Pen y Fan Hike - GW/SW-001 SOTA (2021)

Summits on the Air Activation Report

Activation Date: Saturday 24th April, 2021.
Activator(s): Richard M1HAX.
Summit: Pen y Fan, South Wales, Wales.
Summit ID: SOTA reference GW/SW-001 (8 points).
Summit Height: 886m elevation, 672m prominence.
Summit Location: Lat./Long. 51.88403, -3.43677. Maidenhead Grid IO81gv.
Also Activated: GW/SW-004, GW/SW-005.
Distance: 28.8km travelled with 1610m of ascent.
Difficulty: SAC Grade T1.^(?)
Elapsed Time: 9hr 45m (incl. operating and other summit(s) on the same hike).
Weather: 14°C, 29 mph ESE wind, 40% humidity.
Radio Equipment: Yaesu FTM100D, Diamond SRH771, Zippy 4200mAh 4S LiFePo4.
Callsign Used: MW1HAX/P.
Contacts: 10 (2m FM).

Trip Notes

Pen y Fan stands as a proud sentinel in the heart of Brecon Beacons National Park (Bannau Brycheiniog), claiming the title of South Wales' highest peak. At 886 meters above sea level with an impressive prominence of 672 meters, this P600 mountain commands respect as the tallest British peak south of Cadair Idris in Snowdonia. Its distinctive profile is visible for miles across the Welsh landscape, serving as both landmark and magnet for outdoor enthusiasts.

The mountain’s Welsh name offers insight into its significance - “Pen y Fan” translates approximately to “the mountain’s peak” or “the top of the summit,” combining the Welsh words for “top/peak” (pen), “the” (y), and “summit/beacon” (fan, a mutated form of ban).

Though now administratively within Powys, Pen y Fan represents the highest point of historic Brecknockshire. It forms a remarkable twin-summit formation with neighbouring Corn Du (873 meters), a pairing historically known by the more romantic name “Cadair Arthur” or “Arthur’s Seat,” evoking connections to Arthurian legend that permeate this ancient landscape.

The mountain’s status as an eight-point SOTA summit, combined with its accessibility and cultural significance, makes it one of the most frequently activated SOTA locations in Wales, with hundreds of recorded operations. While this popularity means you’re unlikely to be alone at the summit, it also means VHF operators can usually count on making the required four contacts even without advance SOTA alerting.

My approach to Pen y Fan came as part of an ambitious 29km circuit beginning at Neuadd Reservoir. Having already activated Waun Rydd (GW/SW-004) earlier that morning, I continued westward along the well-defined path that skirts the dramatic rim of Bwlych y Ddwyallt. The trail quality improved noticeably here, becoming a properly maintained footpath as it passed Craig Cwareli before contouring below Fan y Big.

While my route bypassed Fan y Big and Cribyn to maintain a reasonable pace for the three-summit day, these peaks can easily be incorporated for those seeking to increase the already substantial 1,610 meters of ascent on this circuit. The extra effort would be well rewarded with additional panoramic views across the national park.

Following the Beacons Way, I traversed the southwestern flank of Cribyn before beginning the final ascent towards Pen y Fan. The climb up Craig Cwm Sere brought a noticeable increase in foot traffic - a stark contrast to the relative solitude of Waun Rydd earlier. Pen y Fan’s popularity was evident as I approached the summit plateau, where dozens of hikers gathered around the distinctive cairn and National Trust marker stone.

Despite the crowds, the spacious summit area allowed me to find a quieter spot slightly off to one side to set up my portable station. The 14c temperature, though pleasant for hiking, felt considerably cooler in the persistent easterly wind that whipped across the exposed peak.

The summit’s 886-meter elevation proved excellent for VHF propagation, allowing me to quickly log ten contacts on the 2-meter band using my Yaesu FTM100D. The highlight was connecting with two fellow SOTA activators for summit-to-summit contacts - Kaan MW0UCL/P operating from Fan Fawr (GW/SW-005, which would be my next destination) and the ever-present Tom Read M1EYP working from his regular haunt on The Cloud (G/SP-015). Signal reports were consistently strong, with most stations reporting clear 5/9 reception.

After a quick energy bar and some water while enjoying the sweeping views across South Wales, I packed away my radio equipment and prepared to continue the circuit. The next leg would take me toward Fan Fawr (GW/SW-005), completing my three-summit activation day.

For those looking to tackle Pen y Fan as a standalone hike rather than as part of a longer circuit, there are more direct approaches. The most popular routes begin at either the Storey Arms visitor center on the A470 or the National Trust car park at the end of the Ffrwdgrech Road to the north. However, these parking areas fill remarkably quickly, even outside peak season. An early start is essential year-round if you hope to secure a space, particularly on weekends and during summer months.

Whether approached as part of an ambitious multi-summit traverse or as a single-peak adventure, Pen y Fan offers a quintessential Welsh mountain experience that combines historical significance, natural beauty, and excellent amateur radio opportunities.

Photos

Below are some photographs taken during my activation of Pen y Fan on Saturday 24th April, 2021.

Walking Route for Pen y Fan

The interactive map below shows my GPS track taken to the SOTA activation zone for Pen y Fan. Note that this summit was activated as part of a multi-summit hike and the map below shows the full route taken on the day. The GW/SW-001 summit area is marked on the map with a blue pin icon.

You can download the route shown above as a GPX file suitable for use with most GPS devices. This file is provided for information only, to support your own walk planning and research (it may contain navigation errors, detours and/or safety hazards). The route downloads provided here are governed by the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.

Station Log

I logged the following 10 amateur radio contacts operating as MW1HAX/P from GW/SW-001 Pen y Fan on Saturday 24th April, 2021 (all times shown are UTC):

In the notes field I will usually log the other operator’s name and the signal report they provided. In accordance with the Summits on the Air rules, I do not make a log entry where a complete exchange of callsigns and signal reports was unsuccessful.

Additional Information

The following resources may be helpful to walkers, mountaineers and SOTA activators interested in Pen y Fan:

• Sotl.as Summit Page for GW/SW-001 Pen y Fan.
• Hill Bagging UK Summit Page for Pen y Fan.
• Google Earth view of Pen y Fan.
• Wikipedia entry for Pen y Fan.

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