Thursday 16th February 2012 - Day 2 (continued)

Liam directed me to Pandy where we located where the ODP crossed the A465, before returning a little way south to pick up the road for Capel-y-ffin which we knew would eventually lead us onto Gospel Pass. The car park here was quite busy, but we got a space and changed into our boots.

       

This was probably the easiest 9 points I have ever collected in SOTA. From Gospel Pass, there is an intial pull up onto the plateau, but there follows an extended stretch of flat walking, where the only challenge was avoiding the numerous boggy bits. Most of the families out walking were treating the trig point on Hay Bluff (677m) as their objective, but of course we had to press on. Almost doubling back on ourselves, we proceeded along a flat flagged section until we joined the route of the Offa's Dyke Path, before making another ascent which takes you above the 680m contour, and into the activation zone.

   

Opting not to walk a further kilometre south to the summit true, I set up in this area for my 40m CW activation. 26 QSOs were made, followed by a blank on the 2m FM handheld. After packing up and leaving the AZ, I soon met Dave M0MYA and partner on the flat bit between the edge of the AZ and Hay Bluff. We exchanged pleasantries and I revealed that the six foot 14 year old they had passed a few minutes before was in fact Liam. Liam had waited for me, as requested, at Hay Bluff trig point, before we completed the descent to Gospel Pass together.