Statistical topics in hillwalking

Database of British and Irish hills: news updates

10 May 2012 (update from 6 May)
5248 Pen-yr-allt (31C) has been deleted from the HuMPs list. The drop was reduced to 97m following research on Geograph and old maps.

7575 Llechwedd Melyn (30F) and Gowbarrow Fell (34C) have been promoted to HuMPs. The HuMP summit of Gowbarrow Fell is an embedded rock 100m to the south and 1cm higher than the Wainwright/Birkett near the trig point. It will be given a separate hill number (7833) in the next version of the database.

7268 Meikle Shag (27C) has been promoted to Donald Dewey with a revised drop of 30m.

965 Spidean Coire nan Clach (Beinn Eighe) - Creag Dhubh (13A) is no longer a subMurdo, the drop having been reduced to 17m. The hill was never a Munro Top.

7652 Pen Gilfach-y-rhew (31C) is no longer a subHuMP.

3828 Common Fell (34C) is no longer a subDewey.

The OS mapping on the Geograph website has provided many col heights where current data relies on contour interpolation. Most of the spot heights also appear on one or more of the 1:25k, 1:10k and vector maps (the last is accessible on the OS OpenData site and via the hill-bagging links in the DoBIH), but some are new. The highest resolution is particularly useful because, unlike the vector map, it shows contours in addition to spot heights. Furthermore, it occasionally gives contours at 5m spacing where the 1:25k map has only 10m contours. Coinciding with our first use of Geograph, we received from John Kirk a list of Scottish 500/P20 hills that appeared on his listing but not ours. We have reviewed his list and as a result are adding 4 subCorbett Tops, 26 subGraham Tops, 11 subHighland Fives, and 2 subDeweys (a few of these came from independent research). We are also creating three new Highland Fives: two are promotions, the other is a new hill, Needle Rock near The Old Man of Storr. Details of all the new hills except one of the Highland Fives are in an rhb announcement. We are also demoting four existing Highland Fives: details here.

Much of the data in the DoBIH predates the availability of vector mapping on the OS OpenData website. Some of the oldest data also predates the introduction of the new Explorers in Scotland and of online 1:25k mapping. Since January 2011 we have also made extensive use of old maps on old-maps.co.uk which are a rich source of levelled heights. We intend to revise the existing data using the latest resources, but with potentially 7000 GB hills to review it will be a protracted process. If you would like to help, please get in touch.

7 March 2012
The southern summit of Wether Hill is now officially the Nuttall. The northern summit remains the Wainwright and Birkett.

3481 Y Glog [Draws Drum] replaces 3479 Cefn Croes as HuMP. New mapping indicates the new location is 1m higher rather than lower.

12 February 2012
Version 12.1 has been released. For a list of changes please see the revision history.
12 January 2012
The HuMP 5339 Hangingstone Hill - Pale Heights has been replaced by High Billinge SJ554662. A survey found that High Billinge was 1.5m higher.

Lillypot ST059749 replaces hill 5554 Tair Onnen as Vale of Glamorgan county top.

26 December 2011
Three people have found data errors in v12, another correspondent has discovered a new 490-499m hill, and we've found a few inaccuracies ourselves. We plan to issue a maintenance release early in 2012 to correct these errors and implement the latest change requests.
1 December 2011
OS Get-a-map now shows a 914m spot height for Beinn a'Chlaidheimh. See the Database Notes.
29 November 2011
Version 12 has been released. This is a major upgrade, featuring over 2000 new British hills, and Irish lists for the first time. For details see the revision history.
6 October 2011
Another Dewey bites the dust, but not for the usual reasons. It has been shown by three independent Abney Level surveys that the summit of Beefstand Hill (no. 3545) is well to the Scottish side of the border, as shown on 1:10k and 1:25k maps. Michael Dewey has accepted the removal on the grounds that only summits within England, Wales and IOM qualify for the list. Beefstand Hill will be a Donald Dewey in version 12.
13 September 2011
The editorial team today marked the 10th anniversary of the Database of British Hills by meeting in the Brecon Beacons to survey Fan Brycheiniog (32A). The northern summit, Twr y Fan Foel (hill 5603) is 0.75m higher than the trig point (hill 2230). Subject to ratification, the Marilyn, Hewitt and Nuttall will move to hill 5603.
14 August 2011
The height of Beinn a'Chlaidheimh, a Munro since 1974, has been surveyed as 913.96m. The news was announced by The Munro Society in a press release on 9 August. Unlike with previous Munro Society heightings, the SMC has declined to reclassify the hill as a Corbett for the present.
22 July 2011
Esgair Gelli SN776577 (not in v11.6 but will become hill 5637) has been surveyed as falling short of Dewey status. The 1:25k map has a spot height of 505m at the summit and OS VectorMap District shows a spot height of 475m at the col. The surveyed summit height was 504.5m and the col height 476.3m, giving a drop of 28.2 ± 0.2m.
17 June 2011
Saugh Hill has become a twin Marilyn of 1734 Troweir Hill. Both hills have a spot height of 296m at 1:50k but The Relative Hills of Britain did not make Saugh Hill a twin because of the lack of a spot height at 1:25k. Large scale 19th century maps give levelled heights at the cairn and the tumulus with Saugh Hill 0.4m higher. We regard the data as insufficiently conclusive to relocate the Marilyn but following our recommendation, Alan Dawson has agreed to make the two summits twins as the drop between them exceeds 30m. Saugh Hill will be hill 5636 in the next version of the DoBH and already appears as such in www.hill-bagging.co.uk.

