Mynydd y Cwm - GW/NW-076 SOTA (2022)

Summits on the Air Activation Report

Activation Date: Monday 21st March, 2022.
Activator(s): Richard M1HAX.
Summit: Mynydd y Cwm, North Wales, Wales.
Summit ID: SOTA reference GW/NW-076 (1 point).
Summit Height: 305m elevation, 150m prominence.
Summit Location: Lat./Long. 53.27945, -3.39169. Maidenhead Grid IO83hg.
Distance: 1.7km travelled with 53m of ascent.
Difficulty: SAC Grade T1.^(?)
Elapsed Time: 40m (including operating).
Weather: 15°C, moderate breeze, sunny.
Radio Equipment: Yaesu FTM100D, MFJ-1714, Zippy 4200mAh 4S LiFePo4.
Callsign Used: MW1HAX/P.
Contacts: 4 (2m FM).

Trip Notes

Mynydd y Cwm is a modest 305-metre hill situated in Denbighshire, North Wales, forming part of the Clwydian Range foothills. The hill is primarily covered in commercial forestry plantations managed by Natural Resources Wales, with a mix of coniferous and deciduous woodland. Historically, the area has been used for timber production since the early 20th century, with periodic harvesting and replanting operations.

While travelling from Snowdonia to the Cairngorms in Scotland, I decided to make an early morning detour to activate this small Marilyn summit. As a quick and accessible one-pointer, Mynydd y Cwm presented an ideal opportunity to add to my SOTA tally without significantly delaying my journey north.

I approached from the eastern side of the hill, finding a small muddy layby adjacent to where a forestry track heads away from the road. There’s space for perhaps two vehicles, though the condition varies depending on recent weather and forestry operations. The location is conveniently just a short drive from the A55 North Wales Expressway, making it easily accessible for those passing through the region.

Following an established footpath, I made my way westward into the forest. The path was generally well-defined though somewhat muddy in places. During my visit, I had to be cautious to avoid being spotted by forestry workers who were actively felling trees in a large section of woodland adjacent to the path. Their operations served as a reminder that this is working forest land.

The ascent was gentle and straightforward, with minimal navigational challenges. After approximately 800 metres of walking, I reached the summit area, marked by a small war memorial. This memorial commemorates a Wellington bomber that crashed here during World War II, adding a poignant historical dimension to this otherwise unremarkable hilltop.

Despite the early Monday morning timing, I quickly set up my Yaesu FTM100D with the MFJ-1714 antenna and was pleasantly surprised by the swift response from SOTA chasers. I made four contacts on 2 metres FM in rapid succession.

After completing the activation, I promptly retraced my steps back to the car. The entire outing including walking, setting up, operating, and returning took less than 45 minutes.

For anyone seeking a quick one-point SOTA summit easily accessed from the A55 corridor, or simply looking for a brief woodland walk with a touch of history, Mynydd y Cwm is an excellent choice. Its popularity among SOTA activators is testament to its convenience rather than its scenic splendour, but it serves as a perfect introduction to the SOTA programme for beginners or as a quick point-gatherer for those passing through North Wales.

Photos

Below are some photographs taken during my activation of Mynydd y Cwm on Monday 21st March, 2022.

Walking Route for Mynydd y Cwm

The interactive map below shows my GPS track taken to the SOTA activation zone for Mynydd y Cwm. The GW/NW-076 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 4 amateur radio contacts operating as MW1HAX/P from GW/NW-076 Mynydd y Cwm on Monday 21st March, 2022 (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 Mynydd y Cwm:

• Sotl.as Summit Page for GW/NW-076 Mynydd y Cwm.
• Hill Bagging UK Summit Page for Mynydd y Cwm.
• Google Maps Page for Mynydd y Cwm.
• Wikipedia entry for Mynydd y Cwm.
• 360° Panorama near summit of GW/NW-076 Mynydd y Cwm.

If you found this content valuable, why not Buy Me a Coffee?