Garn Boduan, GW/NW-066 - 279m ASL - SH 312 393 - OS Explorer 253 - 1 SOTA point            

It had been a rough old night, but the elements weren't able to remove the guys, whether the human or the rope variety. The morning of Sunday 24th August 2008 however, promised much.  It was warm and sunny, although still very breezy and no doubt keeping the Bardsey boat at bay.  We piled into the two cars and drove the short distance around to the gate and track entrance up to Garn Boduan. Campbell commented on how easy-going the walking was compared to the trackless plods through bleak moorland he did with a mate in Ireland some time ago. I admitted that I sometimes did that sort of walking as well!

   

The route up Garn Boduan is very short and easy, via a series of zigzagging forest rides, with a short scramble up the rocks at the end. On of the summit shelters seemed to be infested with hornets, so I elected to drop back down to the heathery land below, shelter from the wind (and the hornets) and lap up the sunshine.  While setting up, Jimmy yelped to say that he thought a fly had got up his trousers leg. He continued to squeak with anxiety as he heard it buzzing and felt it rubbing against his leg, getting higher and higher. Then he pulled out his trousers from his waist to reveal a rather large bee, no doubt relieved to have the escape route rather than perform a suicide that could have been particularly painful for Jimmy!

   

Campbell and Calum were amazed at how our smallish rucksacks transformed into an HF antenna system reaching 7m into the sky and 20m across! Jimmy started again, but had no joy on 40m SSB. I went to 7.032MHz CW and swiftly made 8 QSOs. Another stab on 7.118MHz SSB by Jimmy brought a contact with Lutz DL3SBA/P. But there was to be no further joy on HF. I packed the main station away, while Jimmy scrambled back up to the summit shelter with his VX-110, which easily got him the other three contacts required.

   

Back at the cars, Campbell and Calum said they were going into Pwllheli rather than doing any more walking. We, however, were going over to Carn Fadryn GW/NW-058.  Many thanks to the following stations, all worked on 5 watts: