Knockboy was my coldest activation to date. Freezing fog and 30 kph winds on the summit made for a very cold OP. The ground is pretty boggy but was frozen solid - lucky me 
The view from the car park. -1 deg C meant frozen fingers by the time I had layered up. Getting to the car park is not that easy either. It’s a narrow road with several blind crests. Just hope you don’t meet a car coming against you.
The edge of the lake was also frozen solid. I couldn’t break through it with my pole.
The ice on the fences got progressively thicker as I went up.
Level I
Level II
Level III
The obligatory trig shot
I did my best to get down out of the wind
Taken before the cold set in and fingers stopped working.
Just over 30 mins operating yielded 36 QSO’s and 3 S2S. I packed up with difficulty as the guylines, antenna wire and mast were covered in ice. I didn’t think I’d be able to collapse the mast - I was shearing off ice as each section collapsed. I had to take off my gloves to get a good grip to collapse each section so only had limited attempts before my grip went. I was preparing to descend with a 7m pole fully extended, but luckily I only had two sections that I couldnt close.
Back at the car a well deserved cuppa started the job of defrosting my fingers.
Then on to Shehy More for my MG summit activation. A double bonus for this as it had not been previously activated. While driving there it became obvious why. Many km of twisty windy roads, farmers yards, muddy lanes. I’m beginning to think that the sat nav is more of a hinderance than a help. Maybe it was the shortest route, but it definitely wasn’t easy.
This summit isn’t as high, and it was later in the day, so it wasn’t as cold, but still a shortish activation was on the cards. 50 mins gave 46 QSO’s and 4 S2S, with @ON7GO getting the prize for my fourth activation and qualifying the summit for a 1st activation and my MG. Well done Phil.
No trig marker here, just a jumble of fences
A 360 of the Shehy More summit, with the bonus frozen puddle
A well earned cuppa back a the car with some chocolate started the second defrosting of the day.
So, thats my first MG done and dusted, now on to the next one !
