Background to the trip
Since I started activating in 2021, I’ve made good progress in working my way through the GW/SW summits. Over the past couple of years I’ve planned several trips to try and hoover up the remaining one-pointers. Unfortunately I had to postpone each time due to likely poor weather and/or work commitments. As of 2025 I had seven left to do, and I finally managed to tick them off this week. Hopefully this report might be useful for anyone wishing to visit some of these summits, which are the lesser-activated ones in the region.
Wednesday 16th April 2025
Mynydd Allt-y-grug, GW/SW-032 (take 1)
There had been heavy rain since the day before (which meant I’d lost a day of a planned 3 day excursion) and whilst drier weather was apparently on it’s way, things weren’t looking great as I departed my accommodation. This summit didn’t look like the most straightforward to access with a lack of official paths to the summit on OS maps. There seemed to two different ways to approach the summit.
The first being from SN 74269 07308 where according to previous reports, there was room to park one car by an entrance to the forest. I found the parking area, but was a little wary of using it as the ground looked quite soft. I’m still haunted by the memory of having to get my car towed out of a soft verge I’d got stuck on near Cefn Eglwysilan, GW/SW-025 last year! I was still waiting for the heavy rain to stop, so thought I would have a look at how things seemed from the alternative (Eastern) approach I’d identified.
Giving my clutch a good work-out with some steep hill starts, I found somewhere to park on Penywern Road in Ystalyfera near to a footpath at SN 76446 09047. Unfortunately the rain was still chucking down which frankly was getting a bit boring!
So, having at least identified a good parking spot for GW/SW-032, I decided to leave it for now and drive off to the next one, in the hope that the rain might have finally moved on.
Mynydd Marchywel, GW/SW-021
Another summit which didn’t look the most straightforward on paper. I approached this one from the East, parking up on Maes-Mawr Road in Crynant. There was plenty of space to park here without getting in the way of local residents. There were signs of things brightening up, and after a wait of around 15 minutes, the rain finally stopped. Hooray! Time to finally get activating!
I headed down Maes-Mawr Road until I joined the stoney St. Illtyd’s Walk footpath at SN 78894 04572.
The footpath intersected with some forestry tracks at SN 78255 05796 which I turned onto, taking me to within sight of the summit. I found the tracks corresponded perfectly to the OS maps.
There weren’t any footpaths or tracks marked on my maps to the summit itself, but there did seem to be the outline of something according to the aerial view option on my OS app. Thankfully there was indeed a small path at SN 77061 04154.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get to the trig point because of fallen trees, but luckily the point I took the following photo from was well within the activation zone. Phew!
Hf conditions seemed disappointingly poor, with 6 contacts on 20m & 40m, plus one on 2m. Was hoping for a bit more, but that’s the fun and frustration of radio.
I had a nice walk back to the car, and then it was back to Ystalyfera for…
Mynydd Allt-y-grug, GW/SW-032 (take 2)
At least I knew where I was going to park this time, and I was soon joining the footpath at SN 76446 09047, enjoying a pleasant walk through a mixture of woods and farmland.
Things got a bit tricky near Carreg Pentwyn Farm where I was hoping to follow this footpath at SN 75671 08684…
Perhaps not! I continued skirting around the forest until I reached the point on my map where the marked footpath descended back down towards Ystalyfera. Luckily there was another (unmarked) path that continued onward towards the direction of the summit. According my OS map I had made it onto open access land, so continued to head towards my target. Which thankfully soon came into view!
I was very happy to see the above view! From there it was an easy walk into the activation zone where there was lots of space for playing radio, and some nice views.
On the downside, hf conditions hadn’t improved, and the wind was cold and strong. It took 30 minutes to get 4 contacts (2 each on 20m & 30m) on the key. Oh well. Another summit ticked off! I had a nice walk back to the car, via Penlan-fach this time, and then it was off to the third and final summit of the day.
Mynydd Drumau, GW/SW-038
This was the most straightforward of the three. I parked up in a residential road, Drumau Park at SS 72726 97901 from where I walked up a small section of Drumau Road to join a bridleway at SS 72580 97894.This took me up through a forest section and out onto the ridge.
Just 4 contacts again here (3 on 40m and 1 on 30m), although I had a feeling this was down to the time of day as it seemed as conditions had improved a little. Evening activations often seem a little more slow-going. Anyway, it was enough for the point! My efforts for the day were rewarded by some lovely evening sunshine on my way back to the car.
Thursday 17th April 2025
Day two, and I was up nice and early in my quest to get the remaining four summits done.
Mynydd Dinas, GW/SW-040
I parked at an eerily empty multi-story car park in Port Talbot, before starting the steep ascent to the summit. Not the most inviting start I’ve ever done to a SOTA hike!
The concrete soon gave way to some better views, although there was widespread evidence of recent fires.
I reached the small clearing by the trig in good time. Not a huge amount of space for antennas, but enough to get something up in the air.
Radio conditions seemed a bit better yesterday, and I made 14 QSOs across 30m & 40m. A nice walk back to the car in the morning sunshine and a short drive to the next one.
Foel Fynyddau, GW/SW-029
I parked by the entrance to the track to the summit at SS 77212 93512. A mixture of easy tracks and paths got me to the top in around 30 minutes.
There was a welcome bench at the summit, and this was the most successful activation of my trip with 22 QSOs across 40m & 30m. Two to go.
Hirfynydd GW/SW-017
The walk for this one starts in the small village of Banwen. A prior search of Google Maps had revealed a small car park to the South East of the village at SN 85770 09364. It took me just over an hour to reach the summit, using a mixture of tracks and stoney paths. I did start to flag a little bit during the ascent.
I setup near the trig point (which seemed to be obscured by the trees) and made 13 QSOs on 40m. That was enough for me. With a bit less huffing and puffing compared to my ascent, I was able to appreciate the views across to the Brecon Beacons on my way down.
Mynydd Epynt, GW/SW-018
After an hour’s drive with some spectacular views, I arrived at the parking area by Mynydd Epynt at SN 96192 46814. The summit lies within a military training area, and I was disappointed to see the reg flags risen to indicate firing was in progress. I had checked the training schedule beforehand, and I was expecting this to be a non-firing day. Perhaps the military need to keep a closer eye on SOTAwatch for planned activations! The absolute summit lies within an area which appeared to be off limits on firing days.
However, I found a spot alongside the road which was within the activation zone, and on the basis that the road was open for traffic, decided that it was unlikely I was going to be fired on in my operating spot. So, with the sound of gunfire in the distance I quickly setup and made 11 contacts all on 40m. With a long drive home and rain moving in, it was time to pull the plug!
My drive home took in further excellent views of the beacons. A landscape which has become familiar to me because of SOTA. It was great to finally complete activating all of the summits in GW/SW. I’ve known better radio conditions, but there are never any guarantees on that front.
Many thanks to everyone who worked me over these two days. Your perseverance in challenging hf conditions was much appreciated.
Until next time & 73,
Matthew M(W)0JSB
