan - the hill that is now officially a new Munro Top

Using the level and staff in the bog proved interesting particularly for the holder of the staff who finished the survey 6 inches taller. However, the critical position of the bealach was located as before and the Leica GS15 was set up over it to collect GNSS data. All that remained was to retrace our steps back over the summit and down to the A9 where our cars awaited.

The results for these surveys were sent to OS who subsequently verified the data and maps will be accordingly updated with the Creag na Caillich result of 914.3m being rounded down to 914m on maps, and the Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan result of 914.6m being rounded up to 915m on maps.

This information was forwarded to the SMC and as the all important figure of 3,000ft for munro top status is 914.4m, it means that the SMC has taken Creag na Caillich out from the list of munro tops but more pleasingly as one hill departs the list another enters, and the SMC will include Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan into the list of munro tops. This is the first new munro top to be identified since the last revision of Munro’s Tables in 1997.

John Barnard, Graham Jackson and Myrddyn Phillips (G&J Surveys)

Please click {here} to see the original article published on the Grough website

UKHillwalking Article - Creag na Caillich and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan

UKHillwalking have published an article on the survey of Creag na Caillich and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan conducted by G&J Surveys.  The original article and a link to it on the UKHillwalking website appear below.

These two hills were previously surveyed by Alan Dawson and our results confirmed his findings.  As a result the Scottish Mountaineering Club has amended the list of Munro Tops with Creag na Caillich taken out of the list and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan included as a new Munro Top.

One New Munro Top Found; Another Is Demoted

by John Barnard, Graham Jackson & Myrddyn Phillips 11/Sep/2015

G & J Surveys, the team of hill surveyors behind several well publicised revisions of mountain heights, have been busy in the Scottish highlands. The result is one brand new Munro Top, and one demotion. Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan above Drumochter is the first new Munro Top to be identified since the last official revision of Munro’s Tables in 1997. However one hill's gain is another's loss, and a survey of Creag na Caillich on the Tarmachan Ridge has led to its removal from the list. For now then, the total number of Tops remains the same at 255 (in addition to the 283 Munros). Here's how they came by their results. 

---

When, in 1891, the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) published what is now known as Munro’s Tables, the highlands of Scotland and their 3000ft mountains were first listed. This list comprised 538 hills and differentiated between Separate Mountains (with 283 listed) and their Subsidiary Tops (with 255 listed). These are known nowadays as Munros and Munro Tops respectively.

Over subsequent years Munro bagging has become very popular with over 6000 people now officially registered with the SMC as being 'compleatists' [sic], and probably many more that staunchly keep their completion between themselves and good friends.

Using a level and staff to determine the high point of Creag na Caillich, formerly a Munro Top

Our surveying in the Scottish Highlands has concentrated on The Munro Society’s (TMS) Heighting Project with many of the heights of marginal Munros and high Corbetts now having been measured accurately by us. Since we invested in our GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) surveying equipment that is capable of height measurements to a precision of 5cm or better, the Scottish Highlands has also attracted the attention of Alan Dawson, who invested in similar GNSS equipment in 2012. Alan is well known as a hill list compiler with a multitude of prominence based lists to his credit, including the Marilyns, and his surveys are focussed on improving the accuracy of these lists. It was the results from surveys of Creag na Caillich and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan that were conducted by Alan that interested us this time, since both these surveys also suggested status changes to the list of Munro Tops. 

Nb. The latter name of Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan was adopted by the SMC through local enquiry and map study, as the hill is unnamed on current Ordnance Survey (OS) maps. It has also been known as  Carn na Caim South Top.

