Simm update

Alan Dawson

January 2016

A Simm is a six-hundred metre summit in Britain with a drop of 30 metres all round. The name was changed from Sim to Simm in December 2015. At the end of 2015 there were 2526 Simms, including 767 Marilyns and a further 350 Humps.

Sims were introduced as a hill category in 2010, to incorporate and rationalise an unwieldy assortment of several categories, including Murdos, Corbett Tops (CTs), Graham Tops (GTs), SubGTs, Welsh Hewitts, English Hewitts and Subhewitts. These hill listings were published in a series of five TACit Tables published by TACit Press from 1995 to 2004. This update summarises the changes to these TACit Tables since publication:

TACit Table	Year	Total then	Total at end 2015
The Murdos	1995	444	442
Corbetts Tops and Corbetteers	1999	668	674
Graham Tops and Grahamists	2004	999	994
600-609.6m in Scotland	2004	74	75
The Hewitts and Marilyns of Wales	1997	137	137
600-609.6m in Wales	1997	15	14
The Hewitts and Marilyns of England	1997	178	179
600-609.6m in England	1997	14	13
Total Simms		2527	2526

Windy Gyle and The Schil are on the Scotland / England border and are counted only once in the overall total.

Additions

The following Simms have been discovered since 2004. Height and drop are given to the nearest 0.1m if they are derived from accurate hill surveys.

Section	Height	Name	Map	Grid ref	Drop
01A	648.3	Sron Mhor	51	NN642272	32.4
01C	710.5	Stob Glas	50,56	NN365200	30.9
01C	661.7	Meall an Lochain	51	NN511237	30.3
01C	619.2	Creag na h-Iolaire	51	NN561257	31.7
02B	951.4	Beinn nan Eachan East Top	51	NN574383	30.1
02B	892.5	Cam-Chreag	51	NN524398	31.3
03A	906.2	Aonach Eagach East Top	41	NN155582	33.1
06A	756.5	An Sgarsoch Far East Top	43	NN961851	36.0
06B	817.6	Carn Bhac South Top	43	NO042809	30.5
07A	864.6	Carn Ait	43	NO142734	32.0
09A	602.6	Cnapan a'Choire Odhair Mhoir	36	NH904299	36
09B	879	Carn Leac East Top	34	NN412978	33
09B	875.8	Carn na Criche	35	NH576008	33.1
10A	633.4	Beinn Aoidhdailean	33	NG886140	33.3
10A	614.1	Sgurr Mor Near West Top	33	NG875079	31.4
10B	877	Sgurr a'Choire-bheithe East Top	33	NG900012	31
12A	1005.2	Creag Toll a'Choin	25	NH130453	402
14A	960.4	Glas Mheall Liath	19	NH077841	32.4
17B	829.7	Caisteal a'Garbh-choire	32	NG454202	31.7

Sgurr Mor Far West Top (10A) was added in 2012 but removed after a survey in 2015.

Demotions

The following hills listed in TACit Tables have less than 30m drop or are under 600m high and are not Simms.

Section	Height	Name	Map	Grid ref	Drop
01A	598.2	Creag Liath	52	NN913334	29.5
01B	753.6	Leacann Amarach	57	NN615164	29.2
01C	707.0	Meall Sgallachd	51	NN553259	28.8
02B	808.4	Meall Eoghainn	51	NN468323	29.8
03A	866.3	Stob Dubh	41	NN151588	28.2
03B	1106.9	Stob Coire nam Beith	41	NN138546	28.1
03C	995.5	Stob a'Ghlais Choire	41	NN239516	25.8
03C	746.8	Creag Dhubh	41	NN258520	28.8
06A	753.5	An Sgarsoch East Top (superseded)	43	NN953847	27.9
07A	871.9	Crow Craigies South Top	44	NO229790	28.6
09B	909.9	Meall a'Bhothain	35	NH663056	29.6
12A	1004.9	Maoile Lunndaidh (superseded)	25	NH135458	10.5
12B	713	Sgorr na Diollaid Far West Top (point 713m)	25	NH264359	28
12B	598.7	Meallan Odhar Doire nan Gillean	25	NH156377	177
15A	884	Beinn Dearg North Top	20	NH265819	27
15B	688.8	Sidhean a'Choin Bhain	21	NH600803	29.7
16B	715.1	Carn an Tionail	10	NC575476	29.6
16B	599.7	Meallan Liath	9	NC514503	147.3
18A	677.4	Sgurr Dhomhuill Beag	40	NM743756	29.3
19C	643.4	Beinn Lochain East Top	56	NN164003	26.2
30F	683.7	Gau Graig	124	SH743141	25.4

Suie Dhu (11A) was demoted in 2013 but reinstated after a survey in 2014.

