Activation report ‘A mountain, a meal and a 2 pointer for desert’
Summits activated:
Elidir Fawr GW/NW-005
Mynydd Nodol GW/NW-048
By:
After a good time had on the Rhinogs last weekend, Tim and I talked ourselves into another adventure the week later. We agreed to do the Glyderau route together, this was once permission had been granted by both station masters, the XYL’s 
The planned route took the following SOTA summits into consideration:
Elidir Fawr GW/NW-005
Y Garn GW/NW-004
Glyder Fawr GW/NW-003
Tryfan GW/NW-006
I have done this route a few times, and told Tim he was in for a treat! Both station masters were good with the idea, so messages were exchanged throughout the week, and a date and time was finalised.
It was an early start on Saturday morning, Tim drove up in his campervan and stayed in the local village. I picked him up just after 4am, and we began our drive up North to meet my good friend Aled @MW0UPH, who drove us around to the start. A selfie was taken and off Tim, Shadow (the spaniel) and I went up the tarmac track to start our adventure:
The mornings have drawn out pretty fast lately, so it was light when we started our first ascent. The only one problem we had, was the very strong gusts of winds that hit us every so often. Unfortunately, they were getting worse the higher we climbed.
The pace was going well, Shadow led most of the way it didn’t take long until we reached the pumping station where the tarmac track stopped. It was time to get the walking poles out and begin our hike on loose scree.
As we gradually climbed, the wind speed increased dramatically, to the point it blew my new bobble hat in the air a good 100 yards, as well as my kneeling mat. We watched both items blow into the thick mist and disappear - gutted!! There was no way I would be getting those back, they probably ended up in the sea in no time, it was blowing a right gale!
We had multiple moments when we had to crouch on the floor to shelter from the high winds. The question was asked, shall we bail and go back… but we were so close… so we decided to at least get to the Cairn. We entered the boulder field which had a thick layer of frost scattered over the stones, it looked very pretty, but very dangerous at the same time. We took our time, and shortly after saw the Cairn in the distance, which looked like an igloo being wrapped in thick white rime - pretty cool!
It was so nice to jump into the Cairn. Although we now had shelter, you could hear the wind whistling through the stones. It must of been around 75 / 80mph gusts on top!
We soon got to work, Tim worked 145-FM after repairing his snapped pole on site, and I wrapped my 40/20 EFHW wire around the Cairn and called out on 7-SSB. It worked a treat, I was receiving RR of 5/9 plus
Tim unfortunately only managed 2 contacts on 145-FM, so he joined me and worked on 40m. We both qualified which was the aim of the game.
A decision now had to be made - do we continue (which was walking against wind gusts of over 70mph), or do we call it quits, the mountains will be there for another day. We both agreed to call it a day on the high mountains. I rang Aled who kindly came back for us - thanks buddy! A quick summit selfie was taken, and off we went into the madness,
You can tell we’d had a beating by the wind, looking at our faces above.
We arrived back at the start where Aled was waiting to take us back to my truck - happy days. What we needed now was a nice hot stew to warm us back up - so that’s what we went looking for in Betw-y-Coed
It tasted damn good for sure!!
Before we left for home, we decided to call on a small 2 pointer summit called Mynydd Nodol. Its a short steep hike and shaded by the higher mountains. Also we could walk our pudding off as well, hahaa.
Again we were walking into misty fog, but with out the wind - that was a much better feeling.
The top was reached, Tim set up for 14-SSB and I worked 7-SSB and CW. We both managed to qualify and end the day on a high.
I’d like to thank everyone who called into us on this day - apologies that we didn’t manage to complete our long adventure, but the mountains will be there to do again soon! Thanks to all the S2S that we worked too
Until next time, 73!
Ben & Tim
someone really didn’t want you to qualify on 2m that morning! Hahaa, great times though!
sorry we missed you on your last summit - hope to catch up on Friday. Maybe we could do Waun Rydd as a triple?