Most walkers are likely to have bagged both summits as they are only 1km apart.

27 May 2011
A survey has established that the County Top of Nottinghamshire is 5470 Newtonwood Lane. 5478 Silverhill, a landscaped spoil heap, was later added as a twin but is in fact 0.7m lower. Details are given in a Grough article.

We have provided links to Access runtime on the Downloads page. Installing Access runtime will allow you to enjoy the functionality of the Access database without needing a copy of Microsoft Access on your PC. We have tested the relational version with Access 2007 runtime and found no problems.

25 April 2011
Version 11.6 has been released. For details see the Revision history.
12 April 2011
Kirkby Fell (SD873635, map 98, region 35B) was today promoted to Dewey's list. The drop, previously estimated as 29m, has been surveyed as 31.1m. Anyone who has climbed the neighbouring Deweys to the NW and SW might well have climbed it "just in case". If not, they will be kicking themselves!

5372 Frith Hill, a HuMP in region 38B, has been relocated 400m to the southern top and renamed Bradlow Knoll. This follows discovery of a 781ft levelled height on old 1:10560 maps. Anyone who has bagged the hill is likely to have visited the new location as current maps give no indication of the relative heights of the three tops on the ridge.

4 April 2011
2865/2866 Seager Hill has been de-twinned. The hill has never been an "official" twin Marilyn on the RHB list but there is almost a mile between the two summits. For the Marilyn (hill 2865), old maps give a levelled height of 892ft (272m) at the position of our 10-figure GR (surveyed by Abney Level although the exact location of the summit is not identifiable). This is 150m SE of the 269m air height on the current 1:25k map. The same maps give a levelled height of 886ft (270m) for the southern summit in about the same position as the 269m spot on the 1:25k map and our 10-figure GR. The correction for the 1921 change in datum from Liverpool Dock to Newlyn is negligible. Walkers will no doubt continue to bag the southern summit "just in case" as it is close to the usual routes of ascent.
16 March 2011
Two HuMPs have been promoted and four HuMPs demoted. Promoted are Gallt yr Ancr SJ146130 and Wharncliffe Chase SK314963; deleted are 3646 Black Edge, 3518 Cefn Cul [Waun Leuci], 5096 Quothquan Law, and 4299 Meall a'Phubuill - East Top.
12 February 2011
Three HuMPs have moved. 5184 Jericho Hill will be replaced in the next release by 5627 Domen-gastell Hill at SJ164199, 0.4km SE (height 297m). 5328 Chinley Churn will be replaced by new hill 5628 at SK036843, 0.8km to the north (height 457.0m). 3362 Y Ro Wen has moved 200m to the NE. The last hill is also a Dewey.

The results of the user survey are available. Thanks to all who responded.

25 January 2011
A bug in the relational Access version affecting queries on some hills on the England–Scotland border has been fixed in version 5.1.1. We have also taken the opportunity to add a new search by map number. We have not changed any of the data.
21 December 2010
We have launched a user survey to help us plan v12 and later releases. If you would like to influence the development of the database, please participate.  Survey closed on 31 January
18 December 2010
A bug has been discovered in the non-relational Access version that affects the totals for the Nuttalls queries. It has been corrected in version 11.5.1. The relational and Excel/csv versions are unaffected.

5328 Chinley Churn (HuMP) has been relocated 750m north to SK036843 (SK 03696 84367). Vector mapping gives a height of 457m, well above the 451m height of the trig at the former location.  24 January: confirmed by surveying

Our 10-figure GR for 2492 Murton Fell [Knock Murton] is incorrect and will be removed.

The GR for 3774 Glade How should be NY133064, corresponding to the cairn on the 1:25k map. The Striding Edge site gives a 10-figure GR of NY 13377 06400. We give Birkett's height of 433m, however we note that old maps give 1443ft, converted to 440m on the 1962 1:50k map.

25 November 2010
Hill 3608 Hand Lake (35A) is no longer a Dewey. The surveyed height is 499.6m. The news was announced on 25 November.
18 November 2010
Version 11.5 has been released. For details see the Revision history.
1 November 2010
Hill 3396 Cerrig y Ieirch [Moel Llechwedd-gwyn] is no longer a Dewey. The surveyed drop is 29.2 ± 0.3m. The news was announced on 28 October.
27 October 2010
Hill 3609 Linghaw (35A) is no longer a Dewey. The surveyed height is 498.8m. The news was announced on 22 October.
22 September 2010
The height of Glydwr Fawr, currently spotted at 999m on OS maps, has been surveyed as 1000.8m by G&J surveys. The result was announced at a press conference on 21 September. The news was reported on regional TV, radio and in the press. Videos of the press conference are accessible on the G and J Surveys YouTube channel.
5 September 2010
Calf Top, a Dewey in the Yorkshire Dales, has been surveyed a total of three times by G&J surveys. The final result could not have been closer, but the balance of probability is that the hill is just below 2000ft (609.6m) and therefore not a new Nuttall and Hewitt. However the surveyors' estimate of 609.58m rounds to 610m and the OS have indicated that the latter figure will appear on future maps, giving the impression that Calf Top is a new 2000ft mountain. Alan Dawson, John Nuttall and Michael Dewey were consulted and all are content for the hill to retain its current status. For a summary of the surveys and the rationale for preserving the status quo, see Is Calf Top a new 2000ft mountain?. Because the accuracy of the measurement is ±0.1m there remains a significant possibility that the hill exceeds 2000ft in reality, so baggers seeking assurance that they have ascended all English hills over 2000ft should climb the hill.

We are currently working on v11.5 of the Hills Database with a view to release in November. In addition to the usual hill data updates, the functionality of the relational Access database will be improved. We are also working towards a major release in 2011 that will include more hill lists.

24 June 2010
The Tryfan project is finally complete. The surveyed height is 917.5m, or 3010ft. The news was reported on BBC Wales.
20 June 2010
Rhiw Gwraidd (twin Marilyn, 31B): a survey has established that the East Top is higher. Accordingly, the location of the Marilyn changes from hill 2196 to 2197. Hill 2196 becomes a Deleted Marilyn. The highest point is an embedded rock 1.5m north of a cairn at SO 01611 63436.
23 May 2010
2734 Lovely Seat is no longer a Marilyn. A survey revealed the drop to be 149.1m. The change was announced on the rhb egroup on May 17.
26 April 2010
The status of 5016 Cairngryffe Hill has been queried. The summit has been reduced in height by quarrying. The height of the highest natural ground is unknown but is certainly below 340m as the trig is no longer present. If it were lower than nearby Swaites Hill at NS958406 (height 323m, drop 102m) the latter would replace it as the HuMP. This seems unlikely, but baggers may wish to visit both summits.
31 March 2010
Version 11.4 has been released, just meeting our target of March 2010. For details of the changes see the revision history.

Tryfan, the lowest of the Welsh 3000ft hills, is to be surveyed for the Snowdonia Society. See the linked YouTube channel in articles. As the 915m spot is an air height, there's a 29% probability that the hill is below 3000ft in reality. Incidentally older imperial maps give a height of 3010ft.

12 March 2010
3343 Iwerddon is no longer a Dewey. A line survey found the drop to be 25.2m, well below the 30m required. Michael Dewey has confirmed the change.

