Had a clear but frosty day in the Radnor Hills last Friday - Bache Hill, Black Mixen and Great Rhos, parking in New Radnor village. The best views were back across Herefordshire towards the Malverns - the sun was too low and bright to the S and W to get a good view of the Brecon Beacons, etc. I reckon I did the circuit in the best direction (E to W), because it got the forestry tracks on Bache Hill out of the way at the start, and left a long, gentle but varied descent for the end. Took me 4.5 hours with plenty of stops. Photos on my website at... http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/gallery.php?gp=NW11R
You can see that Black Mixen and Great Rhos are different summits because there's a slightly different moss pattern on each trig point.
The hulking great transmission mast on Black Mixen also helps. I was curious that the trig pillars on Bache Hill, Black Mixen and Great Rhos were all built on small artificial looking mounds (6-10 ft high). I presumed these mounds were made to increase the height of the trig pillars - or are they more ancient? (Hi Paul, good to have you back).
Had a clear but frosty day in the Radnor Hills last Friday - Bache Hill, Black Mixen and Great Rhos, parking in New Radnor village. The best views were back across Herefordshire towards the Malverns - the sun was too low and bright to the S and W to get a good view of the Brecon Beacons, etc. I reckon I did the circuit in the best direction (E to W), because it got the forestry tracks on Bache Hill out of the way at the start, and left a long, gentle but varied descent for the end. Took me 4.5 hours with plenty of stops. Photos on my website at... http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/gallery.php?gp=NW11R
Thanks for sharing Simon. Enjoyed the virtual walk.
You can see that Black Mixen and Great Rhos are different summits because there's a slightly different moss pattern on each trig point.
The hulking great transmission mast on Black Mixen also helps. I was curious that the trig pillars on Bache Hill, Black Mixen and Great Rhos were all built on small artificial looking mounds (6-10 ft high). I presumed these mounds were made to increase the height of the trig pillars - or are they more ancient?
More ancient.... The Bache Hill tumulus is a monster, so big that it overtops the rather nondescript natural summit and sneaks Bache Hill into some 2000' lists.
How the OS got permission to stick their stuff on ancient monuments I dont know.
How the OS got permission to stick their stuff on ancient monuments I dont know.
Especially as they would have had to dig a deep hole for the foundations - I hope they weren't burial mounds. Though, as we all know, the OS don't ask for permission, you ask them (for a small fee). Come to think of it, I'd quite like a trig pillar for my own headstone (though not just yet).
"Andrew Priest" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Simon Edwardes said:
Had a clear but frosty day in the Radnor Hills last Friday - Bache Hill, Black Mixen and Great Rhos, parking in New Radnor village. The best views were back across Herefordshire towards the Malverns - the sun was too low and bright to the S and W to get a good view of the Brecon Beacons, etc. I reckon I did the circuit in the best direction (E to W), because it got the forestry tracks on Bache Hill out of the way at the start, and left a long, gentle but varied descent for the end. Took me 4.5 hours with plenty of stops. Photos on my website at... http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/gallery.php?gp=NW11R
Thanks for sharing Simon. Enjoyed the virtual walk.
Andrew
What was your return route from Great Rhos? Did you get as far South as the byway from Llanfihangel Rhydithon to the A44 just West of New Radnor? If you did then quite interested to know if its been reopened. The area around the Whimble is one of the unexpected delights of the area.
What was your return route from Great Rhos? Did you get as far South as the byway from Llanfihangel Rhydithon to the A44 just West of New Radnor? If you did then quite interested to know if its been reopened.
Sorry, can't help you there. I descended East from the bwlch between Great Rhos and Fron Hill, following the main path down into Harley Dingle. I then skirted round the Southern spur from Whimble back to the village.
Nice one Simon. Do you know why there is that loop there in the track leading up the hill in the panorama? Was that a railway previously? -- Rudi Winter, Aberystwyth, Wales
Do you know why there is that loop there in the track leading up the hill in the panorama? Was that a railway previously?
Could be just a turning point for lorries to get up the hill (either quarrying or military vehicles). The loop is at grid ref SO 194 622 if anyone else would like to surmise. (See http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/photo.php?ph=214 for photo)
