Friday 16 February 2018

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Mynydd Epynt


28.12.17  Mynydd Epynt (SN 961 464, previously Trimbled), Banc y Cwm (SN 968 470) and Pt. 467.0m (SN 975 473)

Banc y Cwm (SN 968 470)

At the uppermost cattle grid the car started to slide and did so for the next three or four attempts, below was an ice and snow encrusted strip of tarmac that led to friendlier climes below, a 100 metres or so down the road was a sharp corner, below this was a car near a bog in a field and stuck firmly on the hillside; an example of the treacherous road conditions that I was now encountering.

Overshooting the corner .....

..... and coming to a halt near a decidedly unpleasant looking bog

I was with two friends and we were hoping to visit a number of hills on Mynydd Epynt; a land out of bounds for much of the year, but one whose hills are accessible over the Christmas period.

Slowly reversing the car we made progress back down the hill to a relatively wide and flat part of snow that gave a chance to at least face forward going downhill, the remainder of the journey to the valley below was in first gear, I felt relieved when we pulled up beside a public footpath sign which would be our route back after visiting the hills above.

Walking back up the road gave a chance to admire Cwm Graig Ddu as it swept up toward Banc y Cwm; a 467m map heighted Pedwar.  The conditions were wintery with snow on the hills and a fast changing sky above, as its calm hues were rapidly overtaken by a thick deep grey westerly cloud bank heralding more snow, and as we steadily gained height large flakes slowly fell.

Heading back up the road

Cwm Graig Ddu

The fresh snow only lasted a few minutes but gave an appealing gentleness to the land; it was replaced with a beautiful sky with winter cloud sticking to far off hillsides and misted patches slowly ebbing over others.  Patches of blue broke out above, but the westerly mass of grey was forever slowly edging east.

Cresting the top of the road we headed south-west toward the high point of the Epynt, following the continuation of a paved road toward its summit.  Reaching the top the view opened up with a white land stretching further west and south, it was good to be out on the hill and the conditions were proving just ideal with enough snow to enjoy but not to hinder.

Looking south from the high point of Mynydd Epynt

Banc y Cwm from near the high point of Mynydd Epynt

Banc y Cwm looked almost alpine like as we retraced our steps back to the top of the road, its rounded profile smoothed white, the next stage of the walk was to survey the connecting bwlch between Banc y Cwm and Mynydd Epynt.  Thankfully I’d come prepared with a ten figure grid reference for where the map indicates the bwlch to lie between the start of two streams, with the land hereabouts consisting of large snow bound tussocks.

Banc y Cwm from the approach to its critical bwlch

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Bank y Cwm

Once data were stored and the Trimble packed away I headed toward the summit following footsteps in the snow.  The summit of Banc y Cwm is flattish in nature with undulations this way and that and is close to a large squared block of conifers which is one of many on the Epynt.  I took two data sets from the summit area before the three of us headed down to the continuation of the track leading to the next bwlch to survey. 

Gathering data at the summit of Banc y Cwm

On the way down a Landrover drove up behind the square blocked conifer plantation and the distinctive call of a farmer could be heard calling sheep toward him for feed.  Not wanting to pass an opportunity to make place-name enquiries two of us headed his way, coincidentally I’d met the farmer a number of years ago whilst making place-name enquiries and he had then been a tremendous help, giving many names where none exist on the map.  We chatted for some time as he dropped a salt lick off for the sheep; it was good to see him again after so many years.

Preparing for feeding time

Waving our goodbye’s we headed back on to the track which headed north-east toward the second bwlch, this again consisted of large snow bound tussocks, but at least a small stream gave a clue toward its critical point.  As the Trimble gathered data I stood back and looked out on the mass of grey winter cloud that had formed and remained for much of the day over the Elenydd to the north.

Pt. 467.0m (SN 975 473)


Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Pt. 467.0m (SN 975 473)

Just one survey remained and that was for the second of the 467m map heighted hills, we followed the edge of another square blocked conifer plantation toward the summit which is crowned by a trig pillar.  The high point was about one metre from its base, and once the Trimble had gathered its allotted data and packed away it was time to head down.

Gathering data at the summit of Pt. 467.0m (SN 975 473)

Snow slopes led us down to a public footpath to the north which joined another leading steeply down via a narrow path to the dirtied snow below where a number of friendly horses made their way toward us.

Leaving the summit and heading down


The snow capped Elenydd in the distance

The lower fields led to a minor lane which gained height to the awaiting car, as I slowly plodded up the road the sun dimmed its light and gently fell behind the hill ridge that we had just descended from, it was a fine end to another good day on the hill.


The last glimmer of sun


Survey Result:




Summit Height:  465.9m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 96824 47007

Bwlch Height:  433.4m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 96584 46748

Drop:  32.5m (Pedwar status confirmed)

Dominance:  6.98%




Pt. 467.0m

Summit Height:  467.0m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 97543 47378

Bwlch Height:  419.7m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 97192 47333

Drop:  47.3m

Dominance:  10.12%







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