GW/NW a Slow Visit to a few 'Dolgellau' summits

As some chasers will know, I have been having problems with a sprained ankle since February (a hidden hole on GW/SW-013) which is refusing to settle but is sometimes almost ‘there’. Bearing in mind that we (with M0JLA) are booked for a trip to the Isle of Mull and then near Pitlochry in mid June, we were expecting to be improving our fitness during April and May and 4 nights were booked near Dolgellau 2 - 7 May. The ankle has other ideas so we are still going but I shall be slower (and lower) than I would otherwise have been (weather permitting) and I will need a considerable amount of help from the locals (and visitors with ‘handies’ on the hills and beaches …) to qualify some of the likely summits.

Our plans are flexible but it is possible that I may make more than one visit to GW/NW-055 Foel Offrwm (if I can get up it on the super new path) and my success rate on 2m and 70cm fm on 5w has been ‘variable’. The worst was when both of us went up in late August with just my dipole and obtained 2 contacts each -1 on each band from Mike 2W0WMW just round the corner in Rhydymain and absolutely no-one else despite our very best efforts. Hearing of this, in July 2021, GW4VPX rallied the local facebook group I believe (thanks Allan) and I was stunned to log 14 contacts including 6 on 70cm!

I do hope that I will be able to get this sort of help when I also tackle (if lucky) GW/NW-074 (Craig y Castell which is tucked under Cadair Idris), GW/NW-052 (M Cwmcelli) and, on the way in/out, GW/MW-017 (Garreg-hir) and GW/MW-015 (Bryn Amlwg) or GW/NW-061 (Y Golfa), GW/NW-059 (Allt y Main) or GW/MW-026 (Long Mt Beacon Ring)/Powis Castle gardens (NT)! If things go really well I might try something a bit higher GW/NW-041 (Moelfre or its higher neighbour 017) but the lower hills are more likely. At the same time M0JLA will be ascending (probably higher) summits and working on HF ssb and he also looks forward to lots of contacts. We will upload alerts when possible but my timings are likely to be even more erratic than usual.

Sorry to waste your time on attempts on such lowly summits when you have the exciting news and pictures of the recent Cairngorm expedition of Fraser and Ben (congratulations to both of you and thank you for letting us dream of such activities) but sometimes we all may find ourselves restricted to the lower hills. I am hoping that, in time, I will be able to set more ambitious targets and continue to increase the number of different callsigns I have talked to, which is, apparently, 3652! What wonderful statistics are provided for us by the super SOTA database - many thanks to all involved!
Viki M6BWA

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@M6BWA I’ll be hitting a few unique summits to the North of you that I need so will keep in touch and spread the word.

88 Allan

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Even the lowliest one-pointer is never a waste of time fot activator or chaser. There can be great days in low hills and grim days in big ones so it all balances out As my XYL is apt to comment, size isn’t everything! :rofl:
Hope the ankle eases and good luck with your plans.
SOTA is fun at any height

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When I sprained my ankle back in 2007/8? a friend suggested some exercises to help strengthen things up.

He suggested just standing on one leg with the other slightly raised. Then balancing like that for as long as you can. The good ankle will be trivial and you can stand like a Stork for ages. But the bad ankle will be tricky and you’ll be all over the place. But the longer and more you do it, then the muscles in your bad leg improve in strength.

Try it, it may help you.

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I hope you and Rod have a good time and that your ankle recovers soon. Soft tissue injuries can take while.
A pity, but our plans are a week out, I’m staying in the same area the week after you. Hoping to do few of the higher hills; I’ve always meant to walk Cadair Idris!
Good luck

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Hi @M6BWA Viki, it was great to work you from GW/MW-017 and both you and @M0JLA Rod from GW/MW-015. Talking of adventures…. I always find the 1 or 2 pointers to be just as hard to ascent and descent as the higher pointer summits! I hope the ankle keeps in one piece and doesn’t give you too much grief. It was great to catch up last night and Lyra and me will be listening out for you both on the summits you have planned! Have a safe trip and activation.

73, GW4BML. Ben

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