Tom Read - click to email meBDXC ISWL WAB SOTA RSGB IOTA - see my radio page for more detailsLiam & Jimmy

Y Garn NW-037

 

Y Garn, GW/NW-037 - 629m ASL - SH 702 230 - OS Explorer OL17 - 4 SOTA points         Map & summit information from SOTAwatch    Click to return to summit index

Thursday 6th June 2019

Start of route        Rough track through wooded section

I'd activated my first GW SOTA over 16 years earlier in 2003 - Cyrn-y-Brain GW/NW-043.  Jimmy kicked his own record off with Tal y Fan GW/NW-040 in 2005.  This day saw us activate our 77th and final GW/NW SOTA summit.

Stunning views today        Very pleasant walking

Rocky ramp!        The summit comes into view

It was a good celebration!  It might seem somewhat premature to celebrate the completion of a region, but GW/NW was a tall order - and bigger than many entire associations, including four that we had already completed ourselves! 

Final approach        Tom nearly there

Summit of Y Garn   Celebratory ale

It was a very short drive from our B&B in Dolgellau, and we parked In a wide track opening quite a way down a long narrow winding dead end lane.  We walked initially along a track but soon branched right to follow a footpath up a slope.  This one just went up and up, teasing me with false summits, one after the other.  Some sections were quite a steep pull. 

Jimmy M0HGY enjoying his beer        Jimmy with his station

On the higher flanks there were gates to pass through tall dry stone walls.  The final ascent was almost a scramble up a steep rocky ramp.  The summit was marked by a distinctive cairn.  There were wonderful views in all directions. 

Sun illuminating the western flank of the summit as we descended        Great view out to the Mawddach estuary

It had been great weather for the ascent, but an expected rain shower materialised as we arrived on summit.  We set up quickly and got into our bothy bags to operate.  We were in and out of them several times during the afternoon!

Jimmy made 25 QSOs - 10 on 2m FM and 15 on 40m FT8.  I made 36 QSOs - 5 on 2m FM, 13 on 40m FT8, 3 on 80m CW, 5 on 30m CW, 4 on 30m FT8 and 6 on 40m CW.  We both got S2S contacts on 2m FM, but the clear highlight was us both working Roger F5LKW/P on F/AM-327 on 40m FT8.  We marked the completion with a celebratory bottle of Snowdonia Ale each, which was delicious and refreshing. 

Great view of Cadair Idris as we descended Ty Seren guesthouse Dolgellau

It was glorious late afternoon sunshine for our descent, and Cadair Idris looked stunning.  We went out to celebrate with more beer and some supper in Dolgellau.  The following day saw us take in Great Orme GW/NW-070 on the way home.

Time

Call

Band

Mode

S2S

Op

12:15z

MW7JRB

144MHz

FM

 

MW0HGY/P

12:17z

2W0WMW

144MHz

FM

 

MW0HGY/P

12:19z

MW0IBT/M

144MHz

FM

 

MW0HGY/P

12:21z

2W0LXT/M

144MHz

FM

 

MW0HGY/P

12:25z

PA3AIM

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P, MW0HGY/P

12:27z

HB9CRY

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

12:28z

IK2LEY

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

12:33z

G0RQL

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P, MW0HGY/P

12:34z

M0BKV

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

12:36z

SQ3JVN

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

12:37z

G0FVH

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

12:40z

LX9BSC

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P, MW0HGY/P

12:47z

IN3ADG

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

12:47z

G6RTB/P

144MHz

FM

 

MW0HGY/P

12:53z

DL4MY

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P, MW0HGY/P

12:54z

PD0LBY

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

13:01z

G0OOR

7MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

13:01z

GW6CWD

144MHz

FM

 

MW0HGY/P

13:02z

F5LKW/P

7MHz

FT8

F/AM-327

MW1EYP/P, MW0HGY/P

13:16z

G4HUE

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:22z

PA3CPS

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:25z

PA3CW

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:26z

GW4VPX

144MHz

FM

 

MW1EYP/P, MW0HGY/P

13:36z

SA4CJM

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:38z

MW0OFA

144MHz

FM

 

MW1EYP/P, MW0HGY/P

13:42z

G0HIK/P

144MHz

FM

G/LD-049

MW1EYP/P

13:44z

DL1ZBO

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:47z

G7AMD

144MHz

FM

 

MW1EYP/P

13:47z

HB9BQU

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:49z

DK2VM

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:51z

DL1JEL

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:52z

DD0VE

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

13:56z

PC2J

7MHz

FT8

 

MW0HGY/P

14:40z

GW4VPX

3.5MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

14:43z

M6BLV

3.5MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

14:44z

G4YBU

3.5MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

14:49z

F6HBI/P

10MHz

CW

F/AM-327

MW1EYP/P

14:50z

ON6ZQ

10MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

14:53z

OH1CM

10MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

14:54z

DL1FU

10MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

14:56z

PA0B

10MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

15:04z

PA3CPS

10MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

15:06z

DL6KR

10MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

15:08z

DM7CW

10MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

15:09z

M1HOG/P

144MHz

FM

G/WB-003

MW1EYP/P, MW0HGY/P

15:13z

GW0HGC

144MHz

FM

 

MW0HGY/P

15:17z

DK7ZT

10MHz

FT8

 

MW1EYP/P

15:28z

G3KFG

7MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

15:30z

ON3YB

7MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

15:30z

DL2HWI

7MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

15:31z

F4HZR

7MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

15:32z

HB9DOT

7MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P

15:33z

ON4VT

7MHz

CW

 

MW1EYP/P