Creag na Caillich (NN562376) is positioned at the western end of the Tarmachan Ridge and is easily accessible via a track that gains height around the southern part of the ridge. The day we ventured onto this hill proved almost ideal, as only an occasional shower materialised over the mountains and these were quickly pushed eastward by a brisk breeze. We parked on the minor road close to the position of the now demolished Ben Lawyers visitor centre, and set off along the excellent track. The route essentially traverses west under the southern flank of the Tarmachan Ridge before reaching an old quarry. At this point it was a question of finding the most suitable route up the steep grassy flanks to reach the col and the summit ridge path to the east of our target. This was tough going with all the equipment, and we very much contributed to the already high humidity, but one could not avoid admiring this lush green corrie!

John Barnard at the summit of Creag na Caillich

The summit of Creag na Caillich is quite pronounced and is an excellent view point to look back along the ridge and also to admire the great scenery in this part of the Highlands. As we knew the measurement would be critical, we first used a level and staff to determine accurately the highest point before assembling our Leica GS15 over it. This now remained in place for the minimum two hour data collection period required by OS for them to verify the data. The summit was surprisingly windy and we were pleased to be sheltered behind a small rock outcrop while the all-important data were being collected. Once the job had been completed it was a return to the car by the same route and, with more time, a chance to admire some of the flora and fauna as well. A rare butterfly, called a Mountain Ringlet, was just one of the highlights. 

The following day we had arranged to meet representatives from the SMC and members of TMS just off the A9 for an ascent and survey of Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan (NN663806) currently on OS maps with a height below 3000feet. The SMC were represented by Rab Anderson and Andy Nisbet and TMS by a number of members including Iain Robertson who had instigated the Heighting Project for TMS.

Immersed in a bog - surveying the bealach of Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan

The ascent of this hill is straightforward as a vehicle track ascends one of the bulky westerly whaleback ridges to within a few metres of the summit; so it’s a question of heads down and go for it! Many would agree that Drumochter is not the most scenic part of the Scottish Highlands, but the altitude of the A9 does mean fairly short ascents. Weather conditions on the summit were perfect with clear conditions and a light breeze. Again once the high point had been located accurately with level and staff, the Leica GS15 was set up for its two hour data collection. During this time a number of the party took the opportunity to visit the parent Munro of Carn na Caim, whilst we inspected the area of the bealach, or col if you are a Sassenach. A key factor for the SMC in deciding the status of a Munro Top is “topographical significance”, although the drop of a hill was something that Munro never took into account in the creation of his Tables. Topographical significance was based by Munro on subjective judgment rather than any formulaic method.  e also planned to confirm the drop from the summit to the bealach which Alan had previously measured to be over 30m.

The bealach consists of an unsavoury looking peat bog, which although sticky in places and messy on our footware, never proved too difficult to negotiate, and nobody disappeared into it! Once our initial inspection was complete we returned to the summit and waited the few remaining minutes for the two hours of data to be collected before taking the surveying equipment back down to the bealach. Using the level and staff in the bog proved interesting particularly for the holder of the staff who finished the survey six inches taller! However, the critical position of the bealach was located as before and the Leica GS15 was set up over it to collect GNSS data. All that remained was to retrace our steps back over the summit and down to the A9 where our cars awaited.

The results for these surveys were sent to OS who subsequently verified the data and maps will be accordingly updated with the Creag na Caillich result of 914.3m being rounded down to 914m on maps, and the Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan result of 914.6m being rounded up to 915m on maps.

This information was forwarded to the SMC and as the all-important figure of 3000ft for Munro Top status is 914.4m, it means that the SMC has taken Creag na Caillich out from the list of Munro Tops. But more pleasingly as one hill departs the list another enters, and the SMC will include Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan into the list of Munro Tops. This is the first new Munro Top to be identified since the last revision of Munro’s Tables in 1997.

Here are two videos of the hill survey days:

Please click {here} to see the original article published on the UKHillwalking website

G&J Surveys - Munro Tops list amended - The Times

The Times have published an article today about our recent surveys of Creag na Caillich and Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan, both hills had been previously surveyed by Alan Dawson with his Leica RX1250 and credit is given as it was Alan who found that the former was just below 3,000ft in height and the latter just above 3,000ft in height. 

