Reminded of the time he met me up there way back in 2004, the GW AM, and my good friend Roger @MW0IDX sent me this photo earlier today. Eek! At least I can say that I’m in better shape at 50 than I was at 33!
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A “Wasp Special” by SOTABeams if my memory serves me right Tom…
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Looking at the shoulder line Tom you were quite chunky and well bearded (before they became fashionable) in this August 2009 shot when we went on the sojourn to Ailsa Craig. I count this as my best and most memorable SOTA day out of all time!
73 Phil G(M)4OBK
PS Also found this photo in the archives, you with Jack GM4COX/P…what a day, and a group photo too:
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Yeah that was a good day, and quite an exhilarating activation. All organised and coordinated by Jimmy IIRC, who would have been M3EYP back then. I don’t look quite so bad in these 2009 photos, but I did pile on the pounds again in the 5 years that followed it!
It’s quite breathtaking to think that SOTA has been going for nearly two decades, and the profound impact it’s had on my life over that time. Many of these photos “seem like yesterday” - but were a heck of a long time ago, especially when put into the context of other life situations (children, job etc) at the time!
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Must qualify as the spiritual home of SOTA. Well done on your GW complete!
73 OE6FEG
Matt
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Thank you to everyone who congratulated both myself and my dad Tom M1EYP on activating all SOTA summits in GW.
I do remember very well that occasion back in 2004 when my dad Tom M1EYP was activating GW/NW-070 which was before I even had my Foundation licence and my brother Liam was there also and during this activation the GW - Association Manager Roger @MW0IDX along with Jenny @MW0BET alongside with her dog come and joined met us on this summit. I wonder how Jenny MW0BET is doing and I haven’t heard from her for a number of years now.
I remember very well organising that SOTA expedition to Alisa Craig GM/SS-246 back in the summit of 2009 which previously before then had never been activated for SOTA. On this expedition were myself, my dad Tom M1EYP, Phil @G4OBK, Geoff @G6MZX with his wife and dog, Nick @G0HIK, Jack @GM4COX, Allan @MM1BJP with his dad, Robert @GM4GUF, Ken @GM0AXY and his wife Christine @GM4YMM.
Jimmy M0HGY
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Well done guys. Tom - did you sneak the beer into the bottom of Jimmy’s rucksack without him knowing? 
Many 73’s
Alastair - M0TYM
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No, we carried up two each! This was our lunch spread for our celebration of our final GW summit to be activated:
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Wow - almost a beer festival!! This was my radio tent on Gun, G/SP-013, today. Sadly, not a beer tent. Vertical dipole out of view above top right of picture. Thanks to the chasers today from Cymru and Johnstown and to the dependable Peter & Anne at Radio Heald Green.
73s, Alastair, M0TYM
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Fair play Alistair - even I didn’t bother going out activating today! Pity I wasn’t watching the spots earlier though.
Here’s a link to an article about myself and my dad Tom M1EYP activating all the SOTA summits in Wales.
Jimmy and Tom ‘Slay the Dragon’ | Amateur Radio News (southgatearc.org)
Jimmy M0HGY
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Hi Jimmy, great article. Well done guys.
73 de Geoff vk3sq
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Me and my dad Tom M1EYP thought we’d walked up all the SOTA Summits in Wales back in May. However back in August, a new Marilyn was found in Wales named Rhinog Fach which there become a SOTA summit and got the reference number of GW/NW-078. We went out today to walk up Rhinog Fach GW/NW-078 and activated it for SOTA so we have again walked up all the Welsh Marilyns and activated them for SOTA.
Jimmy M(W)0HGY
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Is it customary for each of you to take a swede/turnip to summit when completing an association?
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Bit embarrassing for a GM not to recognise Scotch eggs.
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Well done Jimmy & Tom - wow you had sunshine !
The forecast sun never reached us on G/WB-005 so we were rather cold once we stopped
Best DX for me today was Robert M0RWX/P on G/NP-008 - 200KM isn’t bad for 2M FM HT to HT 
Thanks for the S2S and Happy Xmas to you all
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Whilst their origin is subject to assorted rumours and claims the only thing apparently Scottish about them is name. I am trying to think where I found a stunning improvement on them recently. Same idea sausage meat around and egg but something else to add some zing. I think that something like Ploughman’s Pickle had been added into the meat but can’t be sure. What’s strange is that I don’t like such pickles on my food but mixed in it made a stunning improvement to the flavours. Go figure as they say!
Still look like you took a small swede each with you though 
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Well done (again)!
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Only because they were wrapped in clingfilm! They weren’t shop-bought either - they were our homemade ones. We experiment with varying the flavours too. These were Christmas Scotch eggs with pork, sage & onion stuffing. Other varieties we do include with added chilli, or making the mix with black pudding, chorizo or haggis. We’ve even made veggie Bombay potato style Scotch eggs!
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So… which way did you go and what did you think about your chosen route?
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