Y Llethr - GW/NW-017 SOTA (2021)

Summits on the Air Activation Report

Activation Date: Saturday 16th October, 2021.
Activator(s): Richard M1HAX.
Summit: Y Llethr, North Wales, Wales.
Summit ID: SOTA reference GW/NW-017 (6 points).
Summit Height: 756m elevation, 561m prominence.
Summit Location: Lat./Long. 52.81285, -3.98763. Maidenhead Grid IO82at.
Also Activated: GW/NW-023, GW/NW-041, GW/NW-078.
Distance: 18.2km travelled with 1350m of ascent.
Difficulty: SAC Grade T1.^(?)
Elapsed Time: 8hr 5m (incl. operating and other summit(s) on the same hike).
Weather: 11°C, moderate breeze, cloudy.
Radio Equipment: Yaesu FTM100D, MFJ-1714, Zippy 4200mAh 4S LiFePo4.
Callsign Used: MW1HAX/P.
Contacts: 8 (2m FM).

Trip Notes

Y Llethr, standing at 756 metres, is the highest peak in the Rhinogydd range of Snowdonia, North Wales. The name translates as “The Slope” in English, which is somewhat modest for what is a significant mountain with substantial prominence of 561 metres. Unlike the more rugged and rocky summits that dominate much of Snowdonia, Y Llethr features a broad, grassy summit plateau. This distinctive character, combined with its relative isolation, makes it a less frequented but richly rewarding objective for hill walkers seeking to explore beyond the more popular peaks.

This activation formed the second part of my 18.2km circuit on October 16th, 2021, which would encompass four summits in the Rhinogydd range: Moelfre (which I had just summitted), Y Llethr, Rhinog Fach, and Rhinog Fawr. Having completed my brief SOTA activation of Moelfre, I set off eastward towards the more substantial peak of Y Llethr.

The route initially descended to a flattening or bwlch between the two peaks at around 425 metres, before beginning the steady climb up Y Llethr’s western slopes. Progress along this linear route was straightforward, following faint but discernible trails through the grassy hillside. For much of the way, I had the assistance of a drystone wall as a navigational handrail - a distinctive feature of this landscape that extends right over the summit of Y Llethr.

The climb was sustained but never particularly steep, with the gradient easing as I approached the broad summit plateau. Despite the cloudy conditions, the elevation afforded excellent panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, with the coastline visible to the west and the more rugged peaks of central Snowdonia to the north and east.

At the high point, I set up my Yaesu FTM100D for another Summits on the Air activation. Given the significant walking still ahead, I kept this activation relatively brief but still made eight contacts in roughly as many minutes. The highlight was a summit-to-summit contact with Martin M7BIA/P, who was operating from Shining Tor (G/SP-004) in the Peak District. The other contacts included regular stations John GW4ZPL, Aled MW0UPH, Frank MW0OFA, and Allan GW4VPX.

Y Llethr represents a worthy SOTA objective worth 6 points, and the quality of its grassy summit makes it an excellent location for a more extended radio activation in suitable weather. For those looking for a shorter hike in this area, combining Y Llethr with Moelfre would make for a very pleasant and relatively quiet walking route, offering a good taste of the Rhinogydd without the more challenging terrain found further north.

Having completed my activation and taken a moment to appreciate the views, I packed away my equipment and began the next leg of my journey towards the imposing Rhinog Fach. This would involve traversing more uneven ground as I ventured deeper into the heart of the Rhinogydd, sometimes described as Wales' last true wilderness.

Photos

Below are some photographs taken during my activation of Y Llethr on Saturday 16th October, 2021.

Walking Route for Y Llethr

The interactive map below shows my GPS track taken to the SOTA activation zone for Y Llethr. 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/NW-017 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 8 amateur radio contacts operating as MW1HAX/P from GW/NW-017 Y Llethr on Saturday 16th October, 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 Y Llethr:

• Sotl.as Summit Page for GW/NW-017 Y Llethr.
• Hill Bagging UK Summit Page for Y Llethr.
• Google Maps Page for Y Llethr.
• Wikipedia entry for Y Llethr.
• 360° Panorama near summit of GW/NW-017 Y Llethr.

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