GW/NW-023 Rhinog Fawr

GW/NW-023 Rhinog Fawr

31/05/2017

Finishing off the SOTA Rhinogs

This would be an unique and a complete for me but it would mean an early start.  I had chosen the East approach as this is easy to reach from home.  With plenty of water on board we made our way towards the summit with the sun shining...it would soon change on summit.

My GPS track

Follow the road from the car park and past Graig Ddu -isaf on your right

Turn right at SH 679298 and follow sign for Bwlch Tyddiad and Pistyll Gwyn

Rhinog Fawr towering above

Couple of these on the way up

Turn left (South) here SH 660299

Track to  Llyn Du..mixture of boulders and heather

Heading up towards Llyn Du

There are two possible routes to the summit from Llyn Du, one is a scramble up the scree  and the other is a hard slog up along the wall. We opted for the ‘slog along the wall’ ... 

East edge of Llyn Du

Val boulder hopping along the North edge of Llyn Du heading for the wall

Looking back at Llyn Du and climbing up alongside the wall

Gloyw Lyn below and Snowdon range towards the North

Llyn Cwm Bychan and Roman steps to the left

Llyn Hywel nestling between Rhinog Fach and Y Llethr GW/NW-017

Moelfre GW/NW-041 and Cwm Nantcol

We reached a deserted sunny summit but the weather was not looking good towards the West.  The activation would be short and sweet.  

Listening on 2m for any final calls

We had the best cairn on the summit...Moelfre in the background GW/NW-041

By the time I had finished on 2m the summit was busy with all the cairns full of hill walkers taking a break. 

 Other cairns occupied now

12:23z	GW4XXF	144MHz	FM	Bruce
12:24z	MW0WEE	144MHz	FM	Andy
12:26z	MW0UPH	144MHz	FM	Aled
12:26z	EI9GLB	144MHz	FM	Jim
12:29z	M0TYM/P	144MHz	FM	Alistair s2s
12:32z	2W0STO	144MHz	FM	John
12:32z	M0CQE	144MHz	FM	Paul
12:34z	G7BGA	144MHz	FM	Geoffrey
12:35z	GW4ZPL/P	144MHz	FM	John
12:39z	G7BGA	5MHz	SSB	Geoffrey
12:42z	G8ADD	5MHz	SSB
12:44z	G4IAR	5MHz	SSB	Dave
12:45z	G4AFI	5MHz	SSB	Andrew
12:47z	G8XYJ	5MHz	SSB	Matt
12:47z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
12:53z	MM/W6PNG	7MHz	SSB	Paul s2s
12:54z	G6TUH	7MHz	SSB	Mike
12:55z	MM3PDM	7MHz	SSB	Peter
12:56z	G0RQL	7MHz	SSB	Don
12:58z	G0FEX	7MHz	SSB	Ken
12:59z	GI0AZA	7MHz	SSB	Esther
13:00z	DJ5AV	7MHz	SSB	Mike

It was great to get an s2s with Alistair from Pendle Hill and thanks to a ‘heads up’ from Don G0RQL I was able to get  Pau lMM/W6PNG on Lamberton Hill in Scotland…he is over here from the USA...thanks...

By the time I was finishing on 40m it was time to put the weather proofs on as the mist and the rain rolled in from the sea.  Great day despite the weather turning a little damp :)

Leaving a misty and wet summit...Val heading down hill

My activation set up:-  (HF) Elecraft KX2 (4Ah LiPo), Antenna - 3 band link dipole (60/40/20 (+15m extensions +80m loading coils),  (VHF) Yaesu FT270 (5watts) into a ‘cable tie’ dipole, Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX