Myrddyn Phillips - Mapping Mountains: Pinnacle Hill

Tuesday, 24 January 2017

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Worcestershire Beacon

02.01.17 Black Hill (SO 768 413) and Pinnacle Hill (SO 767 421)

Pinnacle Hill (SO 767 421)

The Malvern Hills form a 13km (8 mile) block of upland that stretches in a north to south orientation, they have two main roads that carve through their ridge; the B 4218 known as Wyche Road and the A 449, these roads split the hill range into three parts; the northern, central and southern, with Pinnacle Hill being the highest point of the central part of the Malvern Hills.

Having visited Pinnacle Hill from the north two days ago, when the landscape was embalmed in mist we wanted to visit the hill from the south, and by doing so complete the central ridge.

The British weather is renowned as being fickle and where the hill was enshrouded in winter’s mist two days ago, it was now cloaked in winter’s sunshine, bright and cheerful it shone encouraging the masses to visit, and we joined them, two little flecks amongst a great swathe of humanity all wrapped up against the chill, some with push chairs and many with their dogs, these hills are proving a literal dog walker’s delight.

The car parks were almost full to bursting, but thankfully we found one of only a few remaining places and set off up a good path to join the southern part of this central ridge. Colourful dots were scattered across every path, many no doubt in their newly fresh Christmas outdoor garments, some heading down after their morning’s exertions and more heading up toward the grassed tops and blue sky above.

The colourfully garbed New Year horde

It was early afternoon as we wandered up the southern ridge of Black Hill and the sun was low casting out dimmed colour behind us, whilst ahead the colour bounced with bright and luxuriant depth. Although dulled in colour the southern hills shone silver light and Herefordshire Beacon dominated this southerly view, a bulk of a hill looking out over the wooded foreground which shimmered dew like.

Herefordshire Beacon - the high point on the southern section of the Malvern Hills

Looking across to Herefordshire Beacon from the lower slopes of Black Hill

To the immediate east the flatness of ground was accentuated by these shapely hills as the town of Malvern nestled in its richness, forever a part of this landscape. We reached the summit of Black Hill, posed for a couple of photos and headed on, down to the connecting col and up again to the 345m map heighted summit just to the south of Pinnacle Hill. It was only a short distance to the high point of this central section and once their I set the Trimble up, aligned with the highest part of rock, as I had done two days previous.

As the Trimble gathered data Lou marched along, admiring the view and keeping her limbs warm, meanwhile I watched out for any rogue dogs and their walkers, five minutes later I switched the Trimble off, packed it away and we retraced our route to the nearest connecting col before joining a path which took us down to the main path on the western side of this central ridge.

Gathering data at the summit area of Pinnacle Hill

As we descended it seemed the throng of people were still multiplying as the crowds had not diminished, colourfully garbed people were everywhere. Being close to large populated towns and in the case of Worcester; a city, can sometimes be to the detriment of a fragile environment, and although these hills are scarred with wide paths, they seem to have withstood the onslaught of continued visits extremely well.

The central section of the Malvern Hills, with Black Hill on the right and Pinnacle Hill on the left

Once on the main path it was only a short distance back to the car, and the chilled clear conditions were savoured on the way back to Worcester with a visit to a pub, which proved an ideal way to end a very enjoyable afternoon.

Postscript:

Since the visit to 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 each hill being used.

LIDAR summit image of Black Hill (SO 768 413)

Survey Result:

Black Hill

Summit Height: 309.3m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference: SO 76834 41301 (LIDAR)

Col Height: 289.7m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference: SO 76796 41479 (LIDAR)

Drop: 19.6m (LIDAR)

Dominance: 6.35% (LIDAR)

Pinnacle Hill

Summit Height: 358.2m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference: SO 76792 42109 (LIDAR)

Col Height: 261.1m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference: SO 76911 43719 (LIDAR)

Drop: 97.1m (LIDAR)

Dominance: 27.11% (LIDAR)

For details on the first summit survey of Pinnacle Hill

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet

Sunday, 15 January 2017

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Worcestershire Beacon

31.12.16 Pinnacle Hill (SO 767 421)

Pinnacle Hill (SO 767 421) taken on a clear and sunny day

The etherealness of mist is a delight, and especially so when there is a chill in the air. Its affect is one to close off near surrounds and when coupled with the chill of a winter’s afternoon it forces gloved hands and hatted heads which emphasises the act of enclosure.

This enclosure concentrates the mind on one’s immediate surrounds; the delicate detail and seemingly distant sounds that otherwise may slip by unnoticed. The last day of 2016 brought these conditions to the Malvern Hills as we headed south from the top of the Wyche Road, firstly on steps that gained access to a grass dewed ridge.

The sun kissed crisp winter’s day full of frost and distant views was not given us, but the enclosure of mist brought a welcome hour of contentful wandering in one’s own immediate world.

The central section of the Malvern Hills has Pinnacle Hill as its highest point, and it was the summit of this hill that we aimed for. A few happy shadowed figures passed us, some with dogs, and others without, generally their presence was heard before being seen as mist laden voices cast out from the gloom as a foreteller.

Lou on the ascent of Pinnacle Hill

A slight breeze wisped in from the west, accentuating the dewed chill, the Trimble survey seemed periphery to the walk, but as it included a summit I thought it a shame to miss the Trimbling opportunity, and so it was placed, aligned with the highest bit of rock on the summit of Pinnacle Hill, and as Lou wandered around keeping her back functioning and her body relatively warm, I waited patiently for the five minutes of data to be stored.

Gathering data on the summit area of Pinnacle Hill

Once the Trimble was packed away we retraced our steps down the northern ridge and back to the car, it had been good to get out even though we had come back without a view, sometimes one can feel better for it.