SOTA

GW/NW-008 - Y Lliwedd - 898m - 8 points
&
GW/NW-001 - Snowdon - Yr Wyddfa, 1085m, 10 points

The morning view of Hafod Rhisgl

Dave, G0AOD and Steve M0KPO activated both summits on the 6th May 2008. The walk to the summit was via the Watkin path, this is a low start and a log route but does offer a nice walk up on a stone path most of the way. There are some scrambles up to Y Lliwedd and Snowdon. Views are stunning with one or two rather dramatic vertical drops. The day was clear and rather hot, a little to hot. We both carried our own kit, FT-817, Dave with a HF dipole and Steve with the 3 element beam. Steve's pack weighed in at 35lb.

Watkin path from Y Lliwedd

Starting at 5am from Burton upon Trent in the rain as we headed West to Wales the sky soon cleared up and we knew we were in for a great day. We had planned to do three summits and the third was Yr Aran. Dave and Steve both had some personal goals on today's trip. Dave was aiming to get his 250 activator points and his Mount Everest Award and Steve was aiming for 500 activator points. In the end, not for the want of trying, fitness, time and the heat all played its part in the failure to get to the last summit.

Y Lliwedd

They covered 9.5 miles and they are quite tough miles .Going up via the Watkin Path and detouring to Y Lliwedd for the first activation Dave worked HF and Steve worked 2m FM and SSB. HF was appalling and Dave ended up doing the last few activations on FM. The views were stunning.

Summit vew from Y Lliwedd

Summit vew from Y Lliwedd

Then off to Snowdon, a scramble back off Y Lliwedd and a scramble up Snowdon got us to the summit. As busy as ever, the summit was a dirty and messy and full of rubbish from the building work of the new cafe and train station. Not my favorite summit. Even the seagulls know this is a place to hang out for rich pickings.

Snowdon Cafe and Dave, G0AOD

HF again was a struggle and 2m SSB pulled in all the contacts. A short walk away from the summit for lunch with the seagulls and a rest Steve tested out some MOD RAT pack food, Pork Stew, tasty almost as good as the beans and beef burger he had for breakfast near Gladstone Rock.

One view Bwlch Main

We then made a decision we would continue on our route via Bwlch Main and over Allt Maendery to the base of Yr Aran and then see if we had enough time to ascend the final summit. 6:30 pm and both of us running out of steam we decided it would be there for us another day so we headed off to Cwm Llan to walk the old slate track and rejoin the Watkin path to get back to the car. Back in Burton by 1200 so a long day, but a fantastic one at that.

A view of Yr Aran

In the end Dave and Steve are both 3 points short of there activator goals but Dave did get his Mount Everest award on Snowdon.

Thanks to all the chasers..