SOTA - Pen y Fan - GW/SW-001

Pen y Fan - 886m, 8 points

Association: Wales  Region: South Wales
Latitude: 51 53 2 N, Longitude: 3 26 12 W
Grid Reference: SO 012216, QTH Locator: IO81GV

A very cold start to the day and the summit was hidden in clouds as I ascended from the Storey Inn carpark. That didn't stop any of the hundreds of people here heading upwards into the clouds either!

This is probably the busiest summit in south Wales, and today was no exception. As I was departing the carpark, two 16 seat minibuses parked up, and the 32 people on board set off up the trail behind me. There were similar parties up ahead in the distance.

Arriving at the summit there was nothing to see other than cloud!

At the summit

 Without further ado, I set up the tarp and got ready to operate.
The ground was frozen solid and temperatures were well below zero.

The view once the clouds lifted.

The shack

 I was so busy operating that I didn't notice that the clouds had lifted and the surrounding countryside was now visible! With 41 QSOs in the log it was time to move on. The only disappointment was that I'd not made any S2S contacts. Network reception was extremely variable and only occasionally had I been able to receive any recent spots.

Log

With my backpack on I looked out at the view for one last time before the descent.

View towards Cribyn

It was then that my phone beeped with a new spot from SOTAwatch. Glyn, GW4CFS/p had just been spotted on Tor y Foel, GW/SW-013, only a few miles to the east of me. Although the spot was on 7Mhz SSB, I knew that he also had 2 metres available. I grabbed my 2 metre handheld and put out a call on 145.500. A few seconds later Gly came back giving me a welcome S2S and some extra points. No sooner had I signed off  when Adrian, GW4AZS/p also called me. He was a huge signal and was astounded o hear he was on GW/NW-049 a good 70 miles to the north. It sounded like he was standing next to me. A super signal from his FT-817 at 5W to a Jpole antenna.

View towards Pen y Fan from Corn Du

Summary

Log2Map

With the S2Ss in the log I beat a hasty retreat to get back down and start the ascent of Fan Fawr. The wx forecast was for deterirating conditions later with rain and strong winds moving in during the afternoon. I rather hoped to be off the tops before then.

On the descent

Descending to the car, Fan Fawr loomed ahead in the distance.

Fan Fawr ahead

SOTA - Pen y Fan - GW/SW-001

Pen y Fan - 886m, 8 points

Association: Wales  Region: South Wales
Latitude: 51 53 2 N, Longitude: 3 26 12 W
Grid Reference: SO 012216, QTH Locator: IO81GV

Just like last year, early March turned out to be the start of "shorts weather" with some lovely, fine . clear sunny and warm days.
A mid week activation was planned, so Pen y Fan fitted the bill rather than trying to compete with the crowds that it draws at a weekend!

A beautiful morning, very busy as usual and plenty of frost and snow on the higher ground.
My first outing of the year sitting in bare legs.

I walked a circular route up from the Storey Inn, where I'd start my afternoon assault on Fan Fawr.

The route

A busy summit with lots of people interrupting wanting to know what I was doing :-)

Heading for Corn Du

Fine views

Summit here

HF conditions were pretty good, with the chasers queuing in an orderly fashion.

Seventy QSOs with 7 S2Ss with DL/OK1DVM/p on DM/SX-008, HB9BIN/p on HB/OW-022, GW0PEB/p on GW/NW-066, F5LKW/p on F/AM-578, HB9IAB/p on HB/VD-049, OE8SPW/p on OE/KT-119 and HB9CGA/p on HB/TG-005.

The shack

Staying away from the crowds

View across to Fan Fawr

QSO Map from Log2Map by ON6ZQ

SOTA - Pen y Fan - GW/SW-001

Pen y Fan - 886m, 8 points

Association: Wales  Region: South Wales  
Latitude: 51 53 2 N, Longitude: 3 26 12 W
Grid Reference: SO 012216, QTH Locator: IO81GV

SOTA - Pen Y Fan - GW/SW-001

Pen y Fan - 886m, 8 points

Association: Wales  Region: South Wales  
Latitude: 51 53 2 N, Longitude: 3 26 12 W
Grid Reference: SO 012216, QTH Locator: IO81GV

The start of the "ant trail"

The beginning of a new month, May Day, and a good weather forecast prompted an early start for the trip to South Wales. Pen y Fan was the first of today's activations being  the highest peak in South Wales and southern Britain,  it is also the highest peak in Britain south of the Snowdonia mountain range. It's a very popular spot and even on weekdays the place gets very busy. I arrived at the car park at around 0930L and found it was still not to busy and easily found a spot to park. The sky was clear blue with some bubbly cumulus drifting along in the light breeze. Overnight temperatures had been down to freezing point and although there was still a nip in the air, I was in short sleeves as I started the climb. This may be the highest summit but it's not at all a challenging climb.

Corn Du (L) and Pen Y Fan (R)

There is a well maintained path all the way to the summit to cater for the thousands of visitors that make this pilgrimage every year. The path splits towards the top, heading left it ascends to Corn Du at 873 metres, or a lower path contours around this to the right and eventually up to Pen Y Fan. It was relatively quiet on the top of Corn Du only a dozen or so people enjoying the extensive views in the fine weather.

Corn Du

Pen Y fan in the distance from Corn Du

Needless to say on arrival at Pen Y Fan the place was pretty busy. Apart form the leisure walkers this area is also used for military training, and there was a steady stream of army personnel which never abated during my stay at the summit.

Pen Y Fan Summit 886m

The summit is adorned with many memorials to fallen service men, mostly those who have lost their lives in the conflict in Afghanistan. Although the  summit is busy there is a lot of open space and it was not difficult to set up on the NE corner. HF conditions were far from inspiring, 14Mhz being the band of choice. I spent a time chasing for S2S and was duly rewarded with five S2S contacts. Conscious of the time I packed up for the descent as I wanted to also activate Fan Fawr on the other side of the valley.

I joined the ant trail and made a quick descent down what was now a busy "motorway" of people ascending and descending. Back at the car I had some luch and then planned on an attack of Fan Fawr.

Llyn Cwm Llwch

Fan Fawr in the distance

Beacons Reservoir