Just like to apologise to any chasers who were hoping to catch me on this pair but missed out, things didn’t quite go to plan 
Apart from some early rain, the initial ascent to Aran Fawddwy GW/NW-007 from the carpark at the top of Cwm Cywarch went well, if somewhat slower than anticipated - I was obviously a lot less fit than I liked to think after a long lay-off from the hills. Whilst Gerald set up near the trig, I dropped down onto a plateau on the SW side of the summit. I started my activation as is my custom on 60m, but by the time all went quiet on the band with 16 contacts in the log the wind and intermittent snow had taken their toll and in the interest of self-preservation I decided to skip 40m and pack up.
The traverse to Glasgwm GW/NW-007 was uneventful if again slow, the infamous slippery planks failing on this occasion to claim more victims. However as we approached the summit the snow showers consolidated themselves into a near white-out blizzard, and in the face of this I wimped out and hid behind a rock whilst Gerald (who is obviously made of sterner stuff than I) clung to the summit cairn and qualified the hill on 70cm. Ironically, as we set off down via Bwlch y Gesail the skies cleared and the sun shone on us, with a vivid rainbow (snowbow?) plunging dramatically into Cwm Cywarch below us.
Despite disappointment on the radio front, this was a wonderful round walk, and the views of the whole route that you get as you descend give a wonderful precis of the day’s outing. Highly recommended, if hard work for an unfit lardbucket such as myself…
So many thanks to the chasers I did work, and particularly to Don 'RQL and Damian 'BKV for the spots. Next outing will be back to GM just after Christmas, when hopefully the radio will get more of a look in.
73 de Paul G6GGP/G4MD