Trig pillars

stickywicket

If you're wondering what I'm on about, I didn't know what they were either.

They are, it seems, the – usually – concrete pillars built by Ordnance Survey in 1936 to safely house their theodolites which are used for measuring the lie of the land.

If all that sounds a bit boring just look at some of the amazing photos of them bearing in mind most are situated very high up indeed. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-36036561

I do rather like the Minion but my favourite is the one at Ben Ledi, Perthshire, with its stream of rime ice. Breathtakingly beautiful. But brrrr!

theresak

We have some photos of these - taken by hubby over the years on his many hill walks. There are nearly always fantastic views if the weather is favourable.

Re the one on Ben Ledi - many years ago we took our boys to Callander for a week`s holiday. Ben Ledi being its `local` mountain, you could get Ben Ledi anythings in all the tourist shops. Simon, puzzled by the popularity of Ben Ledi, said, " Who was he anyway, and what did he do ?"

I think on a good day, the one on top of the Bealach nam Ba, the pass from Kishorn to Aplecross has to be a favourite of mine.

barbara12

I hadn't a clue what you was on about, but what stunning pictures..I like the one on Snowden..that look like a space ship, and the one at Gwynedd..must say I have learned something new here...

pot80

When I first crashed out with RA and was in bed for some time I read a book called "Map of a Nation" by Rachel Hewitt, a biography of the Ordnance Survey. The book was very well reviewed and I found it a fascinating read and it is all about the setting up of the trig points.
I have kept my copy and still occasionally dive into it. The sad thing is that gps mapping is superceeding the old method and trig points are seen as superfluous which I think is a crying shame as they were remarkably accurate and should be treasured.

stickywicket

I guess it's just fascinating in so many ways - history, geography and photography.