Summit changes

There have been several summit relocations where the highest point has been changed to a nearby grid reference on the same hill. Selected new heights and grid references are shown below.

Section	Height	Name	Map	Grid ref	Drop
01A	620.3	Meall nam Fiadh (was Creag Odhar)	51	NN691272	67.7
01A	618.6	Meall nam Fiadh Far East Top	51,52	NN707272	46.1
01B	617.9	Sron na Maoile	57	NN690177	36.5
01D	629.9	Beinn Bhreac	50,56	NN202216	92.8
02A	736.5	Creag an Loch	52	NN823544	95.7
06A	887.0	Elrig 'ic an Toisich	43	NN865788	34.2
09B	633.2	Carn Glac an Eich	26,35	NH694267	81.8
10B	898	Sgurr nan Eugallt	33	NG927048	612
10B	740	Meall a'Choire Dhuibh	33,40	NM917979	101
13B	627	Beinn na Feusaige	25	NH090542	226
21A	718.4	The Socach	37	NJ279145	87
27C	664	Scaw'd Law	78	NS922038	58
28B	800.8	Lochcraig Head	79	NT166177	108
28B	729.9	Swatte Fell	78	NT118113	36.3
30F	676	Maesglase	124,125	SH817150	315
32A	802.6	Fan Brycheiniog	160	SN824220	424
35B	628.0	Gragareth	98	SD687793	32.8

The summit of The Saddle was moved to the rock next to the trig pillar in 2013 but moved back to its original correct location following a survey in 2014.

Name changes

Numerous Simms have been renamed since the publication of TACit Tables. Selected changes are shown below.

Section	Height	Name	Map	Grid ref	Drop
01B	708.3	Creag na h-Eararuidh (was Stuc na Cabaig)	57	NN685190	353
01C	941.4	Beinn a'Chroin (was Beinn a'Chroin West Top)	50,56	NN387185	137.1
01C	940.1	Beinn a'Chroin East Top (was Beinn a'Chroin)	50,56	NN393185	63.1
02A	796.5	Creag a'Chaorainn (was Meall Phubuill)	51	NN442438	90.4
07A	845.5	Craig Damff (was Cairn Damff)	44	NO247777	33.6
09B	648	Leitir Fhionnlaigh (was Druim Ghlaoidh)	34	NN274920	115
15A	667	Beinn Bhreac (was Meall Dubh)	20	NH225886	158
15A	646	Meall Dubh (was Meall Dubh North Top)	20	NH214900	54
17D	702	Trollabhal (was Trallval)	39	NM377952	190
30E	607.8	Y Garn (was Glan-hafon)	125	SJ080272	84
30E	600.8	Cefn Perfedd (was Moel yr Henfaes East Top)	125	SJ099373	32.3
30F	661	Craig-las (was Tyrrau Mawr)	124	SH677135	103
31A	684	Drum Peithnant (was Y Garn)	135	SN775851	56
35A	609.6	Thack Moor (was Renwick Fell)	86	NY611462	58

Significant height changes

There have been changes to the height of numerous Simms since the TACit Tables were published. Current details are available in the Database of British and Irish Hills and via the hill-bagging.co.uk website. Some notable height or drop changes are shown below.

