Weird Welsh WX

I decided to have a change from my local summit GW/NW-062 and planned to do GW/NW-069 and GW/NW-071
Holyhead was a straight 78 miles drive on the A55/A5 so was the best one to tackle first.

GW/NW-069

Who wrote the book on this “small” summit, it was like the Himalayan foothills to me.
I set up on 60m with a view to follow that with 40m after a tip off from G0RQL that John GW4BVE/P was already up and running on 40, alas the s2s wasn’t to be.
Conditions on 60 were dreadful, with static crashes wiping out even the strongest of signals, but with a lot of patience from the chasers, a good number were worked.
The activation was cut short when the rain started to fall the size of small marbles and I had to have a quick change of clothing in the toilets when back at the country park car park prior to driving over to the east side of the island.

Stations worked…

G0RQL, G4JZF, M0VEY, GW7AAV, GM4FAM (SSB/CW), GW0VMZ, GM7PKT, GM0AXY, GM4YMM, G0NES, G4WHA, G6LKB, GW3VVC.

GW/NW-071

It was only a short but pleasant drive to Mynydd Bodafon and the ascent to this one was a doddle compared to Holyhead.
It started raining yet again, but I had come this far and was determined to do it.
The static was by now constant and it was a struggle to make the contacts, but again the patience of the chasers made it all possible.
After approx 15 minutes the heavens opened again and the rumble of thunder actually drowned out the jet noise from 4 Hawk trainers which were out on a sortie from nearby RAF Valley.
By now the sky towards Snowdonia was black, so I decided that the better part of valour was to pack up and get on the road for home.

Stations worked…

G4OBK, GW0VMZ, G0NES, G4JZF, G0RQL, GM4FAM (SSB/CW), M0JDK/P, GM4YMM.

Many thanks to all stations worked and for the spots and apologies to those I missed, especially on 40m and 2m.

73 Mike GW0DSP

In reply to GW0DSP:

Mike

If you can get up Holyhead Mountain you can do dozens of hills - it is far from the easiest 1 pointer.

73

Richard

In reply to G3CWI:

It has damn near killed me Richard, I never made it to the very top, but settled for the nearest spot within the 25M rule and am I paying for it now. I got some very strange looks from the multitude of walkers out today and one chap who was ex RN cw op told me what I had just sent to Cris GM4FAM.
It’s safe to say that I won’t be doing that one again.
Seems crazy that it’s just 1pt.

73 Mike

In reply to GW0DSP:

Mike

It might be worth asking for advice before setting out on new hills! Given our previous conversations and your comments regarding Cloud and Gun I would certainly have suggested that Holyhead Mountain was in a different league - and was beyond what you had indicated you would have been comfortable with. Difficulty is not directly related to height - as you now know!

…anyway - well done on the activation.

73

Richard
G3CWI

To slightly paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche…

On the mountains you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow.

He also said “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”.

If we don’t hear from you a few days we will know why. 11 out of 10 for effort Mike. I’m just sorry, I wasn’t around for your second one.

73 Steve GW7AAV
http://gw7aav.googlepages.com

If you can do Holyhead Mountain Mike, you should be fine with several that are more local to you: Moel Famau, Penycloddiau, Cyrn-y-Brain, Raw Head. Slightly further afield you have Billinge Hill, Winter Hill, Gun, Cloud, Long Mountain-Beacon Ring, Y Golfa, Long Mynd-Pole Bank and Stiperstones which are all (in my opinion - disclaimer!) equal to or easier than GW/NW-069.

Be warned - it’s addictive! I look forward to seeing your activator log begin to grow!

In reply to G3CWI:

“It might be worth asking for advice before setting out on new hills!”

This will definately be heeded in the future and I would advise anyone else with a disability to do likewise.

“Difficulty is not directly related to height - as you now know!”

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, hi, hence the need to observe the statement above.

As always, thanks for your valued advice Richard.

73

Mike

In reply to M1EYP:

Hi Tom, It is addictive without a doubt and I will note the summits you have mentioned for future activations.

I have always told Steve AAV that I couldn’t manage Moel Fammau with him, but watch this space.
Holyhead shocked me to be honest, but after driving there I was determined to do it.
I had to stop about 10 times on the way up, but got into the az eventually.
Once again, it made me appreciate the regulars who activate the “big” ones.

73

Mike

In reply to GW7AAV:

To slightly paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche…

“On the mountains you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a
point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you
will be able to climb higher tomorrow”.

Climb in vain ??? Climb in pain you mean !!!

He also said "What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger".

It didn’t quite kill me, but, make me stronger?

I have to admit Steve that it has probably made me mentally stronger and spurred me on to do more summits, as others have said, just like chasing, activating can be addictive.

If we don’t hear from you a few days we will know why. 11 out of 10
for effort Mike. I’m just sorry, I wasn’t around for your second one.

Well I’m still breathing, hi. Sorry you missed the second one Steve, but watch this space, I might just try a local 2 pointer next week, but won’t alert, that way I won’t look like a big Jessie if I don’t make it to the az.

73

Mike

In reply to GW0DSP:

Hi Mike,

“Seems crazy that it’s just 1pt.” - you want to try some of the mid Wales single pointers which are strenuous… just glad I’m doing Uniques. MG by the year 2017 here I come!

73, Gerald G4OIG

P.S. “I had to stop about ten times on the way up”… only 10! Ask Richard ERP about my ascent of Moel Llyfnant…

In reply to GW0DSP:

Hi Mike,

Good luck with the activations, I’ll look forward to repaying you for the dedicated chasing that has assisted me in qualifying a good number of summits.

Sounds like you are successfully tackling hills that would make me gasp - “admiring the view” is a frequent feature of my ascents!

For hard work for a single point, I reckon Bradda Hill GD-004 gets my vote - only 230m, but you start from near sea level and the climb seems almost vertical at times. At least the steep bits aren’t quaking bog, which the shallower lower slopes are (or were when I did it in February!)

Catch you soon,

73 de Paul G4MD

In reply to G4MD:

Hi Paul, Bradda Hill sounds similar to Holyhead, but the start point for Holyhead, the carpark, is above sea level.
I like your phrase, “admiring the view is a frequent feature of your ascents”, hi.
Well I can almost describe every pebble and wild plant at 50 metre intervals of the ascent hi.

I look forward to many more contacts with you Paul.

73

Mike

In reply to GW0DSP:
Bradda Hill is a nightmare - all the other Manx ones are piece of cake compared with this one pointer. Only did it to qualify all the GD summits but won’t go up there again. 2M activation was very difficult and if it hadn’t been for GD4YUM I wouldn’t have qualified the summit.
Keith.

In reply to GW0DSP:

Hi Mike,

“admiring the view is a frequent feature of your ascents” - what Peter M0COP calls pauses for “photographic opportunities”. If so, my camera has distinct wear marks where it keeps being taken out of my pocket!

Keep up the good work Mike. You WILL get fitter by activating summits.

See you on another NW soon.

73, Gerald G4OIG

P.S. Thanks for the S2S - NW-062 / NW-073

In reply to G4OIG:

Hi Gerald

“Keep up the good work Mike. You WILL get fitter by activating summits.”

Surprisingly after only 7 activations I am noticing that it is getting slightly easier going and more enjoyable to get out and walk, well at least until I met up with Holyhead Mountain, big mistake, too much too soon.
In hindsight I would have been better tackling Moel Fammau which is only 20 minutes drive away and a 2 pointer, maybe next week, eh.
Only another 996 points need for MG, hi.

“P.S. Thanks for the S2S - NW-062 / NW-073”

Thank you also Gerald, let’s hope we manage many more.

73

Mike