22.10.18 Mynydd Llwydiarth (SH 541 787)
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| Mynydd Llwydiarth (SH 541 787) |
Mynydd Llwydiarth is
positioned in the south-eastern part of Ynys Môn and is one of only a
few forested summits on the island. The
Hill Bagging website give some formidable write-ups with many mentioning
copious amounts of brambles, fallen trees and a confusion of undergrowth, with
one post in particular standing out when David Gradwell became so entangled
that he had to use pruners to cut himself free, however one post tantalisingly
mentions a faint path.
The summit area of the
hill has a trig pillar that many head out to find, but do not get there. It also has a lump within the summit area
that is recognised by hill baggers to be the high point, this is approximately
100 metres north-east from the difficult to find trig pillar. Between these two is another lump that LIDAR
gives as the true summit. My main purpose
was to visit at least one of these two summit positions and gather Trimble data
from it, and if possible retreat from the upper confines unscathed.
I parked as many had
done before at the entrance to the forest beside a minor road at the start of a
gated forest track; this led in beautiful autumnal sunshine upwards zig-zagging
as it went under a large crag. As the
track neared its highest point a minor track heads eastward from it, I followed
this and started scouring the woodland on my left for any sign of a path. Miraculously I found one!
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| The start of the forest track |
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| Heading toward the brambles |
The path led confidently
in to the undergrowth and proved an absolute delight compared to what was
beside it, which consisted of a mass of brambles, scrub and fallen trees. The latter did appear on the path but all
could be easily stepped over.
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| This narrow path leads toward the summit that was Trimbled |
Bit by bit the path slowly
led through the forest toward a mound that emerged out of the undergrowth, this
had to be one of the summits. As the
path neared the mound it became narrower to the point that toward the base of
the mound it disappeared, I then tried to memorise the trees beside the path
for my outward journey, to try and memorise what a tree looks like in a forest
is somewhat foolhardy!
Once I’d scrambled to the
top of the mound I found what I judged to be its high point and set the Trimble
up to gather data. It achieved the 0.1m
accuracy level before data should be logged relatively quickly considering its
position and I then spent the next ten minutes standing in scrub beside one of
many trees out of its direct line of site.
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| The view from the summit that was Trimbled |
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| My view from the summit that was Trimbled |
After ten minutes of
data were gathered I packed the equipment away and started my outward journey,
remembering the way I had approached, or so I thought. Within a matter of minutes any semblance of a
path was long forgotten and I then spent an inordinate amount of time battling
through an amazing amount of brambles, fallen trees and hazardous undergrowth beyond
belief. Oh the contrasting nature of
forested summits with such an easy ascent followed by investigating the inner
realms of bramble heaven!
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| Gathering data from one of the Mynydd Lwydiarth summits |
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| Investigating the forest |
Eventually I emerged
back on the minor forest track that led to the wider track where I met another
human being, this seemed odd as I thought I was the only person in the world,
or so it seemed whilst battling through the brambles.
The other human was out
for a walk up the track, we stopped and chatted for a few minutes before I
continued down to my awaiting car relieved that I’d bagged at least one of the
Mynydd Llwydiarth summits and also gathered all-important Trimble data from its
high point. I wonder if I’ll ever return
to try and find the other summit.
Survey Result:
Mynydd Llwydiarth
Summit Height: 158.1m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) (LIDAR
summit: 158.5m)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 54126 78707 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) (LIDAR summit: SH 54083 78685)
Bwlch Height: 100.5m (LIDAR)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 55284 79340 (LIDAR)
Drop: 57.6m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)
Dominance: 36.45% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)
