Just a quick heads up - I’m planning to activate the following SOTA summits over the next two days in GW/SW land:
THURSDAY 25TH AUGUST:
TrichrugGW/SW-022 at approx 12:30 UTC
Mynydd UchafGW/SW-031 at approx 14:00 UTC
Mynydd y BetwsGW/SW-028 at approx 15:00 UTC
FRIDAY 26TH AUGUST:
Graig SyfyrddinGW/SW-020 at approx 06:30 UTC
Ysgyryd FawrGW/SW-016 at approx 08:30 UTC
Bryn ArwGW/SW-026 at approx 10:30 UTC
MyarthGW/SW-035 at approx 12:30 UTC
Allt yr EsgairGW/SW-023 at approx 15:00 UTC
Times above are an estimate and in UTC. I will keep to them as best as I can and spot on every frequency. I’ll operate on 60/40/20m SSB and 2m FM. The activation on ‘Myarth’ @ approx 12:30 UTC will be a joint activation where Allan @GW4VPX will join me it would be great to work some stations from this SOTA community 73, GW4BML. Ben
Cheers for the heads up and I hope it all goes to plan. I might be able to listen out for you both on 2m on Fri am as am out on a day trip to Devon tomorrow.
SOTAwise, I feel like I have ‘done’ Somerset so have been looking into GW/SW land as my next destination and exploring which summits could be grouped together and achieved in a day. Predictably, Pen Y Fan is currently top of my list but I’d be very interested to hear how you are going to link the summits in your list, i.e. are you driving to the 1st summit each day and walking on the rest of the list? Do you make it back to the car each day or do you have a friend to pick you up? Are they tricky summits for a newcomer to the area? I’m not looking for an in depth assessment but any comments would be welcome.
Your welcome for the heads up - when doing an early activation, I like to inform chasers if they need to work the summit.
As for GW/SW - I have managed to complete all summits from 2 points and above, so I’m concentrating on the 1 pointers at present. Because they are scattered all over SW, I tend to drive and walk to each one separately.
There are quite a few routes you can take to conquer multiple SW summits in a day. If you look on SOTLAS you’ll find most of the routes. A few good ones I enjoyed follow:
1: Pen y Fan GW/SW-001 and Fan Fawr GW/SW-005 in a day/morning
2: Fan Nedd GW/SW-007, Fan Gyhirych GW/SW-006 and Fan Brycheiniog GW/SW-003 in a day
3: Mynydd Troed GW/SW-009, Mynydd Llangorse GW/SW-015 and Waun Fach GW/SW-002 in a day
I believe you can add Waun Rydd GW/NW-004 onto your Pen y Fan day, I have not done that one though!
If you would like some .GPX files for the above, I can send them over, just send me an email - I’m on QRZ.
I look forward to maybe working you over the next few days.
I can assure you I have been studying the map and I’ve worked out day 2 is a fair distance from day 1. I’m also aware that various activators have posted reports regarding multi activations in a day (like your groups of activations down in here in G/SC land). Am just looking for a steer … not a detailed analysis. For all I know, Ben might have a really fantastic partner that is prepared to drive and drop them off at their first summit and meet them at their last - probably a pipe dream but a possibility. I’m asking as I am considering whether I can leave the car at home and going to GW/NW by public transport (i.e. eco mode) so any steer would be helpful. If day 2 is a bus ride from day 1 then that would make great sense. Who knows, maybe there’s a great pub in each location… this list of motives is endless really.
Another one that I always fancied - but have yet to do - is Black Mountain GW/SW-041 with Waun Fach GW/SW-002. I think it was Richard @G4ERP that first suggested this walk from Gospel Pass, and undertook it. I keep meaning to…
Yes, that’s a good route. The initial climb up to Lord Hereford’s Knob from the small car park at the head of Gospel Pass is the only real steep bit then it’s basically ‘flatish’ for a few miles to Waun Fach. You can activate the trig for WAB on your way…don’t think it’s been done?? Went over that way many years ago looking for a Geocache with Val after activating Waun Fach.
That’s a big day Friday for 5 points, though I know it’s the uniques you’re after
Graig Syfyrddin - hardest part is pronouncing it, sheep can be over-friendly Ysgyryd Fawr - NT car park is chargeable - steep climb & longish walk and can be busy Bryn Arw - one of my fave hills - have to push through about 1/4 mile of bracken Myarth - wooded - I found it hard to find a clear spot on the top, no good on VHF Allt yr Esgair - longish walk from either end - best from North and again tough on VHF but fantastic views
Ah…Grwyne Fawr route…the hard way! Follow the link to my blog for one which has wonderful views on the way up…I’ll send you another shorter one but without the nice views.
Hope both yourself and Rod are keeping well. Yes, I emailed and rang the estate on Monday, so all good. Thank you for informing me.
Sorry I haven’t been able to chase you much recently, we are moving QTH, so I don’t have my normal 2m/70cm set up will hopefully be back up and running soon!
Indeed that is correct - I found that Debbie in the estate office was amazingly helpful, giving me a calendar of days when there were shoots on the hill to avoid.
it would be great to work some stations from this SOTA community 
73, GW4BML. Ben
will hopefully be back up and running soon!