Wentwood - GW/SW-033 SOTA (2021)

Summits on the Air Activation Report

Activation Date: Monday 26th July, 2021.
Activator(s): Richard M1HAX.
Summit: Wentwood, South Wales, Wales.
Summit ID: SOTA reference GW/SW-033 (1 point).
Summit Height: 309m elevation, 243m prominence.
Summit Location: Lat./Long. 51.64448, -2.85218. Maidenhead Grid IO81np.
Distance: 0.1km travelled with 1m of ascent.
Difficulty: Drive on summit.
Elapsed Time: 20m (including operating).
Weather: 15°C, 7 mph SW wind, 80% humidity.
Radio Equipment: Yaesu FTM100D, MFJ-1714, Zippy 4200mAh 4S LiFePo4.
Callsign Used: MW1HAX/P.
Contacts: 5 (2m FM).

Trip Notes

Wentwood, known in Welsh as Coed Gwent, is the largest ancient woodland in Wales, reaching 309 metres at its highest point in Monmouthshire, South Wales. The area has a rich historical significance, having once formed the boundary between the regions of Gwent Uwchcoed and Iscoed in the old kingdom of Gwent. During the Middle Ages, this extensive woodland served as a royal hunting preserve.

Geologically, Wentwood sits upon Devonian-period Brownstones Formation sandstones, forming part of a hill range that extends through eastern Monmouthshire. The area is home to several prehistoric sites, including Bronze Age burial mounds and a stone circle on nearby Gray Hill, evidence of human activity dating back thousands of years.

Unlike most SOTA activations which involve at least some degree of hiking, Wentwood falls into the “drive-on summit” category, as the road passes through part of the SOTA activation zone. For this particular activation, I took advantage of this accessibility while traveling through the area.

I chose to operate from a position near the roadside, which falls comfortably within the required activation zone. The forest plateau features numerous paths that could form part of a larger exploration of the area, but on this occasion, I opted for the most efficient approach given time constraints and the fact that darkness had already fallen.

Setting up my equipment on a flat boulder adjacent to the path, I began operating on the 2-metre band. Within about 15 minutes, I had successfully logged the required four contacts needed to validate the activation, plus one additional QSO for good measure.

The entire activation process took just 20 minutes from start to finish, allowing me to quickly get back on the road and continue my journey. Operating after dark added an interesting dimension to the experience, with the nighttime forest atmosphere creating a distinctive setting for this brief SOTA outing.

While this particular activation was very much a “quick point” approach, Wentwood certainly offers potential for a more meaningful visit. The forested area contains numerous trails that would allow for a proper exploration of this historically significant woodland. If returning in the future, I would allocate more time to develop a proper walking route, likely incorporating a visit to the trig point located at the true summit, and potentially exploring some of the prehistoric sites scattered throughout the area.

For SOTA enthusiasts passing through South Wales who are looking for an easily accessible one-point summit, Wentwood provides an excellent opportunity to add to your activator tally with minimal time investment.

Photos

Below are some photographs taken during my activation of Wentwood on Monday 26th July, 2021.

Station Log

I logged the following 5 amateur radio contacts operating as MW1HAX/P from GW/SW-033 Wentwood on Monday 26th July, 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 Wentwood:

• Sotl.as Summit Page for GW/SW-033 Wentwood.
• Hill Bagging UK Summit Page for Wentwood.
• Google Maps Page for Wentwood.
• Wikipedia entry for Wentwood.

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