Marhofn 294.17 - May 2015

Surveying report 2014

Alan Dawson

I am aware that surveying is not universally popular amongst baggers. Many people do not like change, particularly when it affects hills they have already climbed or lists they have already completed. In the spirit of the current trend for unapologetic apologies, I apologise for any inconvenience caused, but not for researching and publicising the truth. I have considered withholding survey results until an official update sheet or a new edition of RHB, but most people prefer to know about changes as soon as they are confirmed.

My main priority for 2014 was to survey twin peaks and borderline summits with 148-152m drop. The detwinning was very successful up to June, with four surveys showing that the hill listed in RHB was higher than its upstart rival, so no changes there. After that it got more complicated, as I was unable to separate Troweir Hill and Saugh Hill, but the problem was semi-solved by unexpectedly discovering that neither of them was a Marilyn. Cruim Leacainn near Spean Bridge was the other casualty - another hill not listed in RHB but added later and, as it turned out, erroneously.

Creag Toll a'Choin was never officially a twin but turned out to be 0.35m higher than Maoile Lunndaidh. This was a surprise, as some OS maps show Maoile Lunndaidh to be 2m higher, so a second survey was carried out to confirm the finding. Beinn Dearg (1B) was not a twin either, but turned out to be 1.7m lower than its rival 2km to the west, which extensive research revealed to be called Creag na h-Eararuidh (pronounced Creag na Herra) and not Stuc na Cabaig.

Having eliminated all the official twins, I mucked things up by finding Stob Coire a'Chairn to be the same height as An Gearanach, though this is potentially resolvable with a return visit and a bit of temporary cairn tampering. Confirmation of the 151m drop from whichever is higher was better news.

The tables below show results from marginal Marilyn and Submarilyn surveys that were not reported in last year's Marhofn. Contrary to what some may think, most surveys do not result in significant change.

Marilyn surveys

The only completely new Marilyn was Creag an Amalaidh near Golspie. Its summit was easy enough to climb and survey but the col deep in trees required two visits. I was unable to get a good enough GPS signal at the col itself and had to resort to surveying a point well to the east. This was surveyed by GPS to be 152.6m lower than the summit and measured by approximate levelling to be about 1.5m higher than the col, so in the end the promotion was clear.

Several Marilyns with two points of similar height were confirmed: Sgiath a'Chaise (1.5m higher than north top), Meall nan Gabhar (0.6m higher than north top), Creise (0.9m higher than Clach Leathad), Creigh Hill (1.0m higher than south top), Beinn Tharsuinn (3.1m higher than Sidhean a'Choin Bhain) and Creag Thoraraidh (0.2m higher than Cnoc Coir a'Phuill). However, the summit of Na Maoilean did move, to an obvious summit about 400 metres north-east of the trig point, while the summit of The Saddle moved back to its previous location, which turned out to be 0.3m higher than the rocks next to the trig point.

Submarilyn surveys

Many thanks to GJ Surveys for the Maol Ban survey, John Barnard for the Littleton Down survey; Myrddyn Phillips for Moel y Gydros survey.

On Beinn Direach - a Marilyn that avoided ignominy (photo: Trevor Littlewood)

Sim surveys

Lots of surveys and several demotions kept on pushing my 2000th Sim further out of reach, so I probably suffered more than anyone from my diligence. Some might think it serves me right. Losing two in one walk was inconvenient (Stob a'Ghlais Choire and Creag Dhubh), but it was a superb day's hillwalking so I did not kick myself too hard. The two most intriguing results did not involve any change of status. Stac a'Chuirn turned out to be 18 metres lower than shown by the OS, while Drochaid Ghlas is 15m higher. These unexpected findings encouraged me to extend the number of hills that would benefit from a survey.

The seven promotions and nine demotions bring the current number of Sims to 2528. Notable results from 2014 are summarised below.

The results of the surveys of Beinn nan Eachan East Top, Meall a'Churain, Meall Eoghainn and Creag na Caillich were so close that I surveyed each of them twice to verify the result. Beinn nan Eachan East Top and Carn na Caim South Top became Murdos, while Creag na Caillich lost its Murdo status. Ben Aslak and Ladylea Hill were confirmed as Sims but removed from the Grahams list.

Numerous other marginal Sims and Subsims were surveyed with no change in status. After making the effort to survey Meall Tionail (west of Carn an Fhidhleir) from Linn of Dee, I was a little disappointed to find it stubbornly sticking at 899.7m.

Caisteal a'Garbh-choire - a new Sim (photo: Alan Dawson)

Survey results are submitted to DoBIH and soon afterwards appear in hill-bagging.co.uk. Details of changes are available in the Sim change register at: hills-database.co.uk/sim_changes.html

Simhof

The Sim Hall of Fame has two new entrants. Colin Donnelly passed the 2000 threshold in 2013 but did not report in last year, while the seventh member quietly strolled in on Manywee in October.

All Sim baggers (and indeed Marilyn baggers) are encouraged to enter their hill logs into the hill-bagging.co.uk website, so that totals can be automatically kept up to date and easily retrieved at the end of the year.

Hump and Subhump surveys

Guard on the borderline summit of The Schil