Friday 24th August 2018 - Gyrn Moelfre GW/NW-049

I was tutoring in Sandbach from 10 to 11am, and I knew that by the time I would have returned home, Maz and Liam would have gone for a day out in Manchester.  So I went for a day out t’other side of Oswestry.  No soup today - I just called in that well-known diet food purveyor Greggs en route.  I pulled my car into the yard at Moelfre Hall and spoke to the young chap building a compost heap.  I asked if I could park there while I walked up the hill, mentioning that I had done so with permission several times in years gone by.  As ever with this place, he was very friendly, saying “Yes, of course you can, you’re the third today!”.

It was a bit drizzly with the rain threatening to intensify, so I donned full waterproofs for this walk, even though that made things a bit “warm”.  I initially followed the gently looping track out of the yard, but towards the top of the section that goes up steeply through a narrow valley, I spotted a clear path cutting the corner.  There were a few new paths like this, which seemed to be linked to all the “viewing perches” that were dotted around, constructed from packing crates and tarps.  I assumed these were in connection with the site’s use as a competitive mountain biking venue.

Anyway, I did indeed cut the corner - but it was a lot steeper than it looked!  Rather than approach directly again, this time I stuck to the track which contoured around widely, but eventually to the summit. I had carried HF, FT8 etc, but it was far too windy, so I just used the handheld again.  Four QSOs on 2m FM - just like the old days!  Back down, back in the car, and over to Mynydd-y-briw GW/NW-060.