Introduction
With it being Marconi Day, the Telford and District Amateur Radio Society set up for the weekend at the Marconi Bungalows in Tywyn operating as GB8MD, I planned to take part on the Saturday and help set down on the Sunday, bagging a few remaining summits in the Dysynni Valley enroute to the SES site.
My aim was to do a quick campout in my microcamper van, and ensuring I have everything to survive for Scotland and see what I need to get for next week, and to also bag some more Welsh marilyns, of course.
A 5:30am alarm prompted me and I soon set off at 6am, grabbing a coffee to go. The drive was pretty good going on the way, but was quite chilly as I had the heater on! It was brilliant that the days are getting longer, I enjoyed the clear roads driving in the day.
GW/NW-057 - Foel cae’rberllan
I soon reached the hamlet of Llanfihangel-y-pennant at around 7:40ish, and parked up opposite the church in a small car park. I chose to use the GPX provided by @MW0WML and found it to be a good route but tricky to follow at the start, with a collapsed stile just before the open access. If you do do this route, I recommend looking over to the right at some point, there is a very impressive top with a sheer cliff, not a style of hill I see in Wales often.
Once I reached the open access, I decided to cut some corners, going for a more direct line, which in hindsight probably did not help with the summits later on, my heartrate getting very high with a weighty backpack and 300m+ climbed in 0.8km!
I soon set up on 2m and 70cm FM, working 4 TDARS members and also Mike on Moel Eilio. I did read a note that the summit does not have any signal on EE, and to follow up it is worth noting the North side does have some signal, but it was very patchy. I opted to not do HF and quickly headed back down, following Gerald’s route exactly to save my legs.
GW/NW-065 - Gamallt
It was then just a short drive down to Abergynolwyn, where I parked on the northern entrance from the lanes to the village and followed a route up the side of the woods. The initial going is similar to the previous summit in that it is very steep, but as you reach the summit it does level out. The bracken was not really that noticeable and I was surprised to read comments on how bad it was after activating. Maybe this time of year is preferable.
I then set up just below the true summit in the AZ, opting for a rocky outcrop that is much more better than the true summit that is amongst fallen trees. I worked 2 TDARS members who are very high in my chaser list - M7WUK and M0XJA. I believe they got up early to work some VK from the beachside at Tywyn, I appreciate the chases! I also then got a S2S with GW4TQE on Allt y Main, which I was happy with considering the big hills between us.
I then set up HF to successfully qualify and conditions were pretty dire, only working 6 on 20m with some pretty low signal reports both ways and working GB8MD with a bit of groundwave on 40m. I decided to call it quits for HF that day, and stick with just VHF for my last summit.
GW/NW-063 - Ffridd Cocyn
Another 8 minute drive and I was at the caravan park layby. Again, I must thank Gerald for providing a GPX. The initial bit of footpath is pretty grotty after a short hike along the B4405, passing what seems to be the caravan park tip. However, once you get a bit above this it was a lovely woodland hike, and at this stage was welcome as it was getting pretty warm.
It was then a climb over a BWF, which was not too difficult, and then you are into open ground all the way to the summit. It is private land, but based on hillbagging seems to be the most used route’
I then worked a lot more TDARS members from this summit, with M0XJA and M7WUK now on site and getting people to call in. 10 TDARS QSOs meant I easily activated the summit on 2m FM, and after a quick scan before going QRT I heard @MW0KXN and made a quick S2S, and wished him well with the 2m pileup coming his way 
GB8MD
I soon departed the summit, opting to not do HF and head to the SES. We had a few stations, HF, VHF and QO-100. It was good to operate on all, including chasing MW0WML and EI4JY on their summits! I also enjoyed the more relaxed approach with the shape of the bands, and working ZS for the first time via QO-100.
Overall, a fantastic weekend and good to get a last minute check in before Scotland next weekend. Definitely one to remember.
Cheers,
Jared G5JFJ
