This summit was activated by me, accompanied by Jimmy & Liam on Friday 31st October 2003.   

We drove from Macclesfield up to the M56, then across towards Chester, around the M53 and onto the A483.  We remained on the A483 until after Oswestry, when it was time to look for the left onto the B4393.  This was found, and the following right, signpost Trewern.  We followed this minor road until it met the A458 at Trewern, where we turned left.  We then turned left again and up the very narrow and windy road that climbs up the back (NW side) of Moel y Golfa.  This turned out to be a mistake, as frequently we had to reverse a fair distance for oncoming traffic, and the walking route turned out to be a lot longer and harder (albeit stimulating and enjoyable) than the alternative from Middletown.  The preferred parking spot next time will at or near the pub at SJ 302 125 on the A458 in Middletown, taking the marked public footpath up to the summit from a little way along the main road on the opposite side.

However, as it was, we pulled in at an opening at the start of our chosen path at SJ 283 119, and followed the path through the woods from there.  It was quite a steep climb, and muddy and slippy in places.  Eventually, we reached the SW end of the clearer rockier approach to the summit, and to our surprise, some careful scrambling was required around and up the rock.  My legs went to jelly and I decided to have a look at the map to see if I was within 25m so I could set up on the grassy plataeu just before the rocks!  I wasn't, and it was then I noticed on my map that the path up the other end of the summit was much more graded.  I decided to go for it, but to descend on the other side and around the marked track to the north of the summit.  After pulling ourselves up that first bit of rock, we were faced with another that required a spot of climbing with 3-point contact - still probably categorized as "scrambling" for the experienced walkers out there.  It had to be done - there was no way I was going back down the previous one, and with that we reached the summit, and stunning views in all directions.

The descent avoiding the scrambles was still difficult, along a very undefined track through ferns, nettles, bracken, low branches and fallen trees.  My SOTA Beam and pole sticking up off the back of my rucksack kept catching things and getting me tangled up and having to free myself!  I ended up with the caps off both in my pocket.   Eventually the going back a little easier, and we were able to divert to the road and follow this back to the car.  By this point, we were very late for the time we had been instructed to be home by, and so any thoughts of moving on to Long Mountain-Beacon Ring MW-026 were dismissed.  We still managed to get badly stuck in the M6 problems caused by a hole in the road near J19, and the hoards of 'plane-spotters making a pilgrimage to Ringway (Manchester Airport) to see the retired Concorde which had made it's final landing there earlier in the day.

Thanks to the following stations worked, all on 2m FM with 2.5 watts: