2 day activation report 2E0LAE/P NW & SP summi

Old Reflector
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GW/NW-039 Foel Goch 26/03/2010 11:00

Friday was a use it or lose it leave day from work so decided to go back to one of favourites and then try a new one for the PM time:

As usual left home in glorious sunshine,even having my sunglasses on for some of the journey. Left in plenty of time to get to park spot at gate to Ceseilgwm, but road works galore on the A494 (Im a poet & I didn’t know it HiHi) Down the lovely welsh country lanes with a few near misses on the tight sections I found all the gates open right up to park area. weather had now turned cloudy and a slight chill in the air. set off and soon became apparent I had forgotten how incessant this climb was with no let up approaching 2nd gate. turning right over grassland was the most direct route up but still steep all the way.
Arrived at the top to a wind I had not encountered before on any summit. put up my Fishing shelter brolley having to tie it down and bungee it to AONB stone. started on 2m ssb with no call backs, decided to self spot and my phone had poor signal. resorted to getting Bill G4USW to spot me after working me first then managed a total of 6 contacts with GW7AAV being the only other regular to call me. tried 70cm ssb with no results so went to simplex on .500 and no comebacks. by now I was feeling very cold with no let up from this very strong wind I decided to get back of the hill and have some lunch before heading for the 2nd of the day.

GW/NW-048 Mynydd Nodol 26/03/2010 13.30

This was to be a unique for me today as I have avoided it in the past due to there being no distinct route to top! I had already arrived late at park spot at entrance to Ty Draw and was not looking forward to totally relying on my Etrex to get up here now. walked back down road and found PROW sign going through the very rickety gate there was as Roger MW0IDX said there was a path of sorts,but very quickly found myself Heather hopping with only a quarter of the walk in completed. I used my etrex to point me in the right direction and eventually reached a level off at 490m giving my poor legs a nice rest before finally reaching summit over half an hour late! This walk in made me realise why this one had not been activated since May 2009! and then it proved that my poor day was not over as I gave calls out on 300 sbb with no regulars coming back to me. in the end I had to be satisfied with 4 contacts from non regulars. 2 pals of mine Husband and Wife team M0GWW,Jan and 2E0WXL Allen who were Static on Denham Hill. struggled with my other pal Andy 2E0ZMO/M who was in Chorley on 2m fm got there in the end but only just. my saving grace was Eddie in Crewe M0DDG who made it no4 in the log before all went quiet. Deciding enough was enough today, worn out with Heather hopping most of the way up I then had to negotiate myself back down. More than glad to see my trusty steed waiting for me I headed home once again mainly in sunshine.avoiding the road works by going back on the chester road.

G/SP-015 The Cloud 27/03/2010 11:30
I had originally alerted for Moel Gyw today with pub lunch as Elaine had not been up that one with me. I decided only on the morning to do two SP summits,with the pub lunch in between them. my Reasoning was that if I got 2 points in today then when we do Cadair Berwyn ( our most Favourite) on Good Friday it would give me 150 Activator points.

Elaine had not been up Cloud so it was a chance for her to see it, setting off again in plenty of time, arriving at Cloudside with about 10 mins to alert time was quite comfortable with that. no park spot available as a large people carrier with Antennas on had taken the last space!! so parked about 200 yds further down just past the Gun Club.
Arriving at Cloud Summit to find a certain M1EYP and a HH I joked to him " I hope thats not 2m and your pinching my chasers??" We had a quick chat while I was setting up the beam and then Tom worked from parking area and kindly put a spot on for me( Hes a nice chap really Hi Hi) 6 contacts on SSB including qualifying it with EI3GE JIm in Dublin (overseas contact and no4 in the log Excellent result !!) my old pal M1DAP Mike got me on fm with GW4OKT Keith being the only other fm contact. It was time for that promised pub lunch at the Royal Oak at Rushton recommended by G3CWI. He wasnt wrong food was excellent quite reasonable and a pint of Sneck Lifter washed my Steak Pudding down lovely( Tom is definetly rubbing off on me HiHi) plenty of relax at the pub as its less than 10 mins to Gun park spot.

G/SP-013 Gun 27/03/2010 14:30

Final of four for the two days of activity brought us the easiest ascent of any summit. Trig is visible from park spot and easy incline up. we set up just to left of Trig this time as weather was holding out well. Using gaps in collapsed stone wall to hold pole with beam. Was not expecting too much as this is only a one pointer with a good area of top being flat. gave call on 300 ssb and quite pleased to get a couple of the Cheltenham Boys in the Log with Stewart G0LGS being 1st giving me a spot before Frank G3RMD came in as no2 good to work both after a long time. 5 contacts on ssb including Mark G0VOF,I switched to fm and found Jimmy and Tom having a QSO on 475,I broke in to get both of them in the log then got chased by a couple of portable stations who were just out experimenting. 6 contacts on FM went quiet,so we called it a day and started the easy descent to car before heading back on the A54 from Congleton.

Despite poor weather on Friday the saturday made up for it and I am grateful for all who called me on the four summits. overall could have been better weather and would have liked more calls in the log but at least we had fun as usual!!

Best 73 to all who had contact with me.