We submitted the two hour data gathered at each summit to Ordnance Survey, who have accepted the results and will update maps accordingly.  As a result the Scottish Mountaineering Club has amended the list of Munro Tops and included Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan and excluded Creag na Caillich.  Therefore the listing of Munro Tops is amended but the totals remain the same!

Fresh off the press - today's copy of The Times

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Drumochter Hills

30.07.15  Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan (NN 663 806)    

Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan (NN 663 806)

Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan rises to the east of the A9 as it speeds its way past Dalwhinnie.  The hill has recently been surveyed by Alan Dawson with his Leica RX1250 with the result being that the hill was measured as 914.56m high, as this height is over 914.4m / 3,000ft the hill is a candidate for the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) to consider for Munro Top status.

As the Heighting Project instigated by Iain Robertson on behalf of The Munro Society (TMS) has now finished we thought it appropriate to finalise those lose ends of hills that have not had two hours of data gathered from their high points.  Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan is one of these hills, and our aim was to survey its summit in conjunction with the SMC and TMS.

We met in a large lay-by beside the A9 close to where a track accesses this hill’s north-western slopes.  By the time we arrived David Batty was brewing up and passed a hot mug of tea to Alan Brook who was parked in front of David’s camper van.  Soon afterward Iain Robertson closely followed by Eleanore Hunter, Ian Collie and John Rogerson arrived.  As Bill Wheeler pulled up I had my boots laced up and was walking toward the gate and the track.  I needed a start on these fitter and quicker people, as although all are older than me they seem to speed up the hills.  As I walked over the road I noticed that Rab Anderson was turning into the lay-by, he and Andy Nisbet were representing the SMC and would liaise with Derek Bearhop who instigates any reclassification to Munros Tables.

The track made steady progress up toward the grassed slopes of the hill and wound its way directly up one of the broad north-westerly whaleback ridges that descend from the hill’s western slopes.  The gradient proved sufficiently steep not to tax and within 25 minutes of setting off I looked behind and noticed the first of a number of small figures on the lower part of the track, I thought I stood a chance of gaining the upper slopes before being overtaken.

As height was gained the views opened up and a slight breeze dampened the warmth of the sun, this proved ideal for the ascent.  The track splits higher up near to a small quarry which is indicated on the map, when I arrived at this point I could hear John and Rab’s voices approaching and as I swung left to walk along the track toward the summit of the hill they quickly caught up with me and we proceeded to the summit together.  The others soon appeared with Alan taking over tripod carrying duties which I was thankful for.

On the upper part of the track

Once at the summit we set up the level on the tripod and proceeded to take a number of readings close to the obvious high point which is positioned just to the left of the track when approaching the hill’s summit from the south-west.  These readings were taken from the north, west, south and east at increments of 5 metres out to 25 metres from the level, this gave us the lay of land around the summit.  A near rock proved slightly higher than our favoured natural high point, but consensus of opinion was that this was put there by man and so it was discounted from the summit measurement.

Shortly afterward the Leica GS15 was set up on the tripod and just before starting to gather data we had enough time to take a number of summit photos with the team of surveyors and SMC and TMS members gathered round.

Summit photo:  (L-R) Bill Wheeler (TMS), John Rogerson (TMS), Eleanore Hunter (TMS), Alan Brook (TMS), Rab Anderson (SMC), Andy Nisbet (SMC), Ian Collie (TMS), Graham Jackson (surveyor), David Batty (TMS), John Barnard (surveyor) and Iain Robertson (TMS)

When Alan surveyed this hill he also surveyed its connecting bealach to the adjoining Munro of Carn na Caim, the drop value from these two surveys came to 30.3m which may form a part of the deciding factor in the possible reclassification of this hill by the SMC to Munro Top status, if Alan’s measurements were confirmed with the Leica GS15, which we were sure that they would.  Therefore after the GS15 started collecting data John, Graham and me walked down to the hill’s connecting bealach to inspect the lay of its land.  In close pursuit were a number of people all heading off to bag the summit of the Munro; Carn na Caim, with Iain along with David volunteering to remain with the equipment at the summit of the south Top.

