27.07.19 Carreg Cadno (SN 874 161), Pt. 529.6m (SN 878
160), Pt. 524.3m (SN 881 163) and Twyn y Ffald (SN 852 160)
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| Carreg Cadno (SN 874 161) |
With Mark having driven
to Welshpool, I continued to Caersŵs where Aled was parked
and ready for the continuation south to the southern part of Fforest Fawr,
where a number of limestone hills awaited for the three of us, and also the
higher hills to the north for Aled and Mark.
We set off walking in
warm late morning sunshine from the large parking area at Penwyllt. I’d visited this area once before in July
2002 when along with Lisa we combined the higher Fan Gyhirych and Fan Fraith
with the lower Carreg Cadno and finished the day with a welcome pub meal in
Llyswen.
A public footpath strode
confidently toward the limestone summits that looked out upon this seldom
visited area of Fforest Fawr. The path
continued over a disused tramline, with the northerly section of this later being
used as part of my descent route. Soon
afterward the path joined a fence and continued upward with only the last few
minutes across summer grasses and limestone rock leading us away from the path
and toward the summit of Carreg Cadno.
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| Heading for the hills |
This hill is crowned by
a large rock which requires a quick scramble to get to its top, and once there
I set the equipment up with the Trimble’s internal antenna aligned with the
high point and lay below it as it beeped away gathering its datum points. Once the allotted data were gathered and
stored I switched it off, took a few photos and joined Mark and Aled who were
sitting in the pleasing sunshine having a bite to eat.
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| Mark at the summit of Carreg Cadno |
As I wanted to survey
the summit and connecting bwlch of four hills, Aled had suggested that he and
Mark could leave me to my surveying activities whilst they continued northward
toward Fan Gyhirych, with Penwaundwr (SN 907 228) being our rendezvous spot in
three to four hours’ time. Therefore as
Aled headed east toward the next limestone summit I followed and watched him
gain height toward its top, whilst I headed in to thick grassland to the hill’s
connecting bwlch. As data were gathered
Mark passed heading toward Aled, and as the equipment was closed down having
gathered the allotted data we waved at one another and that would be the last I
saw of them for a number of hours.
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| Pt. 529.6m (SN 878 160) |
The compact area taking
in Carreg Cadno also takes in two lower limestone summits, all had been LIDARed
by Aled and I now wanted to repeat the process with the Trimble. The land consists of thick grassland, patches
of heather with rubbled limestone, at a contrast to the higher hills
immediately to the north.
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| Gathering data at the bwlch of Pt. 529.6m |
I was soon on top of the
second summit and had the Trimble set-up and gathering data within a few
minutes. During this a dark mass of
threatening cloud had built up to the north and as data were gathered this
became darker and loomed over the higher hills ready to unload what looked like
a deluge.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Pt. 529.6m |
The next point to survey
was the connecting bwlch to a 524m map heighted summit that has an old cairn on
top. The bwlch was a few metres north
from a green track that passes over the hills, and whilst the Trimble squatted
in the thick grassland atop my rucksack I spotted a couple heading my way on
the green track. They reached me just as
the Trimble had gathered its allotted five minutes of data, they stopped and we
chatted for a few minutes before I scampered off to switch the equipment off
and take a number of photos as the dark mass of cloud bore down on the hills.
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| Pt. 524.3m (SN 881 163) |
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| Gathering data at the bwlch of Pt. 524.3m |
As the Trimble gathered
data from the third summit the first raindrops scattered in the breeze. This felt refreshing after the warmth of the
ascent and with a warm breeze skimming across the land and with the grassland
swaying in tune it felt good to be out. However, the rain soon increased in strength
and once the allotted data were gathered and stored and the equipment switched
off and packed away, I put my Goretex on and headed north toward a gravelled
track which in time would lead me down to the disused tramway and railway. But before that I had one more survey to
conduct which lay further north.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Pt. 524.3m |
The connecting bwlch of
Carreg Cadno sits in thick grassland with a few small puddled bogs squat-like
waiting for any unsuspecting walkers who may for whatever reason pass this way,
I doubt this often happens as there is no reason why such a place would be
visited unless wanting to survey it, which I did.
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| Gathering data at the bwlch of Carreg Cadno |
During the bwlch survey
the rain lessened and once back on the track and height regained I stopped to
take my Goretex off and enjoyed the rest of the walk unencumbered in the
afternoon warmth. The gravel track led
down to a series of grassed switchbacks which give access down to the remains
of what is now a disused railway line. A
few minutes to the south lay the connecting bwlch for the final hill of the
day; Twyn y Ffald, which is now listed as a Sub-Trichant due to LIDAR analysis
conducted by Aled.
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| Twyn y Ffald (SN 852 160) |
The connecting bwlch was positioned close to a barb wired fence amongst wild flowers and swaying grasses. Whilst data were gathered I stood contemplative in the afternoon warmth and looked out past the survey equipment to the rising bulk of Fan Gyrhirych, which loomed darkly silhouetted in the distance.
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| Gathering data at the bwlch of Twyn y Ffald |
All that remained was to visit and survey the summit of Twyn y Ffald and the continuation of the path beside the old disused railway line brought me to its broad and grassed ridge which bi-passed the depths of the near quarry.
The summit was a
delight, with wind-blown wild flowers madly swaying against the two small fangs
of rock which constitutes its high point.
Once my rucksack was wedged between the two rocks and the Trimble
balanced on top of it and its internal antenna fixed on top of the highest bit
of rock, I waited for the allotted data to be stored and luxuriated myself with
the view and watched the movement of grass and flowers as the breeze blew.
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| Gathering data at the summit of Twyn y Ffald |
All that remained was the descent to the quarry floor and a walk back to my car and the drive north to pick Aled and Mark up, who when I arrived, were sitting beside the road in the late afternoon sunshine having been waiting for about ten minutes; not bad timing!
Survey Result:
Carreg Cadno
Summit Height: 538.4m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 87423 16132
Bwlch Height: 502.9m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 88466 17006
Drop: 35.5m
Dominance: 6.60%
Pt. 529.6m
Summit Height: 529.6m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 87887 16087
Bwlch Height: 510.4m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 87705 16096
Drop: 19.1m
Dominance: 3.61%
Pt. 524.3m
Summit Height: 524.3m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 88113 16370
Bwlch Height: 509.2m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 87908 16298
Drop: 15.0m (500m Sub-Uchaf reclassified to Uchaf)
Dominance: 2.87%
Twyn y Ffald
Summit Height: 369.2m (converted to OSGM15)
Summit Grid Reference: SN 85226 16033
Bwlch Height: 342.5m (converted to OSGM15)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SN 85540 16185
Drop: 26.7m (Sub-Trichant addition)
Dominance: 7.23%