And Elaine is now filling her ISWL log book as we write

Cheers

Tony

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Excellent stuff Tony. Gratifying to hear that you are developing expert activator habits of recording and celebrating the gastronomy involved in your expeditions, and that you are blaming it on me!

It was good to meet you both yesterday. All the best with NW-012 on Friday.

Tom M1EYP

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In reply to 2E0LAE:

Thanks for the interesting report Tony. Your description of the ascent of Foel Goch brought back memories - I did the direct route in snow and regretted it, finding my descent via the “standard” route much easier. For Mynydd Nodol it is a shame you didn’t try the western approach which is easier in terms of heather-hopping and you have a fence as a guide.

Sorry to hear that contacts were few and far between.

73 and all the best for Cadair Berwyn which still has a place on my “super summits” list, even though it is now almost 4 years since I activated that one.

Gerald

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In reply to M1EYP:

Thanks Tom,

Yes I was going to alter the report to put in I actually took a packed lunch on the Friday,consisting of a Subway BMT on Hearty Italian and a yoghurt energy bar for pudding!!

Good to see you on your favourite summit.

Hope to catch you from NW-012 on Friday

Best 73

Tony

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In reply to G4OIG:

Thanks Gerald, yes Foel Goch is one of my favs but last time we went up it was a glorious summers day with no wind and loved it.

Mynydd Nodol will I think remain a unique for me as it was tough going.

Cadair Berwyn still to date cannot be knocked off the top of our list, we loved it up there with the best views,most contacts and magic band QSO’s. Looking forward to the duel activation of it with Ian 2E0EDX on Friday.

Best 73

Tony

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Keep the gastronomy coming Tony! Don’t forget to include details of the pub lunch menu as well as the contents of your packed lunches!

I would agree that Mynydd Nodol is a “one-timer” although the views from up there are great.

I have had two memorable expeditions on Cadair Berwyn. One was a long walk-in from the west in December: Cadair Berwyn 2004

…while the other was my MG activation, walking from Pistyll Rhaeadr in October 2007: Cadair Berwyn NW-012

Looking to activate this one again this year.

Tom M1EYP

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In reply to M1EYP:

Don’t forget to include details of the pub lunch menu as well as the contents of your packed lunches!

Please note Tony that any reference to peanut butter will seriously reduce your cred rating, so please don’t mention the product. Real ale taken on activations, especially for genuine reasons such as “wetting the baby’s head” improves a cred rating no end, so full details please!

Tom, what Tony hasn’t told you is that there is a mandatory 4 hour activation requirement in order to qualify Cadair Berwyn. It is not a matter of QSOs on that summit :wink:

73 both,

Gerald

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In reply to G4OIG:

Hi Gerald, if P***** B***** is a bad thing to mention then I wont Im with you cant stand the stuff!!!

it wont be seen from any summit of ours at all!

We are planning an Indian Buffet from the top of Cadair Berwyn with Beef OXO to wash it down.

watch this space for the exact menu afterwards!!

73

Tony

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In reply to 2E0LAE:
My PB has to be chunky :slight_smile:

Roger G4OWG

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In reply to G4OWG:

My PB has to be chunky :slight_smile:

Roger, you’ve gone down in my estimation ;-)) Tony, you’ve gone up - Beef OXO on a summit, now there’s a great idea! Exit Batchelors Lobster Bisque…

73, Gerald

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In reply to G4OIG:

I’m impressed with the grub you guys take with you. (I’m a crunchy PB person BTW). However, I wonder when you find the time and energy to eat. For a long time I was making assorted sandwiches (including PB) to eat on my activations and I found it harder and harder to eat anything. Which is a bigger problem for me than most being diabetic. I discussed this with my doctor who understood the issue but did want to me eat something to try to keep a better regulation to sugar levels.

I found the solution was to move from sandwiches etc. to energy/cereal bars. Current faves are ASDA’s own brand cereal bars, partly because they’re cheap like me. A slack handful of these seem to do the trick nicely for me. I think they work out at 127 calories each and have some grains for slower release carbs and a nice sugary jam filling for a quick boost. Depending on the scale of walk/climb I adjust the number I take with me. There are only a few problems with them. They get squished easily, I can’t open the wrapper with gloves on and the wrappers seem to blow away easily and I hate littering. Also they don’t fill the empty feeling. It took me a while to learn that whilst I felt hungry I knew I’d stuffed enough calories down my gullet.

If I’ve walked and climbed enough then I’m entitled to a Mars Bar, but that normally means Munros at least and excludes the joke of Glas Maol which is too easy for Munro status!

Andy
MM0FMF

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Batchelors Lobster Bisque…

Surely you mean Baxters? Batchelors is powdered soup isn’t it, and that doesn’t best suit spending several hours in a flask.

I think I will return to the expensive Baxters soups. We had Tesco own brand New England Fish Chowder on Sunday in LD. The title was more impressive than the taste or texture to be honest; certainly not in the same class as Baxters Lobster Bisque anyway.

For other energy-giving munchies, we have had Mars Bars, Kendal Mint Cake, Nutri Grains, Breakaways, flapjacks etc and like them all. But apples and bananas are pretty good as well.

Tom M1EYP