This summit was activated by myself, accompanied by Jimmy and Liam on 30th January 2005.   

Jimmy, still with a chip on his shoulder about his brief encounter with Jane (Richard G3CWI's Tom-Tom GPS), took the road atlas and navigated me without error nor Gwendolyn track to the parking spot for Rhialgwm GW/NW-046.  From Foel Goch GW/NW-039, we returned through Llangwm and right onto the A5, and right again onto the A494.  It was then left onto the B4402, onto the B4391, past our recent start-point for Cadair Berwyn GW/NW-012, and a masterstroke from Jimmy to direct me right onto the B4396, a subtle junction in Penybontfawr that doesn't afford the luxury of a signpost.  We parked in the same spot as for our 2004 activation, although the subsequent walk up the "other road with public access" revealed another suitable parking spot adjacent to where the path for the direct ascent leaves the track.  We had to stand aside several times for a group out on their scrambling bikes, but we didn't mind, as they were out enjoying their hobby, just like us.

We climbed the steep section, and were surprised to hear the buzz of the bikes again.  Again we had to stand aside as they came hurtling down, and then up the steep path.  I double-checked the map, and this was certainly no more than a footpath.  This path is steep and slippy normally, but with the churned up soil courtesy of the bikes, it was worse.  Still, Liam enjoyed this ascent, and continued his good form of earlier, powering himself up the hills for a change, requiring little "dragging" from me!  On the way up we saw a Regatta waterproof in its drawstring bag, but decided to leave it until the descent in case somebody returned for it.  As we came out of the wood onto the plateau and final ascent, we remembered we could remain on the track to weave up onto the summit, and not try to heather-hop even where the track looks like it is heading off somewhere else.  We didn't cross over the slightly lower slightly boggy bit to attain the trig point (although Jimmy did himself), but just dropped slightly south off the track, again utilising the heather for comfort, and shelter from the wind.

Jimmy and Liam got stuck into their pepper steak pasties and more helpings of hot soup while I activated.  It was approaching 3.30pm, and again, business was slow, and my first contact was with a tired and exasperated sounding Kev GW7OZE/P on Mynydd Llangorse GW/SW-015.  He soon cheered up - I was his fourth contact.  He was my first, so it looked like mine was going to be a bit of a challenge, and underhand tactics were resorted to I am afraid.  It was looking like Kev might be my one and only contact, and after a fair while of calling, and unsuccessful attempts to "invite" myself into existing QSOs or get stations to QSY from repeaters, I did get a GW6 station reply, so I was at least halfway there.  When I told him I still needed two more contacts, he offered up his M3 callsign.  The prospect of moving from 2 out of 4 to 3 out of 4 so quickly was far too appealing to reject, and so the final minutes of calling were not quite so worrying, knowing that the next to answer would qualify.  M5JAO duly obliged.

Time was now getting on, so time to go, but not before a couple of walkers handed us one of Liam's gloves that they had discovered on their ascent.  They were also carrying a booty of two waterproofs, one of which was the Regatta we ourselves had spotted.  A check of Liam's pockets revealed that the other glove was missing too, but this was found in the heather about 10 metres from our activation point.  The descent, albeit steep, we managed to complete quickly, although Liam joined the exclusive Weekend Tumbletots Society courtesy of the mess left by the bikers.  Good time was made in the car, and we were home by 7.00pm, entertained for a good portion of it by the GB2RS News being read from Keele University ARC.  This contained the item about Bobby M3DNC winning the 2004 SOTA Beams Challenge (including a mention of James M3OZE), with Richard G3CWI getting another mention later on in the local news regarding his HF Dipole-making sessions at Stockport Radio Society.

At home, I was treated to hot home-made Scotch eggs and a bottle of Stella.  Thanks to the following stations, all worked on 2m FM with 2.5 watts: