I was given an unexpected day off on Thursday 2 January and the forecast said frost and sun - but no snow. With a full list of Winter Bonus summits available but a slight (I hope) leg injury we (M6BWA and M0JLA) opted for GW/MW-010 Gwaunceste Hill 542m, one of the nearest and easiest to reach - but not to get 2m/70cm contacts. It is low, fairly flat on top and in Mid-Wales which is scenic but not densely populated by chasers - or anyone else! Even the 2 nearest pubs to this summit have closed down within the last 15 months which is a bad sign. It has had 168 recorded activations including 15 visits from us (30 of those activations nearly a fifth of the total - but we do live less than an hour away) and no two visits have been alike despite the fact that we now always come in from the west on the road to Hundred House, and park in the large layby with a short walk back along the road before turning up the tarmac lane to the farm, dogs and increasingly ruined farmhouse. The lane was wet and icy but we were soon through the first gate and on the way up
On through another couple of decrepid gates and we were out on the open moor and being eyed hungrily by the local sheep. We confidently ignored the first track to the right (on the bridleway which is too low) and took the second which led up to the usual nature reserve gate
Now Rod M0JLA is well skilled in opening heavy and awkward gates so I can make a stately progress up the hills but the additon of this round sheep feader took it over his usual limit. We then found a white notice with a right arrow sending us back to the lower gate which we had confidently ignored. Obviously the farmer has decided to economise on repairing/rehanging gates and has cut this one out - but, to our surprise, the one on the bridleway opened perfectly so we were soon walking up beside the fence, photographing the obstruction and starting up the rather icy farm track
which has its wet moments but we soon (too soon??) left the track and started the heathery climb up to the flat top
with the trig point just visible to the left. We picked our way up a small track (and came back by the longer, easier route)…to reach the top and trig point. Unfortunately the slight cold wind was coming up the scarp so I chose to set up some way away from the trig (and from any sort of take-off I later realised) and chose a spot with short heather and thus no shelter but at least I found the pencil I’d dropped - a rare feat in heather!!.
The views in all directions were extensive but the nearest Marilyn Grreat Rhos GW/MW-002 662m did not look very impressive
I started immediately with a s2s with 2E0DJQ on Pole Bank G/WB-005 so I thought this would be a quick activation as 2 contacts came in from Ludlow and I had got 3 on both 2m and 70cm. What could go wrong? Everything. I called and called and… I stood up, moved around and nothing worked (not even ‘Is my signal getting out?’ which often suggests to the silent listener that a reply would be very welcome) for 30 minutes until G0LGS Stewart from Cheltenham came to the rescue. He had recognised my voice while cooking his lunch and went up to the shack. - many, many tx. A quick visit to Rod who was busy on 40m but noticing the wind was rising and he soon started dismantling and we were on our way down. The track didn’t look so cold, but I still managed to find an icy patch to slip on. The sun was right behind us and I was impressed with how well my trekking poles showed up!.
It was back trhough the gates and past the icy patches, some of which had melted, to the car, Kington, ‘Grumpy Grandads’ bakery and tea with friends. With the current forecast for snow I think it will be a while before we are out again but I look forward to seeing some (more exciting) accounts and pictures from you all.
Happy New Year Viki
