Mynydd Rhyd Ddu, GW/NW-073 - 389m ASL - SJ 054 477 - OS Explorer 264 - 1 SOTA point            

We set off from Macc around 7am on Wednesday 11th April 2007, and made straight for Lymm Truck Stop for a full English breakfast (2 sausage, 2 bacon, fried egg, fried bread, tomatoes, 2 hash browns, mushrooms and a mug of tea for less than a fiver - it's a favourite!). Getting into the car after breakfast I realised that we had left the overnight clothes bag on the landing at home, also containing the toothbrushes and Liam's inhalers. Drove back to Macc to get it, and back out to the M56 junction again - one hour lost already!

       

The first objective was the lesser-spotted GW/NW-073 - Mynydd Rhyd Ddu. I had fully intended to follow BVE's described route, but Jimmy had been studying the map and wanted to "just check out" the line from the highest point in the road to the south. Surprisingly, there was a convenient parking spot right at this point, and the gate into the field was open. A fairly well trodden route ran from here to the summit, albeit with several fences and gates to be climbed. At the summit we were joined by several farm workers in tractors, JCBs and 4WDs. They had witnessed our approach to the summit and our radio gear, but did not come to talk to us. One of them did give us a wave goodbye as we made our way off the summit though! I was concerned that this hill would be difficult on 2m FM, but it proved not to be so. This was a unique for us.

The sun was now beating down with a ferocity normally associated with August - in Spain. Stupidly, I had not brought any sunblock or sunhats, so a second irritating but necessary detour of the day was required. Down to Corwen. The best I could find was a bottle of factor 15, but it did a decent job when reapplied every two hours over the next couple of days.

We then took the very short drive to Llangwm, and beyond to the parking spot ahead of Foel Goch GW/NW-039.  Many thanks to the following stations, all worked on 2m FM with 2.5 watts: