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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Fan y Big mountain in Brecon Beacons downgraded to hill | Fan y Big mountain in Brecon Beacons downgraded to hill |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A mountain in the Brecon Beacons has been downgraded to a hill after it missed a mark by just 4.9ft (1.5m). | A mountain in the Brecon Beacons has been downgraded to a hill after it missed a mark by just 4.9ft (1.5m). |
| Fan y Big has been taken off the Hewitts list, which records mountains in England, Wales or Ireland over 2,000ft (609.6m) high. | Fan y Big has been taken off the Hewitts list, which records mountains in England, Wales or Ireland over 2,000ft (609.6m) high. |
| It is over 2,000ft tall and high enough to be classed as a mountain. | It is over 2,000ft tall and high enough to be classed as a mountain. |
| But mountains must also have a minimum drop between the summit and the col - the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks - of 98.4ft (30m). | But mountains must also have a minimum drop between the summit and the col - the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks - of 98.4ft (30m). |
| Myrddyn Phillips, 57, from Welshpool, discovered Fan y Big's drop was only 93.5ft (28.5m) when he measured it with satellite-based technology. | Myrddyn Phillips, 57, from Welshpool, discovered Fan y Big's drop was only 93.5ft (28.5m) when he measured it with satellite-based technology. |
| He also calculated the summit as being at 2,351ft (716.6m), lower than the previously thought 2,359ft (719m). | He also calculated the summit as being at 2,351ft (716.6m), lower than the previously thought 2,359ft (719m). |
| Mr Phillips said: "To an extent it is a shame because it is a stunning hill on one of the best ridge walks in the whole of Wales." | Mr Phillips said: "To an extent it is a shame because it is a stunning hill on one of the best ridge walks in the whole of Wales." |
| The mountain surveyor has been measuring mountains for nearly 20 years as a hobby and said he wanted to measure Fan y Big because it was thought of as a marginal hill. | The mountain surveyor has been measuring mountains for nearly 20 years as a hobby and said he wanted to measure Fan y Big because it was thought of as a marginal hill. |
| He uses a satellite receiver which picks up a satellite signal and processes its position against Ordnance Survey base stations. | |
| "The technology is so accurate, it collects hundreds of data points to get a good average," Mr Phillips said. "It's the same sort of technology used by GPS." | "The technology is so accurate, it collects hundreds of data points to get a good average," Mr Phillips said. "It's the same sort of technology used by GPS." |
| Previously mountains heights were recorded by a process called photogrammetry. This involved flying over the top and taking measurements to the land below. | Previously mountains heights were recorded by a process called photogrammetry. This involved flying over the top and taking measurements to the land below. |
| Mr Phillips claimed his technology has a margin of error of just 4in (10cm) compared to the older process which had a margin of up to 9.8ft (3m). | Mr Phillips claimed his technology has a margin of error of just 4in (10cm) compared to the older process which had a margin of up to 9.8ft (3m). |
| Alan Dawson, the author of the Hewitts list of mountains, said the result of the survey was "expected" and Fan y Big has been removed from the list. | Alan Dawson, the author of the Hewitts list of mountains, said the result of the survey was "expected" and Fan y Big has been removed from the list. |
| "It was confirmation of what we long suspected," he said. "In this field of study almost two metres is a huge difference." | "It was confirmation of what we long suspected," he said. "In this field of study almost two metres is a huge difference." |