Section	Old	New	Name	Map	Grid ref	Drop
01B	705	708.3	Creag na h-Eararuidh	57	NN685190	353
01B	706	706.6	Beinn Dearg	57	NN696197	73.4
01D	870	852.4	Stac a'Chuirn	50,56	NN190180	34.9
02B	1118	1123.0	Meall Garbh	51	NN644437	198
02B	1118	1117.0	An Stuc	51	NN638431	126
02B	916	914.3	Creag na Caillich	51	NN562377	69.3
03C	1009	1024.3	Drochaid Ghlas	50	NN083307	90.5
05B	914	914.6	Carn na Caim South Top	42	NN663806	30.4
07A	611	609.1	Corwharn	44	NO288651	152
08B	862	863.0	Creag an Dail Bheag	36,43	NO157981	211
08B	862	861.5	Carn Liath	36,43	NO164976	33.2
10A	885	885.5	Buidhe Bheinn	33	NG963090	160
10A	885	885.2	Sgurr a'Bhac Chaolais	33	NG958110	121
12A	915	913.4	Sgurr nan Ceannaichean	25	NH087480	185
13B	762	761	A'Chioch	24	NG810446	38
14A	916	914.0	Beinn a'Chlaidheimh	19	NH061775	268
17B	912	914.2	Knight's Peak	32	NG471254	44
17B	898	900.1	Sgurr a'Bhasteir	32	NG464257	30.1
17C	610	609.0	Ben Aslak	33	NG750191	329
19C	658	658.3	Stob na Boine Druim-fhinn	56	NN168025	149.4
21A	610	609.1	Ladylea Hill	37	NJ343168	200.9
27B	786	786.8	Kirriereoch Hill	77	NX420869	150.2
30B	999	1000.8	Glyder Fawr	115	SH642579	642
30B	609	609.8	Mynydd Graig Goch	115,123	SH497485	71
35A	609	609.6	Thack Moor	86	NY611462	58
35B	609	610.4	Birks Fell	98	SD918763	158

Most prominent Simms

These are the Simms with the greatest relative height.

Section	Height	Name	Map	Grid ref	Drop
04A	1344	Ben Nevis	41	NN166712	1344
11A	1182.8	Carn Eige	25	NH123261	1146
30B	1084.7	Snowdon	115	SH609543	1039
17B	992	Sgurr Alasdair	32	NG450207	992
01C	1174	Ben More	51	NN432244	985
17E	966	Ben More (Mull)	47,48	NM525330	966
13A	1055	Spidean a'Choire Leith, Liathach	25	NG929579	957
08A	1309	Ben Macdui	36,43	NN989989	950
14B	1110	Sgurr Mor	20	NH203718	915
02B	1214	Ben Lawers	51	NN635414	915
34B	978	Scafell Pike	89,90	NY215072	912
03C	1127.0	Ben Cruachan	50	NN069304	880

Lowest Simms

These Simms are less than 601m high.

Section	Height	Name	Map	Grid ref	Drop
17E	600.8	Cruachan Beag	47,48	NM578338	34.4
27C	600.5	Hare Hill	71,77	NS654097	74
30B	600.1	Foel Lwyd	115	SH720723	51
30E	600.8	Cefn Perfedd	125	SJ099373	32.3
30E	600.4	Y Gribin	124,125	SH843177	34.1
32C	600	Craig y Llyn	170	SN906031	392
34D	600	Black Combe	96	SD135854	362

Subsimms

A Subsimm is a hill at least 600m high with a drop all round of 20-29.9m. There are currently around 660 Subsimms. Over 150 of these have been surveyed to show that they have less than 30m drop. There are 28 unsurveyed hills with a drop of 29m and 30 with a drop of 30m, so there will undoubtedly be further changes to the Simms and Subsimms in future.

Simm Hall of Fame

Membership of the Simm Hall of Fame is open to anyone who has climbed over 2000 Simms. By December 2015 there were just seven members. A further 17 people have reported climbing over 1500 Simms and have therefore entered the Corridor that leads to the Simm Hall of Fame. Anyone eligible to join the Hall or Corridor should contact the author via email to rhb@rhb.org.uk.

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to Myrddyn Phillips for surveys of several Simms that have confirmed their status and produced accurate height and drop data, and to GJ Surveys (John Barnard, Graham Jackson and Myrddyn Phillips) for their survey of Gau Graig. (All other surveys leading to changes in Simm status have been carried out by Alan Dawson.) Thanks also to Jim Bloomer, Chris Crocker and Mark Jackson, who have helped to discover potential new Simms or new summits for existing Simms by studying OS maps.