Grayrigg Forest G/LD-038 access

I’m coming down on England a raiding trip next week. To break the boredom of the journey I thought I sack a few villages and rampage up a few hills! I did think about doing one of those silly little hills that you get 8 points down in G (the type we GM’s only get 4 pts for). But rather than just do one I thought I’d grab a few of the easier 1 point hills on the way past. Most of them I can see the preferred route but I’m not too sure about Grayrigg Forest. It’s close to the M6 and it’s not been activated very many times. What’s the best route up and what’s the take off like? I’ll probably only have a small beam and a VX-170 (5w FM) with me.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

Most of them I can see the preferred
route but I’m not to sure about Grayrigg Forest. It’s close to the M6
and it’s not been activated very many times. What’s the best route up
and what’s the take off like? I’ll probably only have a small beam and
a VX-170 (5w FM) with me.

We (M1MAJ & M3ZCB) activated it in June. We parked in a small parking area
at NY607015 on the minor road just before it becomes gated. We then walked
along the road to NY594014 and then headed up a rough track which faded
as we made our way towards the most westerly of the transmitter stations.
There was then an easy road section east to the other transmitter station,
after which it was rough country to the trig point, which is a rather nice
stone built one. It took us about 1.5 hours from the car, but we don’t
walk very fast.

It’s not the best 2m FM take off, but we both had 5 S2S contacts on 2m FM,
3 in G, 2 in GW, using FT817 and a RSS and Caroline got another 5 contacts
with fixed stations. It was the first hill where we had both qualified it without calling CQ - the first 4 contacts being chases of other summits.

Caroline and Martyn

In reply to MM0FMF:
Hi Andy
Long time since I did that one (still on my unchased list).
I parked at the end of the transmitter road in Deepslack SD568982. Walk all the way to its end. Then SE across grass look for stile in wall. Then quick yomp to summit.
Good VHF take-off.Plenty of room for HF.
Whilst walking up was passed by a landrover full of walkers who parked at the transmitter so possible to drive but whether its allowed !?

Roger G4OWG

In reply to MM0FMF:
Hi Andy
There is also another easy G/LD 1 pointer near the M6.
Lambrigg Fell G/LD-046 is just of J37 of the M6. Parking only couple of metres away from the junction. Easy and short walking distance to the summit.

Jimmy M3EYP

In reply to M3EYP:

Thanks Jimmy, I’d already spotted that one along with Hutton Roof Crags. Grayrigg looks to be a bit more of a walk than the others. I did Cross Fell earlier this year on my way South for the Blackpool Rally. It’s not terribly difficult in reality but the WX on top was quite wild, about 4in of snow on the top and a fiercely biting wind made it more tiring than I was expecting. In fact getting onto the summit plateau with the snow was quite a struggle.
I was thinking of a bimble up Blencathra but in retrospect I think a few gentle 1 pointers to break up the journey is a much more sensible bet to mix in with a 4.5hr drive. I needed several large capuccinos at Tebay to sustain me for the drive down to Liverpool afterwards.

One of the unexpected side affects of SOTA is how it improves your geography.
As you climb the hills you begin to realise why roads curve around and don’t run in straight lines… someone has put humungous great lumps in the way! So I’ve just realised just exactly where Lambrigg Fell and Grayrigg Forest actually are situated! I’ve been impressed with view so many times as you drive between the slopes of Grayrigg Forest and The Howgill Fells on the M6. Likewise Lambrigg Fell’s windfarm suddenly jumps out of a fold in the hills, especially when going South on the M6.

Thanks for the suggestions on Grayrigg routes. All I need now is some favourable weather for the journey and I’ll certainly be up for bagging a few of them. Watch for the alerts.

Andy
MM0FMF