Tryfan, the
scrambliest mountain in North Wales is going to be
remeasured to see if it really is
a 3000-footer thanks to a pair of 'surveying enthusiasts'.
Scrambling the classic North Ridge
Originally the mountain would have been measured with a theodolite, but
modern GPS surveying equipment allows for a more accurate figure. Right
now its height is given as 3,002 feet making it one of 14 Welsh 3000ers
and part of the classic day-long challenge.
In a video clip on the
BBC
news web site, the pair explain that they spend
their spare time measuring mountains rather than succumbing to the joys
of gardening or DIY. The plan is to measure the mountain in June.
Does it matter? Well, if the peak does fall short of the 3000-foot
mark, then you can expect a fierce debate over the course of the Welsh
3000s walk, it would be possible simpy to bypass Tryfan after
traversing the Glyderau and head straight over to Pen yr Ole Wen
avoiding the short, but fierce drag up the South Ridge of the mountain
and the descent.
In a wider context, the joy of Tryfan isn't its height anyway, it's the
rugged character of the mountain and, in particular, the pleasure of
scrambling up the wide, broken North Ridge where you never seem to take
the same line twice. And a missing foot up top isn't going to change
that one iota. It's not about the stats, it's about the love.
A bit of a storm in a GPS unit we reckon...
Full story at
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8564820.stm