When we arrived at the bealach we were met by an unsavoury expanse of peat laden, mud splattered bog.  This we spent a number of minutes squashing around in and assessing the land and its direction from a number of positions.  The conclusion being that the critical point of the bealach probably lay in one of a number of peat runnels that crossed the bealach in a valley to valley direction.  Although I took two data sets with the Trimble, one near to where Alan had set up his Leica and one a few metres away in one of the peat runnels we decided that we should level and staff the bog once the two hours of summit data had been collected.

The first data set with the Trimble at the bealach was very close to where Alan took data from with his Leica RX1250

As the Trimble gathered its second data set John and Graham headed back to the summit and as I followed them after packing the Trimble away I met Iain as he walked down the path heading toward the summit of Carn na Caim.  I arrived back at the summit with about 30 minutes remaining of the two hour vigil and spent much of the time flat out on the ground nestled out of the breeze munching on a sandwich and chatting with Eleanore and listening to the varied conversation of the others.  All too soon it was ready to pack the equipment away and head back down to the connecting bealach.  As we did so Andy and John headed south to bag more hills, whilst David had already descended and Eleanore, Bill and Ian decided to wait for Iain to come back from the summit of Carn na Caim before heading down toward the cars.  This left John, Graham, me, Alan Brook and Rab to venture down to the delights of the bog invested bealach.

The second data set with the Trimble at the bealach was where the Leica GS15 would eventually be positioned

Alan, Graham and John heading from the summit down to the delights of the bealach

Meeting Iain on his way back from the Munro summit of Carn na Caim, which is in the background

Over the next hour we had fun in the bog laying two rows of flags, one from the hill to hill direction and the other from the valley to valley direction, we then followed one of the peaty runnels on the valley to valley direction and by doing so we pinpointed where the critical point of the bealach lay, this was where I had taken the second data set with the Trimble.

As Graham was the lightest we decided that he should venture out into the bog and operate the staff and lay the lines of flags

The next hour was spent in brightening conditions as the Leica GS15 gathered an hours’ worth of data, I then repeated the previous Trimble survey and gathered another five minutes of data.

Graham, John, Alan and Rab beside the Leica GS15 at its set-up position at the critical bealach of Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan

The third data set with the Trimble at the bealach repeated its second data set

After all the equipment had been packed away we walked back up to the summit where I gathered another five minute data set with the Trimble, and proceeded down the track in warming late afternoon sunshine to the awaiting cars below.

Gathering data with the Trimble from the summit of Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan

Descending the track after another good day on the hill

It had been a good three full days in Scotland with Tuesday’s filming by ARD with TMS members, and the unexpected bonus of surveying Creag na Caillich on Wednesday and now a two hour summit and one hour bealach data set from Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan. 

The results of these surveys will be sent to Ordnance Survey for their verification and the results forwarded to the SMC for their assessment.

Survey Result:

Mullach Coire nan Cisteachan

Summit Height:  914.6m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

914.6m (converted to OSGM15, Leica RX1250) 914.6m (converted to OSGM15, 

Leica GS15) (prospective new Munro Top, now confirmed)

Summit Grid Reference:  NN 66386 80690

Bealach Height:  884.3m (converted to OSGM15 and average of two surveys, 

Trimble GeoXH 6000) 884.3 (converted to OSGM15, Leica RX1250, with 

0.07m height compensation for position) 884.2m (converted to OSGM15, Leica 

GS15)

Bealach Grid Reference:  NN 66970 81301

Drop:  30.3m (Trimble GeoXH 6000, using average of two bealach surveys) 

30.3m (Leica RX1250) 30.4m (Leica GS15)

Dominance:  3.32% (based on Leica GS15 result)

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