5275 Mynydd Dinas and 5308 Quarrystone Bank are no longer HuMPs.

13 February 2010
Baystones is no longer a Marilyn. A survey has established the height as 486.9m and drop 147.7m. The news was announced in the rhb group.
19 December 2009
We are currently working on version 11.4 for release early in 2010. Our main target is to complete the drop data. We will add the three deleted HuMPs not currently in the database (deleted prior to the inclusion of HuMPs in v11); and twin HuMPs, provisionally defined as having a drop of 30m. There is also the possibility of some hill reclassifications after the survey team has processed the latest batch of data acquired by our differential GPS equipment.
8 December 2009
Version 11.3 has been released to correct a few minor errors in v11.2.
30 November 2009
Version 11.2 has been released. Mark Jackson has joined the editorial team, with particular responsibility for the HuMPs.
14 September 2009
Sgurr nan Ceannaichean has been reclassified as a Corbett following surveys conducted by The Munro Society. See the Database Notes.
7 September 2009
www.hill-bagging.co.uk has been updated with data from v11.1. The site is authored by a member of the editorial team and can be regarded as a web based version of the Hills Database.

We have started compiling a list of changes to be made in the next release. At the time of writing they include the following:

Three HuMPs have been demoted following revision of the drop: 4921 Hill of Colvadale, 4998 Northballo Hill and 5038 Loch Hill. 5077 Barskeoch Hill is under review (proposed drop c.98m with col at NX802595). A number of other col heights will be updated, none of which affect the classification.

1267 Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach should be classified as GTG not GTC.

The summit of 1321 Beinn Chreagach on Mull has moved to NM 51988 21701, 240m east of the main cairn and 1m higher. Most people are likely to have been over the highpoint if using the obvious route from the Carsaig road.

2696 Hampsfell: the HuMP and Wainwright Outlying Fell are at slightly different locations and will be given separate hill numbers.

RHB region numbers will be corrected for three HuMPs: 5298 Oaken Head and 5299 Warton Crag (to section 36), 3861 Great How (to section 34B).

2127 Cefn Goch will be renamed Foel Tyn-y-fron [Moel y Pawl][Cefn Coch]. The SubHewitt is named Cefn Coch in the TACit Tables but this name really refers to the 594m Dewey to the north.

Query 60 of the non-relational Access database is not functioning. The Date Climbed column has been incorrectly formatted as Text rather than Date/Time. It is easily corrected by the user by opening Design View in the Hills table and changing the data type.

The relational version of v11.1 does not include the Buxton & Lewis list. This will be corrected.

Scottish islands will be identified in the Area field.

We are considering adding the Bridges and the Trail "Best 100" list. The Bridges will require no new hills but the Trail list will require the addition of three new hills including one in Northern Ireland.

We are grateful to several correspondents for suggesting some of these changes.

6 July 2009
We have brought out a maintenance release to fix a number of errors in v11.0. We thank Mark Jackson for finding the errors in the RHB regions for the HuMPs and suggesting a number of data changes.

We have received several hundred more 10 figure grid references, though some are for hills with existing data. The next release will incorporate these measurements. The Area field in the relational database will be brought into line with the non-relational (at present the RHB section name has priority, and non-Nuttall/Hewitt/Donald area names are not included). We plan to use this field to identify Scottish islands.

3 July 2009
We have discovered a number of errors in v11. We are currently working on a maintenance release that we hope to launch within the next week.

A few hills have incorrect classifications that are causing errors in searches. In the non-relational versions, hill 28 Stob Binnein - Stob Coire an Lochain has been wrongly classified as a Marilyn (the Classification field is correct). The following errors are present in the relational version: 714 Sgurr a'Mhaoraich - Am Bathaich should be classified as a SubMurdo (Classification field is correct); all the Classlink entries for deleted Corbetts are missing; 2828 Raw Head is missing Hu in the Classification field; 14 Creag na Criche and 2051 Mynydd y Cwm should have Hu dropped from the Classification field for consistency with the convention used elsewhere. Two other Classlink errors in the relational version were fixed in v11.01.

The drop of 5319 Blackstone Edge (36A) will be revised to 102m as its HuMP qualification depends on the motorway cutting. There is a precedent as two Marilyns were promoted that qualified by virtue of a railway cutting.

Some of our assignments of HuMPs to RHB regions are incorrect, having missing or extraneous letters. We will also make a few height changes, add Gaelicised hill names that appear on current OS maps, and tidy up the Area names.

The summit of Ben Hogh on Coll has moved to the SE top.

22 June 2009
We have implemented all the most popular suggestions from the user survey in version 11. We plan to add Sub Corbett Tops and Sub Graham Tops, and perhaps Yeamans, in version 12. There may be an interim release to accommodate new 10-figure grid references and survey information.

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