Area Map
GW/SW-030, Mynydd Machen – 362m, 1 point
This was my second activation of Mynydd Machen so with the benefit of experience I knew that parking would be possible part way up the track rather than trying to squeeze onto the verge on the road. There is a suitable space located at ST 219 904. This appears to be common practice by the locals out walking dogs but probably not strictly legit without getting the landowners permission.
It is then but a short walk on up to the summit where you will find a large mast which will overload your front end seriously on VHF.
Despite the problems with overload from the mast I was able to make nine contacts which I thought wasn’t bad for a wet Tuesday afternoon.
Mynydd Machen Log
Journey Details
Date – 19th November 2019
Postcode – NP11 7PS
Parking – ST 219 904
Radio – Kenwood TH-D74 + 25W PA
Antenna – MFJ Long Ranger
Band – 144 FM
Contacts – 9
SOTA points – 1
Group – Myself
Walking Route Summary
GW/SW-024, Mynydd y Lan – 385m, 1 point
From Mynydd Machen it is just a short hop across the valley to reach Mynydd y Lan. It could be done on foot but I didn’t have the time for this so a short drive got me to the parking spot.
The last time I did this summit I approached from the North West which wasn’t the easiest of routes. This time I decided to try from the South East instead which was certainly a better option. There is another alternative route possible from the NW which may also be worth a try following the path up to the radio masts. Maybe next year.
There is good parking at ST 216 916. This is a quiet dead end leading up to an industrial site with plenty of space on the side of the road. From here there is a track that leads up though the woods to the summit plateau.
There is a fairly direct route to the top which is very steep in places, or there are plenty of other longer options leading more gently to the top. Just keep heading uphill. At the top there is a gate at ST 210 921 which is worth finding as the top of the woodland is elsewhere surrounded by a wall and wire fence.
There is a large open and fairly flat top which makes it difficult to work out where the true summit lies. There is a small monument stone at ST 208 923 which I have used. It’s a bit to the South of the point marked on the map as the highest but well within the AZ.
I set up the radio at the stone but struggled to find anyone to work even though this summit is a fair higher than GW/SW-030. I think this is because the large flat top just doesn’t provide as good a takeoff at VHF as on 030. Eventually I had to resort to holding the antenna aloft as high as I could reach to get a signal out and like this I did eventually manage to work four stations.
Mynydd y Lan Log
Journey Details
Date – 19th November 2019
Postcode – NP11 7PN
Parking – ST 216 916
Radio – Kenwood TH-D74 + 25W PA
Antenna – MFJ Long Ranger
Band – 144 FM
Contacts – 4
SOTA points – 1
Group – Myself
Walking Route Summary
The return is just a case of retracing your steps back down the hill although I did choose to take the longer zig zag down in places as the ground was quite wet and slippery on the steep path.
GW/SW-019, Mynydd Twyn-glas – 472m, 1 point
After a slightly longer drive I arrived at the parking spot for Mynydd Twyn-glas. This is another summit reached bu the access road to a radio mast but fortunately this time the summit is a little way on from the masts so not so badly affected by overload. 
It would be possible to drive along the track as far as the masts and park there, but again it is private land and as it’s a pleasant walk I chose to park in the car park at ST 236 980. The route from there is very obvious and not at all steep. It only rises about 100m over about 2.5Km.
The summit is marked by a trig point which is where I set up the station. Again this is a large flat top so VHF takeoff is not good. I eventually managed to get my four contacts and then just as I was about to pack up Don G0RQL managed to slide into the log and get his point.
Mynydd Twyn-glas Log
At the end of the walk back it was just starting to get dark so timing was good, time now for the long drive back home to Wiltshire.
Journey Details
Date – 19th November 2019
Postcode – NP11 5AY
Parking – ST 236 980
Radio – Kenwood TH-D74 + 25W PA
Antenna – MFJ Long Ranger
Band – 144 FM
Contacts – 5
SOTA points – 1
Group – Myself
Walking Route Summary
